(Through the Bible) Jeremiah 6-10 — Chuck Smith

Jeremiah Warns Jerusalem of Babylonian Destruction

Let's turn now in our Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 6. Jeremiah is warning the people of the impending destruction that is coming to Jerusalem because they have forsaken God and turned after the pagan idols of the heathen.

And in his message to them, chapter 6 is a continuation actually of a message that was started way back in about chapter 3, verse 6. And so this message is a continuation. And here he is warning the children of Benjamin.

Now Benjamin was a very small tribe and some of those from the tribe of Benjamin were there in Jerusalem. And he is warning them to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem. Blow the trumpet at Tekoa. Tekoa is an area out in the wilderness, actually beyond Bethlehem towards the Dead Sea.

It's about the last outpost really before you get to that rugged canyon cliff area where nobody lives, except wild mountain goats. Tekoa happened to be the place where the prophet Amos was from. And set up a sign of fire in Beth Hasrim, for evil appeareth out of the north and great destruction.

So he is warning of this destruction that will be coming from Babylon, who will be invading from the north as they come down through Syria. I have likened the daughter of Zion to a beautiful and delicate woman.

But the shepherds with their flock shall come unto her. They shall pitch their tents against her round about and they shall feed everyone in his place. Prepare ye war against her. Arise and let us go up at noon.

Woe unto us for the day goeth away for the shadows of the evening are stretched out. Arise and let us go by night and let us destroy her palaces. And so the daughter of Zion, Jerusalem, is likened unto a beautiful delicate woman who is attacked from daylight on through in the evening.

For thus hath the Lord of hosts said, Hew down trees and cast a mount against Jerusalem. This is the city that is to be visited. She is holy oppression in the midst of her. The cutting down of trees, of course, was to make the rams, battering rams to break down the walls into the gates and so forth.

Jerusalem’s Violence and the Downfall of Judah

Now as a fountain and here's God's description as he looks at Jerusalem and it's really quite descriptive as a fountain casted out her waters. So she casted out her wickedness as a fountain is just bubbling out with waters.

So Jerusalem is just overflowing with wickedness. It just is proceeding out of Jerusalem. Violence and spoil is heard in her before me continually are grief and wounds. So because of the turning away from God, a lot of violence, a lot of robbery, a lot of assaulting of people.

Now as we have shared with you, Jeremiah was called to oversee the death of the nation. He was to watch it in its final agony before it died. He was to see it go under the heel of Babylon and he was helpless to stop it.

All they could do is just stand and warn them and then watch the whole thing happen. It is sad to see a nation die. And as we read the prophet of Jeremiah, we see the symptoms that were bringing on or telling at least the death of the nation.

The prophecy of Jeremiah becomes very relevant to us today because many of the things that were transpiring there in Jerusalem, there in Judah are transpiring in the United States today. So as Jeremiah describes the condition of the violence that fills her streets, the oppression, the spoiling, we look at our land and we look how violent crime is increasing.

We look at how robbery and all is increasing. And we see that these same indicators are here that brought the downfall of Judah. Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee, lest I make thee desolate a land that is not inhabited.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, they shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine. Turn back your hand as the grape gathered into the baskets. She's going to be plucked from all of her fruit as the gleaners would go through afterwards and they'd pick everything that was left.

So Israel or Jerusalem is to be left picked clean without anything left. To whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken. Behold, the word of the Lord is to them a reproach.

They have no delight in it. So the difficulty of speaking to the people, they weren't listening anymore. They weren't listening to the voice of God any longer. They closed their hearts to God and the word of the Lord to them was just a reproach.

They had no delight in hearing God's word. Therefore, God declares, I am full of fury or Jeremiah declared. I am full of the fury of the Lord. I am weary with holding it in. I will pour it out upon the children abroad upon the assembly of the young men together.

For even the husband with the wife shall be taken and the aged with him that is full of days. They're all to be destroyed, the old men, the children and their houses shall be turned unto others with their fields and their wives together.

For I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the Lord. For from the least of them, even unto the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness. And from the prophet, even unto the priest, everyone is dealing falsely.

So the conditions of the land, the people were filled with covetousness and the priest and the prophets were corrupted. And they have healed, God said, the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.

And so the prophets and all were declaring, Oh, you know, things are going to be all right. Don't have to worry, you know, peace, peace. When judgment was hanging over their heads. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?

No, they were not at all ashamed. Neither could they blush. Therefore, they shall fall among them that fall. And at the time that I visit them, they shall be cast down, saith the Lord. 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. But they said, we will not walk therein. Now, God is challenging. He's saying, look, just stand still for a minute. Put on the brakes.

Take a look at your life. Take a look at what's happening. The things that are going on around you. Make an evaluation of yourself and in the life you're living. Just stand in the ways and see. Look what's happening to our world.

Look what's happening to this generation in which we live. He said, and ask for the old paths. That is the path of righteousness, walking with the Lord. Wherein is the good way and you will find rest for your souls.

Christ’s Promise of Rest for the Weary

Jesus said, come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. This rest is always associated with committing your life to God. There's a glorious rest in this. The old path of just full commitment of myself to the Lord.

You know, when you commit your life to Jesus Christ, the very first consciousness that you have is that of a real deep peace and rest. In fact, when you go home, you feel so peaceful that as you lie there on your bed, you hate to go to sleep.

It just feels so good. The war is over. I'm not running from God anymore. I'm not fighting God anymore. God, I belong to you and I want to just walk with you and I want to just serve you, Lord. And just that beautiful rest that you have in your soul as you've committed now your life to Jesus Christ.

And the very first consciousness of your new life is that of just a deep seated, beautiful rest. Rest for your souls. God promises it. But people caught up in their covetousness as they're lusting after so many things.

They say, oh, no, not for us, man. We're out to get all we can, you know, and off they go. And the furor and the frenzy and the panic of life. The Lord said, also, I have set watchmen over you saying, hearken to the sound of the trumpet.

But they said, we will not hearken. God said, I'm blowing the trumpet. It's a trumpet of warning. Judgment is coming. I said, forget it. Therefore, here ye nations and no congregation that is among them here.

Oh, Earth. Now, it's tragic here. God said, you know, the people aren't listening to him anymore. So he starts talking to the earth. It's a sad day when people no longer listen to God and he's got to talk to the earth here.

Or behold, I will bring evil upon this people. Even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened to my words nor to my law, but they have rejected it. To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba?

What what value are your religious activities? This week came from a far country. Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. They're just God says I won't accept them.

Religion Cannot Replace Relationship with God

In the Psalms, it said sacrifices and offerings. I was not. In fact, you don't care for a broken and a contrite spirit. You won't turn away. There are too many people that are trying to substitute religion for relationship.

God wants a relationship with you. A living relationship with you. And he doesn't care for your religious activities unless there is a relationship behind it. But just the religious activities for religious activities sake is of no value at all.

There's got to be that vital relationship behind it in order that it be meaningful. So God said, forget the sacrifice. I don't care for them. I won't even accept them. Therefore, thus saith the Lord, behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before the people.

And the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them and their neighbors and their friends shall perish. Thus saith the Lord. Behold, the king, the people cometh from the north country and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.

And they shall lay hold on bow and spear. They are cruel. They have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea. They ride upon horses set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion. We have heard of the fame thereof.

Our hands wax feeble. Anguish has taken hold of us and pain as a woman in travail. Go not forth into the field nor walk by the way for the sword of the enemy and the fears on every side. O daughter of my people, gird thee now with sackcloth, which is a garment of mourning.

Wallow thyself in ashes. Make thee mourning as for an only son. Most bitter lamentation for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us. I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people that thou mayest know and try their way.

Now God is saying this to Jeremiah. The end of the message is there. And now he's talking to Jeremiah. He said, I set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people that you may know and try their way.

They are all grievous revolters walking with slanders. Slanders. They are as brass and iron. They are all corruptors. The bellows are burned. The lead is consumed in the fire. The founder melteth in vain for the wicked are not plucked away.

Reprobate silver or refuse silver shall that men call them because the Lord hath rejected them. So God tells Jeremiah that your ministry isn't going to really be successful or prosper. The people have gone.

But yet I've set you there in the midst as a tower. So chapter seven. King Josiah, who was reigning at the beginning of Jeremiah's ministry in the 18th year of his reign, ordered the temple restored. It had fallen into disrepair.

It sort of lay in ruins. They had in the outer courts built altars unto Bell and unto Molech. And they had forsaken the worship of God, of the Lord in the temple for years. So Josiah now ordered that the temple be restored.

And he gave to Hilkiah, the high priest, a great sum of money that he might hire carpenters and all. That they might come in and just refurbish the whole place. And while they were in cleaning out the debris and all.

They found a scroll of the law. And so as they read the law of the Lord unto King Josiah. He began to weep as he saw how far they had gone in their turning away from God. And how God in the law had promised his judgments would come if they forsook him and forsook the law.

And so Josiah cried out unto the Lord. He was really disturbed when the law was read. Deeply convicted for the evil of the people. And the word of the Lord came unto a prophetess whose name was Huldah.

And she sent a message to the king and said because of his attitude of repentance and turning to God. That the evil that God was going to bring upon the people, the judgment would not come during his reign.

But after his reign. Josiah was the last of the good kings of Judah. After his death, his son plunged downhill just straight down. He only reigned for three months until he was taken out of the way. And another king set up by the pharaoh of Egypt.

But after Josiah's death, things just went downhill fast. Now as they read to Josiah the book of the law. He saw how that the Lord had ordered that the people were to gather together each year for the Passover feast there in Jerusalem.

And so he ordered a great celebration of the Passover in the 18th year of his reign as king. And the people were invited to come. And according to the record in 2nd Kings. This was one of the grandest observances of the Passover in the history of the nation.

As far as the number of people attending and the sacrifices that were offered. And so there was a great popular religious movement. As the people could see that their king wanted to serve Jehovah. So it became a popular thing for the people to go to church.

Go to the temple. It's always dangerous when a person's motivation of going is because it's popular. You know, everybody's going to join the crowd. Rather than coming out of a desire of your own heart to know God and to worship God.

The Temple Cannot Save a Disobedient People

So the Lord came to Jeremiah. And said. Now go down to the gate. Of the Lord's house. And proclaim these words. Say. Hear the word of the Lord. All ye of Judah. That enter into these gates to worship Jehovah.

So in the midst of this great movement. All these people coming into the temple. He goes down to the temple gate. And he starts to cry into the people. Hear the word of the Lord. All of you that are coming here to worship Jehovah.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts. The God of Israel. Amend your ways and your doings and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying words saying. The temple of the Lord. The temple of the Lord.

The temple of the Lord are these. Now the prophet is rebuking the people that are coming to worship. Because number one they are coming out of wrong motivation. Somehow they feel that because the temple has been restored and rebuilt.

That they are going to be safe now from their enemies. They haven't altered their lifestyle at all. They're still doing all of the same wicked things that they were doing before. They're still burning their incense to Bell.

They're still sacrificing their children to the fires of Molech. They're doing all of these abominable things as far as God is concerned. But now we've got the temple and because the temple is here. Surely God is going to spare us.

And they were looking at the temple as sort of a magical charm. An amulet of some sort that is going to keep us from being destroyed. But the prophet is declaring you're trusting in lying words. When you think that just the fact that you have a temple.

That that building is going to somehow be a magical charm for you to keep you from the judgment. That are coming upon you because of your deeds, your ways, your activities. God again is interested in a relationship with you that changes your life.

And coming to church isn't really worth that. Unless your heart and your life is dedicated to God. There are a lot of people try to appease their conscience. Resting in church membership. Resting in past spiritual experiences or past rituals.

But God declares here that you are trusting in lying words. That there is no salvation in these things. The church cannot save you. A ritual cannot save you. Only a living life changing faith in Jesus Christ can save you.

And if your faith in Christ has not altered your life. Then your faith must be challenged and questioned. If I would say to you folks. I believe that there is a bomb planted in this church. An extremely powerful bomb that's going to go off in three minutes.

I believe this because somehow I just have a strong feeling that you know this bomb is about ready to explode. And I just go on and you know ignore it and just keep talking and everything else. You say oh you don't really believe there's a bomb there.

Your actions are not in keeping with what you say you believe. If I really believe there was a bomb here I'd say all right now no one panic. But let's all get up and exit as quickly as you can out of this place you know.

My actions would agree with what I declare I believe. There's got to be a harmony. If I really believe something between what I believe and the actions of my life. And if you say that you really believe in Jesus Christ.

That he is the son of God. And that he died to save us from our sins. Then that belief should be matched by your life and your lifestyle. It is wrong and it is inconsistent. For me to talk about my believing in God and believing in the Spirit and all.

And to be living totally after my flesh. Now that was exactly what was going on in this situation. Their words they were deceiving themselves with their words. Because they could mouth the right phrases.

They had deceived themselves and they were trusting in lying words. Rather than trusting in a living relationship with God. And so the prophet is warning them. To not trust in these lying words. Just because they were awed by the fact.

Oh the temple of Jehovah. Beautiful. Gorgeous. Don't you feel good. Temple of Jehovah you know. I don't care what you feel. It's what you're doing that God is interested in. And so he said amend your ways.

Your doings. And that I will cause you to dwell in this place. I'll protect you then. I will be with you then. I'll be your defense then. But this temple isn't going to save you. This building isn't going to save you.

If you want me to work in your behalf. Then change your ways. For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings. If you thoroughly execute judgment. Between man and his neighbor. If you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, the widow.

And if you do not shed innocent blood in this place. Neither walk after the other gods to your own hurt. Then will I cause you to dwell in this place. In the land that I gave to your fathers. Forever and ever.

Hey. If you live right. If you walk right. You can live here forever. I will be a defense to you. I will watch over you. I will keep you. But not just because you have the temple. Not just because you have a religious observance.

Let me see it proved in your life. And in your lifestyle. Amend your ways and the things you're doing. Start living right. God wants us. To be honest. God wants us to be just. God wants us to be fair.

God does not want us to oppress the poor. Or to take advantage. Of another person's situation. God wants us to love each other as we love ourselves. Now. Is there anything evil with that. Wouldn't it be wonderful to live in a world.

Where people were doing what God wanted them to do. How glorious this world would be. If we were all doing what God wants us to do. If we were all genuinely loving one another. And caring for one another.

Interested in one another. Helping one another. Lifting the person that has fallen. Helping the person that is weak. If we were all concerned and loving one another. It would be a glorious world to live in.

And that's what God requires. And that's what God wants of us. But the people were all doing their own thing. They were all living for their own selfish motivations. And they were all so covetous. Trying to gain for themselves.

And not caring who they hurt. Or who was destroyed by it. And their greed. Had overcome them. God said. So just having a temple. Just. You know. Coming to temple. That's not going to do it. I want more than that.

Just coming to church. That's not going to do it. God wants more than that. He wants a commitment of your life. He wants you to change your ways. He wants you to start living. According to His will. Behold.

The prophet said. You trust in lying words that cannot profit or save you. The words cannot save you. Mouthing right phrases cannot save you. Mouthing the Apostles Creed won't save you. Mouthing the 23rd Psalm or John 3 .16 won't save you.

Salvation is more than just a creed. That is recited. It is a commitment of my heart and life. To Jesus Christ. So the Lord shows the inconsistency. Will you steal. And murder. And commit adultery. And swear falsely.

And burn incense and the bell. And walk after other gods whom you know not. And come and stand before me in this house. Which is called by my name. And say. Oh we're free to do all of these abominations.

You say. Oh. Could people really do that. Could they be committing adultery and fornication and all during the week. And then come to the house of God and say. Oh. We have the grace of God that covers us.

And we have freedom in Christ to do anything we want. And so the prophet speaks out against it. It was happening then. It happens today. There are people who live. After their own flesh. During the week.

They're dishonest in their business practices. They lie. They steal. They commit adultery. Commit fornication. And then they dare to come and stand in the house of God. And think because they've come to the house of God.

That that should somehow. Take care. Of all they've done because after all or to put a five in the plate last week. You know. By my way out. No way. God says change your way. Amend your life. Amend your doings and then.

I will keep you and I will watch over you and you'll dwell safely in this place. Is this house God said which is called by my name become a den of robbers. Behold even I have seen it sayeth the Lord. You remember.

When Jesus came to the temple and he found those that were changing money and selling doves. He took and made a whip. And he began to overturn the tables of the money changers and he began to drive them out.

And he said my father's house. Was to be called a house of prayer but you've made it a den of thieves. The Lord said is my house. Which is called by my name. You see they were saying all of the temple of Jehovah.

Temple of Jehovah. It was called by his name but they. It became a a gathering place for a bunch of robbers. A den of robbers. Now the Lord said. Go to the place where you used to worship in Shiloh. The place that was built there to worship me.

Where I set my name at the beginning when I when they first came into the land. And began to inherit the land. The first place the tabernacle was set was in Shiloh. And so God said go up to Shiloh. The place where my name was placed at the first.

And see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. Look at its desolation. And now because you have done all of these works sayeth the Lord. And I speak unto you rising up early and speaking but you heard not.

And I called you but you did not answer. Therefore will I do unto this house which is called by my name wherein you trust. See they're trusting in the house not in God. People trusting in the church not in Christ.

Trusting in a ritual. Not in a living relationship. And unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers as I have done to Shiloh. I'm going to do the same thing to this place. I'm going to make it desolate.

I'm going to destroy it. And I will cast you out of my sight as I have cast out all your brothers. Even the whole seed of Ephraim. That is the northern tribes of Israel. Therefore. And now God is saying to Jeremiah after the message.

Therefore Jeremiah. Pray not. For this people. Neither lift up cry. Nor prayer for them. Neither make intercession to me. For I will not. Hear thee. Ooh what solemn. Harsh. Words. As God says that's it Jeremiah.

I've had it. Don't cry. To me for them. Don't pray. To me for them. Don't lift up your voice anymore for them. Because. I won't even hear you. You remember. Back in the book of Genesis. When men began to multiply on the face of the earth.

That the Lord looked throughout the earth and there was none righteous. Except Noah. In his generation. And the Lord spake unto Noah saying. My spirit. Will not always. Strive with man. Now. In that there is a blessing and there is a curse.

There is a blessing that God's spirit strives with us at all. That's so. Beautiful that God would strive with me. That God would take time for me. That God is interested enough in me. That he sends his spirit to strive with me.

To live the right life. And to follow after him. In order that I might. Receive all of the blessings and the goodness. And the glory of being a child of God. God actually strives with me. For something which is so good for me.

Seems to me that men would be clamoring after him. So that God does strive with man is a blessing. But. The curse is. God won't always strive. A person can turn his back upon the Lord. He can harden himself to God.

To the place where God's spirit will no longer strive. And with Jeremiah. God will say. All right. That's it. They've gone too far. Don't pray anymore for their good. If you do. I'm not going to hear you.

Don't cry into me for them. That's it. No more. I don't want to hear another prayer. I don't want you to ask anymore for them. Because I won't hear you. When God says of a person. That's it. They've gone too far.

You say is such a thing possible. The scripture teaches that it is. God said. Ephraim is joined to her idols. Let her alone. Don't try anymore. Just let her alone. Paul tells us in Romans. Wherefore God has given them up.

How tragic. When God gives a person up. When God gives up on a man. Now you see. God isn't under any obligation to strive with you at all. The fact that he strives at all is. It's just. You know. It's just a marvel that I can't fully understand.

He's under no obligation. God doesn't owe me a thing. But yet because it is love. He strives. With man. But there comes a time. We know not when a place. We know not where. That marks the destiny of men.

Twixt sorrow and despair. There is a line. Though by man unseen. Once it has been crossed. Even God himself. And all of his love has sworn. That is all. Is lost. In. John. Twelve thirty eight. It said.

Therefore. They could not believe. It didn't say they would not believe. They could not believe. It came to the place where they could not believe. They had gone too far. And when God says to Jeremiah.

Therefore pray thou not for this people. Neither lift up a crying or prayer for them. Neither make intercession to me. For I will not hear. The people have gone too far. They've gone beyond the point.

Of no return. See is thou not what they do in the cities of Judah. In the streets of Jerusalem. The children gather wood. And the fathers kindle the fire. And the women. Need their dough. To make cakes to the queen of heaven.

They're worshiping. Ashtoreth. Semiramis. The queen of heaven. The goddess of fertility. And to pour out drink offerings unto other gods. That they may provoke me to anger. So here. God's people. The little children.

Are out gathering sticks. And the fathers. They bring them home to the fathers. Who kindle the fire. And the women are there. Kneading the dough. So they can bake these little cakes. To the goddess of fertility.

Semiramis. The queen of heaven. God said that's it. That's. That's. More than I can take. Just. Leave. Don't. Pray anymore. Don't intercede anymore. I'm through. I've had it. That's. That's it. Do they provoke me to anger.

Save the Lord. Do they not provoke themselves. To the confusion of their own faces. Therefore. Thus saith the Lord God. Behold my anger. And my fury. Shall be poured out upon this place. Upon man. Upon the beast.

Upon the trees of the field. Upon the fruit of the ground. And it shall burn. And shall not be quenched. Thus saith the Lord of hosts. The God of Israel. Put your burnt offerings. Unto your sacrifices.

And eat flesh. For I speak not unto your fathers. Nor commanded them in the day. That I brought them out of the land of Egypt. Concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this thing commanded I them.

Saying obey my voice. God said I didn't set up sacrifices to begin with. The burnt offerings. And the peace offerings. God didn't establish them until after he had given the law. And they disobeyed the law.

Then God set the sacrifices for burnt offering and all. But he said I said unto them obey my voice. And I will be your God. You will be my people. Walk in all of the ways that I have commanded you. And it will be well unto you.

Just obey me God says. And walk with me. In harmony with my desires and wishes. But they hearkened not. Nor inclined their ear. But they walked in the counsels. And the imaginations of their own evil hearts.

And they went backward. Away from me. Instead of towards me. Since the day that your fathers came forth. Out of the land of Egypt. Unto this day. I have even sent unto you. All of my servants. The prophets daily rising up early.

And sending them. God did not left them. From the beginning he had sent his messengers. His servants to warn them. And to challenge them to commit their lives to God. Yet they hearkened not unto me. Nor inclined their ear.

But they hardened their neck. And they did worse than their fathers. Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them. But they will not hearken. Now you're to go out Jeremiah. And say the words. That was the only trip Jeremiah had.

You know. It's a ministry that has. A promise of failure. Now. Know this. Though the ministry was destined for failure. From the beginning. Yet it was a necessary ministry. That God required of Jeremiah.

And because Jeremiah was faithful. And obedient. God blessed Jeremiah. As his instrument. Though there was to be no success. From his ministry. Now. We have. In our minds. Sort of a carryover. In our service.

To the Lord. We have a carryover from the secular world. Concepts. For if I'm a salesman. I only get commission. When I get the signature. On the dotted line. And so. Sometimes I feel discouraged. When I get the signature.

On the dotted line. I witnessed to them. But they. Rejected the witness. And I feel. Oh I'm so defeated. You know because they didn't hear. Oh what a waste of time. You know I spent all afternoon with him.

And then they rejected. Anyhow. Oh what a waste. Wait a minute. Not so. God. Reward you. For the witnessing. Whether or not anybody ever listens. Harkens or changes. You see. God only requires that I witness for him.

And God knows that some of the witnessing is just going to fall on deaf ears. But he still requires me to do it. Now Jeremiah you go out and speak all these things. So they're not going to listen to you.

It's all right. You go out and tell him anyhow. Because God. Wants. His witness. To be left. So that men. Are without excuse. So God requires us to go out and to witness and not always are we going to be successful.

That doesn't make any difference. It has no difference. And no standing at all upon my. Reward when I stand before God. God will not reward me for the number of people that responded to my witness. God will reward me for witnessing.

God will reward me the same if 10 responded or no one responded. Because the response isn't my territory at all. That's God's territory. Only God can create a response in the heart of the people. It isn't up to me to argue people into a faith or believing in Jesus Christ.

It's only up to me to witness to them of God and of God's word and of God's truth. And then it's up to the Spirit of God to take that witness and do with it what he wants in the heart of the individual.

And quite often we don't know. The real work of the Spirit in the heart of a person. I had a drunk man come to the door one night. All upset because he had been in a big fight with his family. They called the police because he ripped the phone off the wall.

Violent. Wanted help. I said, well, what do you want? He said, I want to get right with God. I want to call my wife and all this kind of stuff. Tell her how horrible she is. Treating me like she has. He said, I can't get anybody to pray through with me.

I didn't really know what he meant by that, but I'll pray with you as long as you want to pray. So I took him over to the church, which was next door to our house. And we started praying together in the first half hour.

He is praying vengeance and judgment upon all those that had treated him so wrong, you know. And I just sort of prayed along quietly. Then after the first half hour, he began to change and say, Lord, I haven't been so good myself.