A Wake Up Call to Men in the Church — Shane Idleman

Prone to Wander from God's Path

Prone to wander Lord. I feel it prone to leave the God. I love here's my heart. Oh take and seal it seal it for thy courts above and it's interesting with this sermon this week I actually didn't finish this until last night.

I worked on it try to work on it all week. It was just getting irritating. Nothing was coming together and My wife just took the kids last night for about three hours, and I just said and said Lord, okay.

This is not working what's going on here? And I believe he just wanted to kind of take me in a whole different direction than where we were going and that's usually why I Get frustrated and nothing's coming together is it's just not flowing.

It's not fitting and the scripture really seemed to just leap out all week and I couldn't really put my hands around it. Some of you are familiar with it in Proverbs 27. It's very interesting verse like a bird that wanders from its nest.

So is a man who wanders from his place? Think about that. Like a bird that wanders from its nest so is a man who wanders from his place. Prone to wander and we know what that word means, right wander to depart to stray to retreat.

In other words, we're set in the certain course and then now I'm prone to wander. There's something in me that's prone to wander. It reminds me of that story. I heard some time ago I don't know if it's true.

But a man who raises his young son in the fear and admonition of the Lord and he he just did all he could do but in his 21 birthday when he turned 21 all hell broke loose and he just went and Partied and got in trouble and eventually ended himself up in a jail on the Nevada border.

And his dad walked in into the jail cell and he said son. You don't belong here. And that's that that what happened that wandering son. You don't belong here. Especially in men as a Father's Day message.

Men's Calling to Lead Their Families

We're called to lead our families but there's something inside of us that is prone to wander and Wander and wander we've got to pull that back in. So I want to talk about that subject tonight of wandering and how do we how do we pull that back in?

When the Bible talks about the bird that wanders from its nest so is a man that wanders from his place. Right, we know what that place is to stake to stay within God's framework of safety and protection.

And it's kind of like a bird you trap a bird. Do you trap it in its nest or on the ground on? The ground look up bird trapping. They'll trap that bird when it gets down when it gets their safety in that nest their safety in that Protection and the enemy wants to draw us away from that place of protection.

The reason is then we get a certificate of non-operation. You know what that is, right? I know friends with nice cars in the driveway, but guess what they're not going anywhere. Because there's something wrong with it.

There's a Certificate of non-operation this vehicle is not going anywhere and what happens when the enemy draws us out of that place. Here's what happens we become ineffective unproductive negative angry lukewarm depressed disgruntled discouraged critical.

Powerless and lifeless that ever sound familiar. You say Shane, how did that how did how did that happen? Well, we wander from that place. We wander from that the enemy pulled us somehow. From the place that God wants as God says listen, don't wander don't wander.

You're prone like a bird that wanders from its nest. God says stay in this place. You know what that place is. God says stay in that place stay in that environment stay in the safety of Protection. Well, how do we do that?

Well, I'm glad you asked and we're going to talk about that tonight. The wander within you must be restrained. I can list everybody in this room and say there's a wander within. We're prone to wander like the song says prone to wander Lord.

I feel it. Do you ever feel that prone to wander? So, I don't like it. I don't like that that I just want to sleep in. I don't want to get to the Bible. I don't want to get into church. I don't want to do these things.

I'm prone to wander. So we say Lord, how can we how can we restrain this wander? And a lot of it, you know. The hard part for me is just to be honest with you is. Everything I share from this pulpit is how we can avoid this wandering and how can you bring up new truths every single week?

And you can't because if it's new it's not true right, if it's true, it's not going to be new and That's one of the difficulties with pastoring is sometimes you have to repeat it and repeat it and repeat it.

Oh now it sinks six months later. Oh, I said that a year. Oh now it sinks in and God. That's the beautiful thing about God's work. It comes back and it keeps repeating and repeating itself, but I don't want to do that tonight.

I've talked about prayer and fasting worship all those things go back and listen to the last Three years worth of sermons really but I just want to talk to you as a man. I'm a broken man. From a broken childhood that resulted in a broken marriage that resulted in a broken life but God.

You'd be surprised what God can do through brokenness and humility. It's my firm belief that God wants to do a lot more and a lot people's lives. But without that brokenness and humility, he can't move he can't chain as an if equal God can do whatever I guys.

They're a boulder too big that God can't move and you know, we start thinking all these things. Well, we know God can't lie. And God will work through a broken humble vessel person that submits and surrenders his life to him.

And that's what I want to talk to just the guys you can listen in women, of course. And this will be a blessing to you as well, but I want to talk about honest self examination tonight. Honest. That's a key word there right because you can say oh, yeah, okay.

Honest self-examination where you sit like I did this week and you just sit in a chair and you examine your heart. You examine your motives and what I want to draw from as well as first Samuel 15. Many of you are familiar with this story.

Rebellion as Witchcraft and the Cost of Disobedience

God told Saul to do something. Believe it was Saul. I get it. I shouldn't. I didn't read the context there. But God told Saul to do something and he did not do it and Samuel comes and he says this these famous words.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft you've heard me quote that before right another translation says for rebellion is like the sin of divination and Arrogance like the evil of idolatry because you have rejected the word of the Lord.

He has rejected you. And I just last night actually said I just Lord what it what and just read it reading over this and trying to grasp what. Why is this on my heart? And here's what I can't kind of came up with.

God is not saying that he will reject a Christian when they rebel or we'd all be in trouble. He is saying that disobedience is the same as magic and Divination and soothsaying at the heart of magic is rebellion at the heart of false worship is self-exaltation.

See, he's showing he's saying see Israel would put a high cost on magic and Divination. Really what this is is you're conjuring up, you know. We G boards you fill in the blank of what black magic is calling the satanic Influence in their life God that that had a high price in the nation of Israel.

They would kill those people. Mmm, Salem witch trials in America. Remember that. Funny they won't tell you about the three Christian men who brought those to an end. They'll just point out all the the bad things in this.

But rebellion is as a sin of witchcraft and what happened is the children of Israel saw witchcraft as this as the huge sin. That it is. It's I mean that nothing worries me more than Talking about those things when people dabble they say dabble into the occult.

You're not dabbling into the cult. You're playing into Satan's hands. Well, let me just go out. We're gonna spend a weekend. We're gonna have some wine do the week you bored you're not just gonna have a joy and you're gonna invite spirit the spiritual enemy into your camp and Israel knew this you mean you don't see too many people Samuel Saul David those days playing with the with witchcraft.

So God would say listen in the same way you view that Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. So when there's people and rebellion against God's clear directives, it's as the sin of witchcraft. It's rebellion and arrogance is just as is a stench in the nostrils of a righteous.

Holy pure God as that is. Think about how powerful that is sometimes. Oh, yeah, that's a good saying and a good scripture rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, but when you really sit and ponder it Wow that carries a heavy heavy thing and Then and then I kind of glean this from it as well.

There is a there is a deeper anointing. There is a more powerful place of worship. There is a more prominent place of service that flows from obedience. See later on he goes to say because of that God's gonna rip this kingdom from your hand.

You're no longer gonna be King. There's a deeper anointing hear this. There's a deeper anointing. There's a more powerful place of worship there's a more prominent place of service that flows from obedience and It's funny because sometimes when I talk on this even other pastors Will say I get labeled as a moralist.

Moralist. Well a moralist is somebody says all do all these things and then now you'll be in favor with God. You know, I'm so spiritual because I do all these things and yeah you that can you know I got to do this and do this you can run the risk of being a Pharisee.

But God's Word is crystal clear that obedience. Disobedience is as a sin of witchcraft rebellion is as a sin of witchcraft. Don't do this flee from this abstain from this do not be conformed to this and so on.

And I think many people are just scared of that word obedience. It's a very healthy word. Actually, it's a very protective word because it's like you're being up in the nest like the bird as a bird that wanders from its nest.

Obedience is that safety net when I can obey the Word of God there comes anointing. There comes power from that obedience and what happens with disobedience? There goes the anointing of God there goes the blessing of God and a man wanders from his place.

So it's very significant when we reject the Word of the Lord through disobedience. There is a cost there is a price. Sometimes we forget that I think because well, I'm forgiven. I'm saved. I can do whatever.

Anytime we and I'm talking about. Let me also encourage people right now. None of us walks perfectly in the will of God on this side of eternity. We're stumbling. We're fumbling. But where's the heart at is your heart set on pleasing him and getting in right?

Relationship with him and getting everything reestablished again and renewing and fellowship and repentance. Or is it not set on that like well, I know God forgives and I'm just going to continue in this destroy.

I mean I could name a half dozen people right now. Actually, they're all men come to think of it. Where I've talked to them I said listen scripture says this. But you're doing this. And then you know, we say well, yeah, I know scripture says but God no, no.

No, no when you go against did when you disobey the clear-cut commands of scripture. There is a price to pay there is a cost somewhere down the road what a man sows that he what he will reap. That's why sometimes we need to hear difficult messages like this is to wake us from that spiritual sleep and say listen wake up.

So I believe if we can glean this from this text for rebellion is as a sin of witchcraft. God is not saying that he will reject a Christian when they rebel, but he will call them back. He is saying that disobedience is the same as witchcraft and at the heart of witchcraft is Rebellion and pride at the heart of false worship is self exaltation.

There is a deeper anointing. Do you guys want the anointing of God in your life? Do you want to feel the power of God in your life? Do you want to have experiential powerful worship? Do you want to have a prominent place of service in God's kingdom and all flows from obedience?

You will not see somebody stuck in disobedience stuck in rebellion who is on fire for God. That's an act oxymoron. Because when I'm not when I'm stuck in this this this funk is what I call it. I'm not on fire for God.

I'm let's revisit the list ineffective unproductive negative angry lukewarm depressed disgruntled discouraged critical powerless and lifeless Lord shame my life is like it's falling apart. God seems distant.

What's going on? Well, sometimes we need to check the condition of the heart. Not all the time because there are valleys and mountains and I understand we go through challenges and I can't say I'm not one of Those guys says everything's linked to disobedience everything.

Because then we all be in trouble right but sometimes God will convict us and say I know he's convicting me to do that. I just don't want to do it and I'm not gonna do it because God's a butler in heaven.

He's no big deal. But then you better read this scripture I mean to me when I read that doesn't give you a look shivers up your spine. Your rebellion and disobeying bang me is as the sin of witchcraft and divination.

I Mean, there's no middle ground there. That's crystal clear. Now here's the key pride blinds us to the things of God. How many times we talked about pride in this church dozens and dozens and dozens of times?

Pride, Humility, and Honest Self-Examination

When I see a bunch of humble broken men, I'll stop deal deal. When I see guys at this altar weeping guys turn around their chairs praying and worshiping God I'll stop when I see why saying my husband loves me so much.

I have no complaints. I'll stop. And you know, I didn't like this sermon because it's speaking right to me, too. How many times have I said I'm a prideful man. Working on humility. See it's very healthy.

Say I'm a prideful man. I need help Lord. Would you help me? Would you break this pride but pride here's what happens? The most arrogant Christians are the most self-deceived Christians I've ever met.

They think they're God's gift to God and he's just loves them so much and they're so prideful though. They can't see through that veneer. It's the only disease that we have that we're not aware of. I Remember I heard a story actually at the men's break or the prayer breakfast I've heard a few times but it definitely fits with this is when Muhammad Ali was on an airplane and They're getting ready to take off and they said, you know, would you please put on your seat belt?

And he said no not put on my seat belt. The stewardess said mr. Ali. Would you please put on your seat belt? He said Superman don't need no seat belt. She looked at him and said Superman don't need no airplane.

Oh Wait, you see that you see how that works. Pride just comes in and spiritually blinds everything. Superman D doesn't need no seat belt. You can't even you can't even fly. What are you talking about?

That's what private prideful people do. I don't need that. That's for those guys. I don't need to repent. I don't need to break. I don't need to work on my marriage. I don't need to seek forgiveness. I don't need to because I'm good with God.

You see how pride works a seat belt. He's on an airplane. It's amazing. What pride does and pride will make us say some of the stupidest things we've ever heard or ever said rather. I See I've said it.

Oh I don't need that. What why did he do that? Why do you and just pride? That's what it does to minute it blinds us spiritually. And I don't think you realize that but when we're walking in pride and disobedience.

We think we're making decisions blessed of God and ordained by God and often they're not. Because they're the decisions of the flesh decisions of pride. So we have to be very careful that everything we do lines up with Scripture.

And I don't know how some people do it without Christ at the center of their life, I Just don't know how they do it. And here's the part of the lot of the sermon that changed. I'm just gonna read a lot of the article of what I put in your paper.

I felt God is or in the bulletin what God is wanting to to speak to us. We are in desperate need of genuine leadership. Broken humble men who are not afraid to admit that they need God. Men who are more worried about prayer than about status and recognition.

Men who petition God rather than position themselves. Men have largely forsaken their God-given role of spiritual leaders in their homes. Nobody can deny that. Let's look at a few examples. Bible reading and prayer are called fanatical while working 12 hours a day is called success.

We build our career, but neglect our marriage. Can I throw something in there that happens in the ministry? I see it all the time. We build our ministry, but neglect our marriage as. If that's more important God says listen.

Qualifications for Spiritual Leadership and Family Priorities

You can't even qualify to lead a church unless your house is in order first. Timothy three. Don't even talk to me about building a ministry unless you're building your marriage. God is the foundation and then family and ministry our support mechanisms within that now, of course.

Sometimes we need to put more energy towards the ministry and then more energy towards the Mary and you're going back and forth. It's never a perfect balance. But if your marriage is falling apart, your ministry is supposedly growing.

Something's wrong. We have to look at these areas. Corporate executives are praised but family men are frowned upon. Pride is considered an asset and humility is a liability. We know more about our favorite athletes and our wives and our children would rather be seen leaving a bar than leaving a church.

We praise our favorite Team yet fall asleep in church. Men you're not called to be passive weak indecisive partners. You're called to protect lead and guard your family. You are to initiate prayer. You are to defend your wife.

You are to shepherd your children. You are to make your home a holy sanctuary. You are called to fight the enemy not flee from him. I'm tired of weak passive men who never contend stand or fight for worth any.

Where's a fight for anything worth dying for. Our nation is looking for character or wiser looking for leaders and our kids are looking for fathers. Men stop the silly video games get off Facebook kill your porn habit.

Tell your ungodly friends to hit the road. You're called to lead love and die if necessary for your families. We are the reason that the nation is deteriorating. We are the reason not the government. Stop blaming God and the government look in the mirror.

Now, you know why this was hard to put together, don't you? But we need to hear it. This is exactly what we need to hear. We need to stop blaming God and the government. We are the problem dad wake up.

Absent Fathers and the Consequences of Wandering

Life is a battleground not a playground. And I can hear it now Shane. You're being too hard on the guys too hard. Really? Really? I Think the opposite is true. Because often if the father wanders so will the children.

Did you catch that that scares me to death. Three little girls and a little boy if the fonder wanders so goes the children in many cases. Today virtually, this is Kenny luck. He just wrote a good article on the Christian Post.

I think they posted it today. Today virtually every social problem social injustice and behavioral Abnormality can be traced back to absent absent delinquent misbehaving or drunk or sexual immoral immoral dads who didn't respect or understand their enormous calling.

And he goes on to say 90 of all women want to change at least one aspect of their appearance and only 2 of women think They are beautiful because their dad's never told them. 81 of ten-year-olds are afraid of being fat.

A girl is being bullied every seven minutes. Where's the father's? Where are they? They're missing in action. Every 15 seconds a woman is battered from a man. 50 of music videos portray women as sex objects victims or in a condescending way.

One out of four college women has an eating disorder. One out of three girls between the ages 16 and 18 say that sex is Expected for them at their age when they are in a relationship. Girls often find themselves mistreated.

Miscast misused and undervalued. What they need is guidance esteem honor and worth that only a father can give. Did you catch that I mean moms are wonderful, I mean I put them right up there next below God.

But men there's a different role. There's a distinction you show the girls the value you hold them. So another man doesn't you love them? So another man doesn't you tell them they're beautiful because another man is going to be looking at them as a sex object and the direction of pornography when you look at statistics and how.

Why the sex trafficking and now that porn child porn is an epidemic and raising in our country. It makes me sick and Somebody better start calling it out because it's perverting the culture and it's perverting the church.

Unless we take a radical stance. It's not going to get any prettier. The wander within will destroy you men unless you wake up and do something about it. And this one I had to write down. It's good. It's called an OMG moment, right?

Divorce, Marriage, and Male Responsibility

Oh my god, I heard this and I pulled over and I got home and I had to research. I said is this true what I just heard. I'll focus on the family that America's divorce rate is now the highest in the world.

What? America's divorce rate is the highest in the civilized world. Triple of that to Great Britain and France. What happened one nation above God is what's happening? We're no longer one nation under God.

It's one nation above God and I hate to be the bearer of bad news men, but the divorce rate. It's not really 50 -50 there. You are the leader. You're the initiator. You're the coach. When a coach when a team fails, do they go after the water boy?

When the team fails do they fire the Offensive lineman. Who did they go after the coach? I? Don't know if too many marriages that I've seen destroyed recently if the man said listen, I've been wrong. I haven't been leading.

I haven't loved you like I should love you. I've mistreated the kids. I want to change that. Will you help me? Will you pray for me? That's gonna end up in divorce court. Really all I see is prideful angry man wanting to excuse everything and argue everything say yeah, but but no.

But it's time you get a swift kick in the butt and start picking up where people are lacking off. This is a wake-up call. Man, where are these statistics coming from the church? The church it's just as high in the church as the culture.

So, what do we do we just come in and give God lip service. Do we even believe the songs we're singing. Do we even believe The word we're hearing. What's happening? Children of divorce are three times as likely as those from intact homes to be Expelled from school or have a baby out of wedlock as teenagers six times as apt to live in poverty and are far more far more likely to be incarcerated.

Please understand my heart. It's not to beat up on Divorced people because I know marriage is tough life is tough. But from my experience men could have stopped 90 of the divorces. That I'm aware of in the Christian community by the words.

I just spoke. By the words I just spoke could have stopped divorce court. But what gets in the way I'm not putting on no seatbelt. How ridiculous did that sound. How about what Michael Reagan wrote when his dad Ronald Reagan and Jane Wineman Decided divorce.

The Wounds Divorce Leaves in Children

I hope I can get through this part. It's hard part because from a pastoral perspective. I see the the kids. Divorces where two adults take everything that matters to a child the child's family the child's home the child's security a sense of being loved.

And protected and they smash it to pieces. Leave it on ruins. Leave it in ruins on the floor then walk out and leave the child to clean up the mess. All the divorces I've been involved in seeing in the church and even in the culture the kids are hurt.

Oh, they're resilient. They'll just get over it. Not that easy. I say Shane this hurts. This is hurts good. Good. I hope it does. I hope it hurts so much that change takes place because I'm tired of preaching to men Who do not want to change?

Again not necessarily in this church. These messages reach a broad audience. We're at 30 40 ,000 people week with radio and Internet. We're hitting a lot of people, but I'm tired of just click great sermon.

Thank you great sermon Clay. Thank you, and then you choose talk to the wives. Okay, do you want to just a sample of the emails from wives? I'm at a loss. My Christian husband is verbally and physically abusive.

This came in from out of state. Ironically, he thinks that I'm the problem. He sees no need to change. He'll quote scriptures about submission while yelling and cursing his anger is also destroying our children.

Our home once filled with laughter and joy Is now filled with fear and depression. Yeah, we walk on eggshells and cherish the times when he is gone. He loves his porn more than his family. I can no longer bear it.

I've never thought of divorce, but now it's a daily struggle. What do you do just email her back flippians? Counted all joy Romans. All things work together. Is that what you tell her? I usually just hand them over to Morgan let her talk with them because it's the children.

Repentance and Restoring Broken Relationships

We're so selfish we're so selfish and self-absorbed that we don't see what it does to the kids and it was gonna be this hard. Talk to a girl a few months ago. She's probably 20 22 now. It's a little girl still hurt by her daddy's choices.

Christian man, I told him you need to go apologize to your girls. I don't think it's been done yet. Are we that prideful that arrogant? Are we. I don't need no seatbelt. I know this hurts and supposed to hurt.

Nathan went to Daniel. Samuel went to Saul and I'm going to you. Listen, this is how people change. It's good. It's good to cry and weep. It's good for men to feel it's good for men to feel the damage that they caused.

They need to go home and they need to cry and they need to weep. They need to mourn they need to repent they need return to God and normal Father's Day messages aren't going to cut it. Millions of men are going to enter churches tomorrow and they will hit or abuse their spouse or children before that day is over.

You don't think that happens? This should cause every man to go home and repair what he can. How but Shane they've moved on it doesn't matter. I'm not talking about repairing a marriage is done. But you can restore that relationship.

You can restore you can renew you can repent you can reestablish but Shane I've done too much damage. Remember what I said earlier, but God. You'd be amazed at what God can do with humility. You'd be you'd be amazed at what God can do with a humble broken heart because he said oh now I can shape it.

Now I can return the years. That the locust has consumed now I can do in one year what you destroyed in a lifetime. You'd be amazed at what a broken humble heart could do. God moves in that the the anointing the power.

I Can say this because I was a man who destroyed my marriage in the 90s. Obliterated it. I mean thinking I'm not wearing a seatbelt or anything pride and arrogance. Thank God. No kids were involved. Thank God.

Living the Sermon Through Faithful Family Leadership

You'll see the article men our families would rather see a sermon than hear one. You know I think that would be a good position for the men in this church get some duct tape and put over our mouth. May we people would rather see a sermon than hear one any day.

When I go home you think I'm gonna preach this stuff to my family. Here it's the hardest thing you'll ever do is have a father. Children and and be a husband to a wife and be consistent. Because the wanderer in wants to get upset the wanderer in once and you'd find it's consistent.

It's consistent. It's hard. It's battle. This is battle. This is warfare. But I like what Vince Lombardi said the Green Bay Packers coach many years ago. He said any man's finest hour his greatest sense of fulfillment is When he has worked as our heart out and good in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle victorious.

If in football how much more in our families? See, I want to look back and look at my son the face of the reason I never cheated on your wife. I'm your mom. It's because as the husband goes so goes the sign.

I Did it for my spirituality and yours. I want to look if you look into the eyes of your children. Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm just sensitive, but I see the kids. Divorce never helps the kids. Now I know many of us are in different situations.

Down where there's fractured families. There's 50 of in our nation, but our hearts can change. Situation might not but our hearts can change. You think you think the condition the family pleases God now he ordained it.

You think he's just happy. The sexual the homosexual agenda coming in trying to change everything. Two dads have raised a kid and two moms. Can raise a kid and fighting for all these rights that that are just going to be detrimental to the family.

I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day. I'd rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way. The eyes of better pupil and more willing than the ear find counsel is confusing but examples always clear and.

The best of all preachers are the men who live their creeds. For to see good put in action is what everybody needs. I Soon can learn to do it if you'll let me see it done. I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run and.

The lectures you deliver may be very wise and true, but I'd rather get my lesson by observing what you do. Well, I may misunderstand you and the high advice you give but there's no misunderstanding. Dad how you act and how you live.

It's very healthy. Sometimes I go home and say Morgan do I practice what I preach? Shoot me straight. A lot of times it's encouraging. Sometimes it's not honest self-examination. And you might say, you know somebody I'm sure are saying or watching this later on the radio or saying I've wandered.

Coming Home from Spiritual Wandering

Shayna I've wandered guess what? That's a good thing. That's the first step to coming home. It's the people who don't think they're wandering that concern me. Their wives about ready to walk out. The kids don't even know him anymore.

He's going to church. Oh, it doesn't apply to me. They need to hear this. I'm my uncle Bill in South Dakota need to hear that message. No, you needed to hear it. That's why we we bring these difficult messages.

So if you've wandered. That's the first step self-examination. It's time to come home. It's time. I'm wandering no more. I'm coming home. The prodigal son wandered and then what came to himself. But then also we know if you're unsaved you're not prone to wander.

You're already wandering. You're already distant from God. You're you're done. You're away from him and if you've been playing church if you've been kind of. You know not quite there and I don't know where my relationship with God if you've never repented of your sin.

You're you will not be the father that God's calls you to be though. It's hard enough as a Christian man. It's a hard enough as a Christian man, let alone not knowing God. So you are wandering call on the name of Christ and let him save you tonight.

God won't make us or force us, but he will draw us. See God's not going to make any man in this room. Conformed to what I've just talked about guess who's got to do it. We do. But he will draw us. That's the point of this message folks.

It's to draw us to convict that heart. I mean I was restless all week. I was like I have no idea what I'm gonna speak about until last night. I do not like that. But he redirected I had this whole nice little you know seven points, and here's this and this and you know it's like no.

It's time to wake up the man. It's time to wake me up this woke me up. Okay, I mean, it's like the highest divorce rate in the civilized world. What happened to one nation under God in 1776 declaring independence and raising?

You know what happened all that? Lip service. Lip service. Jesus said you draw nigh into me with your lips. Everybody talks a great game. I'm so sick of talk, but your hearts are far from me. It's all the we said issue at the heart.

Seeking God's Presence Rather Than Empty Religion

I'll close with what's in the top of your notes there. I want the presence of God himself, or I don't want anything at all to do with religion. AW Tozer said I want the presence of God him of God himself, or I don't want anything at all to do with religion.