Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. You find the plight of God's people. And you know it's interesting as you look at the children of Israel and God's chosen people as you would call it. It's a constant up and down process. And if there's ever been a sign of the way you and I are as human beings, as frail, fleshly individuals, it's that way.

It's an up and down struggle. You know what's interesting is that the Jewish people in the Old Testament obviously are God's chosen people. You and I now through grace that Christ provided on the cross are God's changed people. And now salvation is not offered just to the Jews but to the Greek also. To the barbarian as the Bible calls it. It means that it doesn't matter what race, where you're from, what color. We have the chance to be saved by the grace of God.

And that's a wonderful thing. But notice if you would in verse 1. We find here as Isaiah is prophesying that they have been really traveling a guilty distance away from God. This is one of the rebellious times of God's chosen people. And in chapter 57 we find in Isaiah by the way that Christ is prophesied about. And in chapter 57 we find here literally a sermon from God.

And in verse 1 notice this. The righteous perisheth. And no man layeth it to heart. And merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.

What a statement. The righteous perisheth and no man layeth to heart. This is God's sermon. He said you know it's literally that those that are righteous, that follow God, that live a holy life are literally disappearing.

And nobody seems to notice. Now imagine that was written almost 700 years before Christ even came. Before Jesus even showed up on earth.

Imagine it now. You know it's interesting that right in front of our eyes we have a generation and a couple of generations that have passed of individuals that had character, that fought for the freedoms of this country, that you know even unsaved people would show respect to God. But the righteous are perishing.

And we don't even realize it. Look at verse 5. He kind of describes this. He says, inflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree.

Wow. You know you and I as even saved individuals we end up allowing things in our life sometimes that we really worship instead of God. But may I say this that a lot of times a lot of individuals don't come to Christ and never will because of idols in their life.

They've taken over. And they don't see the need of Christ. And they don't see the need of salvation because of idols.

May I say that America is a country full of idols. I'm not going to get started on the nitpicky because then I would, number one I would be hypocritical because I have I'm sure issues and problems in my life. Number two I would lose you because you'd be so upset that we're picking on every little thing. Hey we all have issues and we all if we're not careful we'll put things in front of God.

And that's exactly what was happening. He says you are burned up with idols in your life that's keeping you from me. Notice verse 10 he said, and this is interesting, thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way. He said it's wearing you out. You're trying all these idols and I think if this idol I'll be happy if I get this and then I get that and before long I'm not happy and I want something else.

Does that not sound like our culture? And God said it's an endless process and you're trying every idol under every green tree basically and you're trying everything that this life has to offer and yet you're wearied in your way. That's the path you've chosen to take God says and it's wearing you down and you don't understand why it's not satisfying you.

Look at verse 14. He's and shall say cast ye up cast ye up prepare the way take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people. Now here God's saying my people my people and what oftentimes keeps my people from getting to me from being where I'm at God says are stumbling blocks. Things that we just can't get over to get to God.

It's amazing nowadays what can keep people out of church. Now I'm not you know we're not criticizing please don't take it wrong but it's getting to the point that you know this is God's house and we're saved individuals and we're to desire to be in God's house and if you didn't you wouldn't be here today so you say preacher you're preaching to the choir we're here and I understand that but you've got to understand you have no idea as a pastor the things that I deal with and the reasons oftentimes were given why people can't be at church. Well I have this well my children have this well this and this and I'm not here to criticize I'm just saying there are stumbling blocks that we just can't get beyond to get to where God is. To get our life to where God wants it to be.

There's so many things we are stumbling over that prevent us. So what does God say and God always by the way if you find God's word God kind of always gives the conflict here's the issue and then here's the answer. Look if you would at verse fifteen. For thus saith the high and lofty one. Wow this is a sermon directly from God. This is what he has to say. By the way you agree with me that when the high and lofty one speaks we better listen.

By the way in case you think well what right or authority does he have. For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity. He doesn't just live in eternity he inhabits it he created it he owns it. Do you know that your whole future God owns. Do you know God will determine where you will spend in eternity. If you have been saved by the grace of God receive Jesus Christ as your savior put your faith and trust in the finished work of Christ God decides you'll live in heaven. But even if you're a good person and do a lot of good things and try to do right and I try not to lie and I try to and you even hear people all the time well I try to follow the ten commandments and as we often said most of the time they can't even name all ten. But that's what I'm doing.

Listen dear friend you can follow everything you want to follow. But God's the one that decides your eternity. And God said the only way to heaven is through his son Jesus Christ.

So in case you don't know if he has the authority he does. So what does he have to say in verse 15. Now remember he's talking to his people he said hey the godly people are disappearing. Literally he said people are being enamored with idols. They just get their attention on everything else and then they have stumbling blocks.

Things that are keeping them from getting to where they need to be. So God says this is what I have to say to help you in this process. This is the advice that I can give. You are my chosen people and we are his changed people. And we've been saved by the grace of God if you have done that by the way. And this is what he says in verse 15. His name is holy.

I dwell. This is what God says in verse 15. He is the high and lofty one. He inhabits eternity. His very name is holy. And he says this I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Let's pray.

Lord I love you. And Lord we need your help today as we share your word and love your word and dig in your word. And Lord I pray that you would allow hearts to open and minds to clear and open themselves to your word today.

Please dear God in Jesus name we pray. Amen. I love this in verse 10. God says you are wearied in your way. Thy way.

In other words may I put it in vernacular that as we read God's word this is what we all will understand. Your way. He is saying this. Your way hasn't worked. Your way hasn't worked. You've done everything to satisfy yourself and it's not working. And by the way people nowadays they do everything and when that warms out they've got to get something else and we've got to do something else constantly trying to satisfy ourselves.

And that will weary you out trying to figure that out because you'll find yourself still missing. Why do we have so many people at the height of wealth and fame and we always use Hollywood as all this stuff. Why are so many of them committing suicide going into rehabs.

Why are they so miserable if they have so much? Because their way is wearying them. And God says that's your way let me tell you where I dwell.

In other words your way hasn't worked. Let's talk about my way God says. This is where I dwell. Now you might choose to dwell somewhere else and you might choose to live a different way. But God says let me tell you how I live. Let me tell you where I dwell. And He obviously as God's word always does gives a very clear outline here in this passage.

Number one this morning. God dwells in the high place. Look at verse 15 if you will and this obviously makes sense. This is what God says the high and lofty one. The one that inhabits eternity. The man whose name is holy. The God who is holy. I dwell in the high place.

What does that mean preacher? You know the Bible says that God's ways are above our ways. In fact I was reading I was looking this up and I'm going to read these verses to you. Now if you're a person that likes to dig into the Bible and see some things.

If you want to hold your place we're going to come right back. But in Luke chapter one if you want to turn there and see this I thought this was interesting. Luke chapter one literally John the Baptist as we call it and he was the forerunner of Christ and when he was even born God's hand was put upon him and his job was to be on the scene before Jesus and he would preach about the Messiah to come and he would prepare the way for when Jesus came and John's role was pivotal. God's hand was on him even in the womb the Bible says.

But in Luke chapter one it goes through the whole process of his birth and all that. And in verse 67 it says that his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied saying blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people and he hath raised up in horn of salvation speaking of Jesus. And he says out of the house of David where we know that Jesus would be born. The Bible says in verse 70 as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets since the world began obviously verse 71 that we should be saved from our enemies from the hand of all that hate us. That means Jesus came so that we could be saved from our enemies. Verse 72 to perform mercy promised to our fathers all this was promised that there would be a Messiah and a Savior would come. And verse 73 an oath which he sware to his father Abraham that out of his seed a Savior would come. This is in the New Testament talking about everything that has been prophesied in the Old Testament. And I love this in verse 76 as he's talking to John the Baptist who's going to be the forerunner of the very Messiah that's been prophesied. He says and thou child shall be called the prophet of who? The highest. For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways to give knowledge of salvation unto his people in remission of their sins through the tender mercy of our God whereby the people on high have visited us.

Listen to me when did he get this? That means that Christ is in high and he left. He was the highest and he left and he came down to us. And he lived and dwelled and died and then guess where the Bible says he went? Back to the high.

Now I want you to get this. He came to us. He died for us.

So that we could have the opportunity for salvation. And he is seated the Bible says right now at the right hand of the throne of God. But he will not come down to us again. Till he comes to get his church. He's saved. You say preacher what in the world are you saying? Well God's ways are above I ways. He dwells in the high place. You say preacher what does that mean to me? I want you to understand that Christ dwelled in the highest. Came to earth.

Is back in the highest. You say well what does that mean here? I want you to understand that you and I might choose different routes and we might decide to live a different way. But I'm telling you right now where God dwells is in the high place.

That means this. God does not lower himself and his standards to ours. We are to raise our standard to him. God does not dwell down on us. He dwells in us. And the Bible says that we are literally in the presence of God. That means you and I as saved individuals are not to live like everybody else lives here.

We are to live there. It means this that God's ways are above our culture. God's design is above what's popular. God's will is beyond our will. Listen to this. Listen to me. We can lower our expectation and lower our dedication but God doesn't dwell there. We can stoop to our sinful desires and descend to our worldly associations but God does not dwell there. Listen to me. He can take us higher but we will not bring him down.

Did you hear that? God can take us higher but we will not bring him down. We may influence others to lower their spiritual interest and others may pull us down but we will not pull God down.

He will not dwell there. We are welcome to ascend to his place but he will not descend to ours. God dwells in the high place. Second, God dwells in the holy place. Look at verse 15, for thus saith a high and lofty one. Look what he says, I dwell in the high and holy place.

You say preacher, this might seem a bit over my head a little bit, I want you to understand something. Either we're gonna do things God's way or our way. But whether we do it or not doesn't change God. God's where He always has been, where He always will be. And either we will learn to live godly or we will just live fleshly.

But either way, He's gonna stay in the same place. God lives in the holy place. Psalm 145, the Lord is righteous in all His ways and holy in all His works. 1 Peter 3, 2 Peter, excuse me, begins to deal with things. 1 Peter deals with things.

Both books deal with how God lives and works and all these things. In chapter three, verse 11, what manner of persons ought ye to be in holy conversation? 1 Peter 1, 14, as obedient children, not fashioning ourselves according to the former lust of our ignorance, but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy, because it is written, be ye holy, for I am holy. Has that changed?

No. Romans 12, one, I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by mercy of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy except one of God. Ephesians 1, according as He hath chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame. You say, preacher, I can't be holy. You're absolutely right. Only the grace of God.

Only the blood of Christ. But you and I have got to understand, our mind will either be worldly or holy. And I struggle with it every day. Anybody else? That means this, it's amazing.

Look at me, I want you to get this. God dwells in the high place and God dwells in the holy place. It's amazing the kind of places that you and I can gradually get comfortable with. It's funny how we can learn to adjust to what used to bother us. God did not say be ye worldly as they are worldly. He said be ye holy as I am holy. We might have adjusted, but God hasn't. We might have changed, but God hasn't. We might somehow justify our gradual decline, but God hasn't. We might have so-called swallowed the Kool-Aid, but God hasn't. It's amazing the effect that our culture has on us as Christians and even as churches.

But God hasn't changed. We might get comfortable with a worldly place, but God said I dwell in the holy place. Notice number three, God dwells in the high place. He dwells in the holy place. And number three, God says I dwell in the humble place. Look at verse 15. I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.

That word contrite means crushed. God says let me tell you where I can dwell. Let me tell you where I'm comfortable, God says. In high places, in holy places, and in humble places with humble people. Bible says God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. God's not comfortable around pride. Where he dwells and if you want his presence in your life, then you and I have to understand Christ lives in us. But the Bible says that that holy spirit that lives in us, literally our conscience can be seared and we can grieve the holy spirit of God. So we, in order to enjoy full fellowship with God, we have to dwell in a high place, in a holy place, and in a humble place. Now we can exist and not enjoy his fellowship. And we can still be on our way to heaven and saved and forgiven, but not enjoy daily fellowship with God.

If we want that, God says this is where I dwell. What's amazing about humility, D.L. Moody said this, be humble or stumble.

I found this, I thought was good, a man named John Flavell. He said this, they that know God will be humble and they that really know themselves cannot be proud. George Washington Carver, scientist that developed obviously hundreds of uses just from the peanut.

You all learned about it in history, at least I hope that you did. And I thought this was interesting, he said this, when I was young I said to God, God tell me the mystery of the universe. George Washington Carver said, but God answered, that knowledge is reserved for me alone. So I said, God, then tell me the mystery of the peanut. And God said, well George, that's more your size. And he told me.

And the thousands of uses that he discovered from just the peanut. You say, preacher, why do you say all this? Oh, I'm glad you asked. Because right now up to this point it sounds like, well, geesh, glad I came to church for some encouragement. God dwells in a high place where I can't possibly get to. God dwells in a holy place that I can't possibly attain to. And God dwells in a humble place that I'm trying and just can't seem to get there. So all you're telling me is that God has a level that I just can't possibly get to in my life. You know what's interesting, God has a reason for all this and that's why I love God's word.

This is what he's saying. Look if you would at verse 15. The high and lofty one inhabits and owns eternity whose very name is holy. He says, I dwell in the high place, I dwell in the holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.

I dwell in a humble place. But notice this, why, preacher? To revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Why does God have a level? Why does God have an expectation? Why does God say I'm not gonna change to adjust to your level? You need as man to adjust to my level, why? Because he has a purpose and his purpose is this.

Notice number one, and I'm getting ready to let you go. Number one, he desires to revive. He said I wanna revive your spirit and I wanna revive your heart.

Now, how can God do that if we stay where we are? You know, to be revived means to change from what I'm at or where I'm at or who I am to something else. Revive means that I was dead but now I'm alive. To revive means I was down but now I'm up.

Up, well if I'm in a down state as a human being, if I don't go to God's level, I'm gonna stay where I'm at. There's no revival there. By the way, a church that stays exactly where they're at, there's no revival. That's why you can have a service and everybody gets excited but if they walk out of church and they don't change how they live, they were not revived, they were just excited.

Are you starting to understand it? God says these are the places where I dwell. For me to revive means you've gotta go from there to here. If you stay where you're at, that's not revival.

Because there's no change. Now you say preacher, why does he wanna revive the spirit and the heart? What is the difference and may I say just to make it plain for you when he says I wanna revive the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite, he is saying the spirit and the soul.

Now you say alright, so God wants to revive my spirit and my soul. What is the difference between the soul and the spirit? And we know there's a difference by the way. Hebrew says that the word of God pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit. So what is the difference?

Well if I can keep from boring you, let me briefly just try to describe what the difference is so you can understand God's word a little bit better. The soul and the spirit are two primary aspects of who we are. God's a trinity, we're a trinity. We have body, soul, and spirit.

He had God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, so we understand that. The word spirit literally means to what we call the immaterial facet of humanity. We can't cut something out of our body and say hey, there's the spirit. It's not something that's necessarily seen but felt.

Let me put it this way. Human beings have a spirit. But we are not spirits.

I have a spirit, but I'm not a spirit. But in scripture it teaches this, that we that are saved, our spirits are made alive. But individuals that have never been saved, the Bible says that their spirit is dead.

They're dead spiritually. So you say alright preacher, what in the world? The spirit is what allows you and me to have an intimate relationship with God because God is a spirit. And when you and I are saved, now we have our spirit is quickened, it's alive, and now our spirit can have fellowship with God's spirit.

So what does it mean? Well, listen to me. Human beings have a spirit. But human beings are souls. We are a soul. But we have a spirit. The soul is our heart. The spirit is that part of us that is made alive when you and I get saved. The spirit is that part of us that now feels wrong when we do things. But that soul is what will live for in eternity. In heaven or hell, you say preacher.

Okay, thank you for the lesson. So what does it mean? It means that the soul and spirit are connected but they're separable. The spirit is what connects with God.

The soul is who we are. And God said this, I want to revive who you are. That's why a person can come down and we can mean well and be motivated well and we can get down and pray at an altar and make a decision. And we can get up and we can go and then within an hour we're right back to doing what we just told God we were sorry for. That means briefly our spirit was revived and then it wasn't.

Get this. But God says I want to revive your spirit and your heart. You see, when our spirit gets revived, we're excited.

When our heart gets revived, we're changed. Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kirtland Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192 or via the web at kirwinbaptistchurch.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin broadcast today. God bless you.