People want all the benefits of the kingdom and none of the hardships.  So many Christians today have the same mentality as the world: a life, you know, that’s somehow expecting that everything should just be given to them and that we should have this comfort and ease on the path that we’re walking in.  Thank God that that straight and narrow path, that highway of holiness, has no lion there.  Can you say “Praise God” for that?  The theme of what we’re talking about is striving to finish this race.  It’s not going to be easy.  Get that out of your mind.  We are not an entitlement church.  We’re a church that chooses to die, chooses to be reproached because of our affiliation with Jesus.  Called to not be cowards when we’re asked, “Are you one of them?”  “Yes, proudly, praise God!  Jesus is my Lord and Savior, and nothing you have appeals to me.”

I was sharing with somebody some of the different aspects that we’ve experienced personally in our own lives.  And I just told the guy, I said, “Basically, it boils down to this”—and each one of us has to make our decision—“I can’t be bought.  You don’t have anything that’s worth that Pearl of Great Price that I’ve found and discovered, and I sold all, I gave all, to acquire it.”  I walked away from everything that was a dream, a goal in life.  I’ve approached the seduction of trying to bring us back into that particular realm of man’s treasures—recognition, money, whatever it might be—but I’m a debtor.  I’m not my own; I’m a love slave.  I gave myself over to Jesus 50‑some years ago.  No turning back, no turning back, praise God!

We’re going to be given opportunities in these next days and years, should the Lord tarry, and you’re going to have opportunities to turn back.  Men, we’ve taught about your role to stand boldly and say, “As for me and my house, we’re serving God.”  That decision has already been made.  Don’t make me choose wife, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren.  I didn’t really expect that day.  I thought Jesus would have been back by now.  I’ve already made up my mind.  Don’t make me choose between Jesus and you and yours and your desires and whatever.  I’ve already made up my mind.  And many of you have; amen?  And that’s why I appreciate you so much, and I love being a part of this family.

So, when somebody comes up and brings you wisdom from the Word of God, when you’re getting ready to walk away and defect and listen to everything that this world would say, “You need to do this, and here’s what you should do to protect yourself and your family”—let me tell you something.  There is no greater protection than that hedge that God’s built around us.  Amen?  Satan can’t get through it.  “Well, what about Job?”  Yes, the Lord let him through, and Job got the snot beat out of him.  But why?  All of those chapters and it just boils down to this: “Are you going to deny Me to justify yourself?” God said.  “Where were you?  Answer Me!”  And Job finally found out, “It’s time to put my hand over my mouth.”  Amen?