rock ministries 07 02 2023

The hosts of Rock Ministries share the Word of God and encourage listeners to grow spiritually. They discuss the story of Lot and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. They emphasize the importance of choosing a spiritual mindset over a carnal one and warn against looking back at worldly temptations. They encourage listeners to feed their spirits, stay strong in their faith, and not be swayed by worldly influences. They remind listeners that God is always with them and encourage them to pray and study the Word. Good Sunday morning to all you Hope 93.3 listeners. We are so happy to have you with us here for Rock Ministries. And you've got me, Minister George Johnston, and we've got my wife, Pastor Myra Johnston, here on another wonderful Sunday morning. And we want to share the Word of God with you. We want to fellowship with you. We want to have a good old time reading the Word of God and sharing those things of God with you and helping you grow your spiritual life. Blessings, everybody. Hope everybody's doing okay. And I want to share with you that you can reach us at church.therock.yahoo.com or you can text or call 706-273-8935. I'm so glad that you're listening, and we're going to dive in into the Word. Yes, praise God. Glory to God. Now, we've been traveling through Genesis from the very beginning when we started this journey, and so we're going to keep traveling down that same wonderful holy road that God displays for us and gives us. We're going to Genesis chapter 19, and we're going to start in verse 1, where the Word of God reads, Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. Now I want to pause for a moment, because we actually didn't pray ourselves in, and that's an important thing that we want to do. We want to pray with you so that the Spirit anoints your ears and opens your heart so that the Holy Spirit can set itself upon you. So I'm going to ask my wife to pray. Yes, I will. Thank you, Father. I praise you and I thank you for this Word. I thank you for allowing us to be in this broadcast and be able to speak to others about you, Father God. Change our hearts, renew our spirits, Father God, and please open up the Word so it can be life into our lives. I thank you and I praise you. All these I ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Fantastic prayer opening. So back to what's happening here in Genesis. Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom, and it was evening, and when he saw these two men approaching, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face towards the ground. That's a sign of respect. And chapter verse 2 says, and he said, Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant's house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise early and go on your way. And they said, No, but we will spend the night in the open square. Now, that's what's really interesting about this point is that Lot is offering something very sacred and precious. He's offering his home to these strangers. Be careful, for you may not know when you're entertaining angels unaware. That's right. And remember also that Lot was Abram's nephew. That's right. And this is somebody who is the seed of Abram, and he lived in another city or town, and two places, Sodom and Gomorrah. So he lived there, and these people, these guys, or these angels went to visit Lot. But he doesn't know yet. They're actually visiting the city. Yeah, but he doesn't know yet. Right, he doesn't know. Yeah, what's going on, Lot? But that is going to be personal. Okay, go ahead. And he said, Here now, my lords, please turn into your servants' house. He's offering them the comfort of his own home without even knowing them. Now, before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter of Sodom, surrounded Lot's house. And they called to Lot and said to him, Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them carnally. But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them and shut the door so that no one could open it. So basically, when they talk about knowing them carnally, they wanted to have sex with them. And this is men, like you said, young, old. So just for me, it's a picture of sinful nature, like allowing just the carnal flesh, just to cry out whatever they wanted. That's what they were going to get. It's just very sinful. But does that? I don't know. Does it ring a bell a little bit of what's going on nowadays? Yes, yes. And you know, think about that. Just at the time that these two strangers showed up in Sodom, the men, the young men, the old men and all the other people were so wicked and so carnally controlled that the first thing they wanted to do was have relations with these men. Men having relations with men. They wanted to know them in a manner that a man knows his wife or that a woman knows her husband. They wanted these men. And this is what caused the Christ, the pleas to come up to God. This is what caused God to send these angels to Sodom in the first place. That's right. We have another scripture here. I wanted to read from the New Testament. It's Roman 8 5. And he says, For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit, the things of the spirit to be carnally minded is death. But to be spiritually minded is life and peace because of the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then those who are in the flesh cannot please God. And that's an important, important scriptural passage to recognize is that carnally refers to those who are worldly to be carnal means to be of the world, to be of the flesh. And those who are of the world and those who are fleshly minded, they cannot please God. Yet those who are spiritually minded, those who entertain the spirit of God, those who allow the spirit of God to rest upon them, glory to God, those people can please God. And those people are in line to be rewarded for their for their kindness and for their spirituality that they're showing towards the word of God. Yes, because when you are feeding the spirit, that's what is going to be shown in your life. You're a spiritual, a godly person, somebody, but when you feed the carnal mind and actions or that's what is going to come out. Now, the fact is that when you're spirit minded, it's not that you're perfect. It's not that we're perfect. We have flaws. We're going to have faults. We're going to have temptations. But the fact is that we're going to develop some conscience. So in life, this peace that passes all understanding, we're not going to be in enmity against God. We're going to want to please God. Therefore, we want to do the things that please him. So so when we aim to be a spiritual minded, not fleshly minded, but a spiritual minded, you're going to feed that which God is instilling in you, like like putting in your heart and in your mind. And that's going to grow more and more. And remember, those that are in enmity with God become enemies to God. That's right. Those people that that are carnal minded and are worldly and and flow with the new latest things that happen in the world and and go from one trend to the next trend. Those people have all their reward that they're going to receive in this world because those people are not of God. So can I say something? Because really, when that happens, what we do is that we are doing things for what I want to do for what the flesh is asking me to do carnally. So I really don't care if people get hurt, if people are offended. That's when we feed the flesh. When we're carnally minded, we're totally not in, you know, caring about people and just wanting to just serve and be that godly example that that he created us to be. It's not in our mind. It will be totally absent from us. Right. So where we are is these angels that have come to Sodom are looking and seeing all these things that are happening. The word of God continues in Genesis 19 verse 12, where it says, Then the men, these angels, said to Lot, Have you anyone else here, son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, take them out of this place, for we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord God Almighty has sent us here to Sodom and to Gomorrah to destroy it. So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-laws, who had married his daughters, and said, Get up and get out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this city. But to his sons-in-law, he seemed to be joking. And that's a sad statement when you're given a prophetic message, when you're given an utterance, when you're given a message from God, and you give it no credit, you give it no response, you pay no attention to it. They had the chance for salvation, just like all of mankind has the chance for salvation, yet they allowed it to slip right by them. Well, I also feel too that they are probably not in the same level spiritually as Lot was, because even if you're not 100% in agreement with someone that you know is godly, it's a mentor to you, or someone who is mature, even if you don't agree 100%, you're going to respect that, you're going to listen. But then these guys did not, they said, He's joking, he's a fool, I'm not going to listen to him. And therefore, I believe that spiritually, they were actually probably part of the city, kind of doing their own thing and wanting to sin and have that lifestyle. So I feel that that's one of the things that happened that they did not. And also, I like the fact about the outcry. Where it says that the outcry against them had grown, the outcry against all of the people inside of them, had grown great before the face of the Lord. And you know, that's one of the things we should keep in mind, is that the Lord hears our pleas, the Lord sees our rights and our wrongs. And therefore, it's all been recorded, it's all on tape. And so choose life, choose spirituality, rather than carnality. And don't feel like if you're the only one praying in your house, don't feel bad, keep on doing it. You be that person that is praying in your home. And even if you don't feel like nobody else is, the Lord hears your cries. He's there for you and me to listen to our request, our burdens, our hurts. So here it says, he destroyed a whole city and really saved a lot. And Abraham was the one that was, you know, also I think interceding, but that's my view. Well, let me continue with the story you kind of revealed, the big reveal. But I'm sure there's no listener that's not familiar with this story. But we just want to bring it vividly to you via the Word of God. Genesis chapter 19 verse 15, the Word of God reads, when the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest ye be consumed in the punishment of the city. So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, Escape for your life. Do not look behind you, nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed. Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. So he overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground, the Lord, from his disappointment, destroyed it all. You know, we might sometimes think that that's a bit too much. Wow, he really destroyed the whole Sodom and Gomorrah. But when we have spoken, well, we have spoken before about shadow and type in a shadow. And at this point, I see it as these being a shadow of our sin that needs to be destroyed completely. That's right. Once you, you know, you have sin in your life, you just don't want portion of that to come out. You want the whole thing, the whole sinful nature, rudinal to be ripped out of your life and not to have a trace. That's right. So that's why here Sodom and Gomorrah had to be destroyed completely because it was a sinful city. It was, it was so much happening in there that you cannot leave a little bit alive. If not, that sinful nature will rise up again and grow like, like a bad weed. That's right. And you, you, you phrased it and you, you encompassed it very well because it's a shadow. And what that shadow is showing you is in previous times that people were given the, the opportunity for salvation. If they would just heed the word of God, if they would heed the word of God's messengers, God angels, if they would, if they would just pay attention to what's truly important, they had an opportunity to be saved. But instead they went on with their riotous, debaucherous, sex-filled lives. And, and doing things that were against God and therefore God showed that there was punishment. That's the shadow that we're talking about. That's right. Because there is a punishment that's coming at some point in the future once Jesus has returned to us. And we don't want any of you listeners to be left behind. We want you to be right there experiencing eternity and, and, and praising God in his presence. Amen? That's right. And should I read the number 26? Yes. He says, but his wife, the back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. Now remember that that was one of the warnings that the angels said to them, just run to the mountains. We are going to take care of you. We're going to save you. Do not look back. Don't look back. You keep moving forward and you shall be saved. But she looked back. Now, mind you, you can interpret this as a few different things. One of them is that she was looking back to what she missed. She, she probably missed that. Oh, I didn't want to leave my home or I like my neighbors. I don't care if they are committing sin, if they're killing, if they're stealing, if they're, if they're having, you know, um, uh, on godly sex, adultery, fornication, it doesn't matter. I like that neighbor. I like this. I like that. Sometimes we have to step back and look at what's around us. And if it's not good for our spiritual life, you need to rip it out, cut it off, walk away and never look back. That's right. We should constantly be standing on the word of God because that's what will provide salvation through the blood of his son, Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach. Glory to God. We, we, this is what a message this is. So, you know, I'm going to, can I say this? You know, I'm talking to everybody as I'm talking to myself. It is not easy at times. In itself, flesh calls out to the flesh. Things of the flesh are inviting and, and, and, and it calls us out and, and, and we get tempted and, and it's, it's out there and the enemy's out there to, to tempt us on top of it. But just understand that God have sent his son and he sent the word of God and prayer and worship for us to not only endure, but to, for us to have victory. But now we have to practice it. And that's the hard part to leave. You know how they said that the bad habits to leave those things behind sometimes it needs for us to be a little bit, put a little bit of effort. And that's what makes it hard. Right. I think sometimes the word of God is so vivid in the picture that it paints when the word of God talks about leaving the vomit behind, leaving all of those things that are ugly, nasty, and they're not of God, leave those things behind and never return to it because there is salvation listeners through the blood of Jesus Christ who died for our sins so that we may be forgiven. And you also might think, Oh, wait, what I'm leaving behind it's too good. I mean, this is, this is, this is too good. I can't leave it. And maybe I could take some of these that I have and then be a new, no, the word says, behold, you're a new creation. That's right. New, everything becomes new. So at this point, we leave all that filth and that behind, and when he lurks up, and he's going to lurk up, I am going to say this to you, is going to call you out. It's going to be present sometimes in our walk with, you know, that temptation that those things of the past, but guess what? We, yes, we're, we're strong. We have the scripture and we can always cry out to the Lord and he hears our prayer. That's right. Where he's not too far. He's not praise God, glory to God. And the new Testament reads in Luke. And I think this is a fantastic scriptural passage here. Luke nine, verse 62, the word of God says, but Jesus said, no one having put his hand to the plow, putting your hands to the plow means doing the work of God, doing the bidding of God, having a relationship with God, staying close to God, communicating with the word of God. Jesus said, no one having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. Now what that is saying so clearly is that if you think that what was behind you, what you have left behind of yourself that you have been washed clean from, if you think that there's any value in that, if you are sad about anything you may have left behind, then the word of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior says that you are not fit for the kingdom. Now we all have our moments of weakness and moments where we might backslide. That's not what God is talking, what Jesus is talking about here. What he's talking about is those who look back and say, you know, I love those times. Those are good times when we were out raping people and when we were out clubbing all night or when we were doing any of the worldly things that happened in this world. If you cannot turn away and repent, then you are not fit for the kingdom of heaven. But this is what I know, listeners, is that is you would not be here today listening to the word of God, sharing this fellowship and sharing scripture on this station. You would not be here unless you were fit for the kingdom of God. So the devil is a liar and he will try to convince you to look back and to turn away from the eternity that God has for you. Yes, and so basically we have many ways to feed the spirit. This is what we need to do. We need to feed the spirit so the spirit becomes strong and bigger than the flesh. So you dial down the flesh, you dial down the emotions and the soul realm and you lift up the spirit. So this is one of the ways you're listening to the radio, you're listening to worship, you're praying, you're reading the scriptures, you know one scripture, because what you need to know is you cannot, you cannot serve God and you cannot serve the world and you cannot serve God. It's not going to work. One of them is going to suffocate the other and the one who's going to win is going to be the flesh. Because the cries of now how the world is going and the sinful nature every time you listen to the news and things like that, everything is negative and it's encouraging people, be you, be whoever you want to be. You can do whatever you want to be and don't let nobody ever tell you otherwise. And that's a horrible way to think because that is actually satanism in itself because that's their motto, do what thou wilt. The word of God is structure for us to know the things that are of God and to be able to separate the things that are of the world. That's why it says it here, do not put your hands in a plow and look back. You cannot because then it eventually, the flesh, the body, what we lost after, that's going to win over and then we're going to dwindle into the spiritual life, it's going to be like dimmer and dimmer. So we need to make sure that we feed the spirit in things of the spirit and when you feel like something is coming about that you feel like you're detouring or don't ever think God is not with you. He is always with you. He shall never leave you nor forsake you and he is nothing but a prayer away. That's right and one of the things that happens as we have this journey through these times and this age that we're in right now is we're confronted with so many things that seek to lead us away from God and that seek to turn our attention to those things and I encourage you listeners, be strong, study the word, pray to God, do the things that God has asked for us to do because although they're not the easiest things, they're not hard. That's right. They're not hard and therefore you're betterment and therefore you're good. We ask that you fellowship in the same manner, spend time with God. Amen. Talk to God, be prayerful with God. I have Romans 12, 12, 12 too says, and do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. That is fantastic. I mean, when you are conformed, it means you're accepting, you have say it's okay to be mediocre, to accept the things of the world, to accept, you know, things that do not, they're not godly. That's right. When you're conformed, you've allowed God to mold you and shape you according to his word and according to the actions and the life of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Be not conformed to the world but be ye renewed in your mind by sharing the spirit, sharing the word, sharing fellowship, just like we're doing here on this wonderful Sunday morning. We encourage you listeners to do these things that are of God so that you may have an eternal salvation in heaven. And it's a beautiful, beautiful, wonderful thing. You know, just know that all of us have some kind of a story. All of us were saved at one time or another because we all need to be saved and we all need to accept the Lord in our hearts and confess it. So never question where he took you out of. It doesn't matter. Some people are different places but just always know when he pulled you out of wherever he pulled you out, if it is for your benefit. For you to, that's right, for you to walk now in a transformation, to be transformed by renewing not only your mind but your life and you will be a perfect, acceptable and perfect will of God because your life is going to image or be the hands and the feet of Jesus Christ. So he's holy therefore we need to be holy and it's not a perfection but we want to aim, we want to aim to be perfect like he is. Amen, amen. Well listeners we've enjoyed this time with you. We've only got a few brief moments left but we want to tell you how you can get in touch with us. Yes, email us at church.therock.yahoo.com or you can call or text at 706-273-8935. And we have enjoyed this time with you listeners and we encourage you read your Bible, pray to God and be renewed. See you next week. Take care. God bless you. Don't ever look back. Bye.