WESTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH
PASTOR: TERRY VAUGHAN
AUGUST 15, 2001
SERMON TITLE: QUITTING ON GOD
“FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. FOR GOD SENT NOT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD; BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED. HE THAT BELIEVETH ON HIM IS NOT CONDEMNED: BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, BECAUSE HE HATH NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD.” JOHN 3:16-18
TURN IN YOUR BIBLES TO PSALMS 73:2 “BUT AS FOR ME, MY FEET WERE ALMOST GONE; MY STEPS HAD WELL NIGH SLIPPED.”
THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TODAY THAT ARE NOT JUST SLIPPING, THEY’VE ALREADY SLIPPED. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE’RE LIVING IN A WORLD TODAY THAT’S FULL OF QUITTERS. THEIR GOOD ABOUT STARTING BUT THEIR NOT GOOD ABOUT FINISHING. THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO DO THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE LORD. THEY ALWAYS WANT TO DO THINGS RIGHT, DO IT GODS WAY AND THEY WANT IT TO LAST, THEY WANT TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE AND THEIR CONCERNED AND THAT’S THE WAY THEY NEED TO BE BUT WE DON’T NEED TO JUST START SOMEWHERE WITH THE LORD AND STOP SOMEWHERE ELSE. THE BIBLE SAYS IF YOU CONTINUE IN MY WORD, THEN ARE YOU MY DISCIPLES INDEED. YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE.
PEOPLE HAVE QUIT GOING TO THE HOUSE OF GOD. I PRAISE GOD, IT WAS AT THE HOUSE OF GOD WHEN I FOUND JESUS. I REMEMBER DEAR OLD MOM AND DEAR OLD DADDY THERE AT THE HOUSE OF GOD. THERE IN ONE MIND AND ONE ACCORD TO WORSHIP GOD. BUT WE’RE LIVING IN A WORLD WHERE PEOPLE HAVE JUST QUIT COMING TO THE HOUSE OF GOD. I’LL SAY THIS: IF YOU CAN’T GET CHRIST IN THE HOUSE OF GOD, DON’T EXPECT TO GET HIM OUTSIDE THE HOUSE OF GOD. WHILE I’M PREACHING THIS COULD BE THE VERY HOUR, THE VERY DAY THAT JESUS COMES TO GET HIS CHILDREN. I’D RATHER BE IN THE CENTER OF GOD’S WILL WHEN HE COMES THAN I HAD BE ANY WHERE ELSE. THE CHURCH PEWS OUGHT TO BE FILLED UP, NOT WITH CHRISTIANS ONLY BUT BE FILLED WITH THE SAINTS OF GOD AND THE SINNERS, WHICH CHRIST CAME TO SAVE. IT’S NOT GOD’S FAULT, IT’S OUR FAULT. PEOPLE HAVE QUIT ON GOD. IF YOU CAN’T GET FROM GOD WHAT IT TAKES TO MOTIVATE YOU TO COME TO THE LORDS HOUSE YOU WON’T GET IT NO WHERE ELSE. CHURCH ONLY LASTS TWO DAYS A WEEK. GOD GIVES YOU FIVE OTHER DAYS TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BUSINESS. GOD SAID IN HIS OWN WORD TO RENDER UNTO CAESAR THE THINGS THAT ARE CAESARS BUT RENDER UNTO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD. WE CAN’T QUIT ON GOD BUT THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE. IT DON’T MATTER TO ME IF IT’S WESTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH OR ROSWELL STREET BAPTIST OR SMYRNA FIRST METHODIST; WHERE EVER THE LORD IS, THAT’S WHERE WE NEED TO BE. THAT’S WHERE YOU GET THE PREACHED WORD. YOU CAN’T GET IT STANDING OUT ON THE GOLF COURSE. YOU CAN’T GET IT SITTING DOWN ON THE FISHING BANK. CAST SOMETHING IN ON JESUS AND THEN YOU’LL REEL IN A BIG ONE. GOD WANTS TO BLESS YOU TONIGHT. PEOPLE AREN’T GETTING BLESSED TODAY BECAUSE THEY’VE QUIT ON GOD. IT’S A SHAME; MOM AND DADS NOT BRINGING THEIR LITTLE ONES TO THE HOUSE OF GOD. THEIR LOST AND ON THEIR WAY TO HELL AND MOM AND DAD DON’T CARE ENOUGH ABOUT THEM TO BRING THEM TO THE HOUSE OF GOD. IF I HAVE TO DRAG MINE UNTIL THEIR EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD, I’LL DRAG THEM. BECAUSE IF I DON’T, SATAN WILL DRAG THEM DOWN. I DON’T DESPISE THEM, NOR AM I PUTTING THEM DOWN. I’M TRYING TO HELP US TO HELP THEM. THEY’VE QUIT COMING TO THE HOUSE OF GOD. THE HOUSE OF GOD NEEDS YOU, GOD NEEDS YOU AND WE NEED GOD. MAKES ME SICK TO SEE THEM GOING UP AND DOWN THE STREETS ON SUNDAY. THEY SLEEP UNTIL TWELVE O’CLOCK ON SATURDAYS BUT THEY GET UP EARLY ON SUNDAYS TO GET THEIR WORK OR THEIR FUN DONE. THEIRS SIN ON SUNDAY JUST LIKE THEIR IS ON MONDAY. PEOPLE AREN’T CONCERNED. I WONDER HAVE YOU QUIT. DO YOU SOMEBODY THAT’S QUIT COMING TO THE HOUSE OF GOD? IF YOU’VE QUIT ON GOD HE’LL NEVER QUIT ON YOU. THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU’RE NOT ATTENDING THE HOUSE OF GOD. YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF THAT QUESTION. LET GOD CHECK YOU OUT. HE’LL LET YOU KNOW.
I’M SERVING THE SAME GOD AS I WAS WHEN I WAS NINE YEARS OLD. MY DADDY RAISED FOUR GIRLS AND FOUR BOYS AND HE WAS JUST AN OLD COUNTRY BOY HIMSELF. I WATCHED MY DADDY GROW OLD OVER THE YEARS AND I CAN TELL YOU THIS, HE NEVER EVER, NEVER EVER, NEVER EVER QUIT ON GOD! HE HAD THE WORD OF GOD EVERY WHERE HE WENT. READING IT AND SHARING IT WITH HIS CHILDREN.
PEOPLE HAVE QUIT ON GOD. NO WONDER WE HAVE SO MUCH TROUBLE IN OUR FAMILIES. PEOPLE DON’T NEVER PICK UP THIS BLESSED BOOK. IF YOU NEVER GET IN THE WORD OF GOD, YOU’LL NEVER GET NOTHING FROM GOD. THEY’VE QUIT READING AND STUDYING. DON’T YOU LET THE DEVIL TRICK YOU. HE TRIES TO DO IT TO ME. I’LL GET TO READING IN SOME OF THEM OLD BOOKS AND THE OLD DEVIL WILL SAY THERE’S NO WAY I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THEM BIG WORDS MEAN. SOMETIMES I GET IN THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS AND THE OLD DEVIL WILL TELL ME I MIGHT AS WELL GET OUT OF THERE. FOR MOST, IT’S THE HARDEST BOOK TO UNDERSTAND. YOU KNOW WHY? SATAN DON’T WANT PEOPLE READING THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS. WHEN HE DOES THAT TO ME, I WANT TO READ IT MORE. OUR BIBLES SHOULD BE WORE SLAP OUT. YOU DON’T NEED A NEW BIBLE. THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE OLD BIBLE. THERE ALWAYS CHANGING TO THESE NEW VERSIONS. VERSION ONE, VERSION FIVE, NOW THEY’VE GOT THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. THERE WASN’T NOTHING WRONG WITH THE OLD KING JAMES. THE PROBLEM IS, THEIR NOT READING IT. THEY AREN’T HEARING IT PREACHER EITHER. THEY’LL TURN ON THE TELEVISION AND WATCH SOME OF THE FILTHIEST STUFF YOU’VE EVER SEEN IN YOUR LIFE AND WON’T EVEN TAKE TEN MINUTES TO READ THE WORD OF GOD. IT’S A DISGRACE TO GOD THAT A SAINT OF GOD DON’T HAVE ENOUGH WILL ABOUT HIM TO PICK UP THE WORD OF GOD AND READ IT ONCE IN A WHILE. YEARS AGO GROWING UP IN CHURCH I REMEMBER COMING OUT OF THE CHURCH HOUSE AND IT’S SAD BUT I’D HEAR PEOPLE WHISPERING AMONGST OTHERS: “BOY, DID YOU HEAR WHAT THAT PREACHER SAID? I MEAN HE WAS ALL OVER ME.” IT SEEMED LIKE EVERY SUNDAY I WAS HEARING SOMEBODY BAD MOUTHING THE PREACHER. BAD MOUTHING ONE ANOTHER. WE’LL BE CONSUMED ONE WITH ANOTHER IF WE DO THAT. PREACHER ARE PREACHING GOD’S WORD. IT’S NOT ME UP HERE TALKING. IT’S GOD TALKING THROUGH ME. YOU BAD MOUTH ME, YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE BAD MOUTHING GOD.
SOMETIMES THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD WILL CONVICT PEOPLES HEARTS AND THEY’LL RUN FROM IT. I KNOW A LADY AND I WON’T CALL NO NAMES BUT SHE’S A MEMBER OF THIS CHURCH AND I FELT GOD DEALING WITH THIS LADY’S HEART. SHE FELT IT TOO. THAT NIGHT I KNEW THE MESSAGE WAS FOR HER. NORMALLY I DON’T KNOW WHO THE MESSAGE IS FOR BUT THAT NIGHT, GOD SHOWED ME. SHE LEFT THAT NIGHT AND I HAVEN’T SEEN HER IN THE SAME CONDITION SINCE. SHE WENT DOWN HILL. SHE RAN FROM GOD. HEARD HIS VOICE AND IGNORED IT. THIS IS A SERIOUS THING AND PEOPLE HAVE QUIT ON GOD. GOD WILL FORSAKE US IF WE FORSAKE HIM. IT’S IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. DON’T GET CONFUSED WHEN HE SAYS “I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE NOR FORSAKE THEE.” IT MEANS AS LONG AS WE’RE IN THE WILL OF GOD, HE’LL BE WITH US. WE’RE SAVED. WE CAN’T GET BACK LOST. BUT ARE YOU REALLY SAVED TONIGHT?
I LOVE THESE ALTARS. A LOT OF CHURCHES DON’T EVEN HAVE THEM ANYMORE.
YOU OUGHT TO BE PRAISING GOD FOR WHAT HE’S DONE FOR YOU TONIGHT. I KNOW IT’S HARD TO SHOUT ON THE OUTSIDE BECAUSE OF ALL THE SIN BUT YOU OUGHT TO BE SHOUTING ON THE INSIDE. YOU’RE NOT READING THE WORD OF GOD ENOUGH AND YOU’RE NOT ATTENDING CHURCH ENOUGH. YOU’VE GOT TO PUT GOD FIRST AND NOT WESTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH. PEOPLE HAVE QUIT PRAYING.
I HAVE A DEAR SISTER NAMED IRMA. I USED TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME AT HER HOUSE WHEN I WAS LITTLE. SHE’S A GOOD CHRISTIAN WHO MARRIED A BAPTIST MINISTER. HE STILL PASTORS A CHURCH OUT IN DALLAS. HER SON AND I GREW UP TOGETHER AND EVERY TIME I SPENT THE NIGHT OVER THERE MY SISTER IRMA WOULD COME INTO MY ROOM AND TELL ME TO GET UP OUT OF THE BED AND KNEEL DOWN AND PRAY. SHE WOULDN’T JUST COME IN AND SIT DOWN ON THE BED BESIDE ME. SHE’D MAKE ME GET DOWN ON MY KNEES. YOU KNOW HOW YOU ARE AS A CHILD YOU WANT TO PRAY FOR THINGS LIKE LORD, I WANT A NEW BIKE. SHE WOULD ALWAYS ASK ME WHAT I WANTED TO PRAY FOR AND I’D SAY THINGS LIKE THAT AND SHE’D SAY WELL WHAT ABOUT YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS? HOW ABOUT YOUR MOM WHO’S SICK AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOST? WHAT ABOUT FOR THE CHURCH AND THE PASTOR. SHE’D SAY, YOU START OUT PRAYING AND I’LL JOIN IN. ONE NIGHT AS A GROWN MAN I REMEMBERING GOING TO HER HOUSE. HER DOOR WAS UNLOCKED AS IT ALWAYS IS. SHE’S NEVER LOCKED IT, EVEN STILL TODAY SHE DOESN’T LOCK HER DOOR. I WENT ON IN AND SHE WASN’T IN THE FRONT ROOM BUT I COULD HEAR HER IN HER BEDROOM CRYING OUT TO GOD. THIS WOMAN CAN PRAY! SHE DOESN’T SQUEAK OUT SOME LORD, HELP ME. SHE CRIES OUT TO GOD “LORD HELP ME! HELP THOSE THAT ARE LOST!” I’VE NEVER HEARD A WOMAN PRAY LIKE THAT BEFORE. ALL I COULD DO WAS STAND THERE AND CRY. THAT’S A WOMAN WHO TOOK TIME OUT OF HER LIFE TO PRAY, TO TEACH ME ABOUT PRAYER, ABOUT GOD. SHE TAUGHT HER KIDS THE SAME THING. NOW SHE’S TEACHING HER GRAND CHILDREN.
I’M GLAD I’M SERVING A GOD THAT NOT ONLY HEARS US WHEN WE PRAY BUT ANSWERS US. JUST ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE. I DON’T WANT TO QUIT. IT’S A DISGRACE THAT PEOPLE HAVE QUIT ON GOD. IT’S A DISGRACE WHEN A SAINT OF GOD WHO USED TO BE A SINNER, THAT HAS THE BLOOD OF JESUS APPLIED AND THEY DON’T COME TO THE HOUSE OF GOD, THEY DON’T READ THE WORD OF GOD AND THEY DON’T PRAY, IT’S A DISGRACE TO GOD.
YOU KNOW WHY WE HAVE A WORLD FULL OF GAYS AND LESBIANS? BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE QUIT ON GOD. YOU KNOW WHY WE HAVE SO MUCH ALCOHOL AND DRUGS, KILLINGS AND MURDERINGS? BECAUSE CHRISTIANS HAVE QUIT ON GOD. ARE YOU GOING TO QUIT TONIGHT? IF YOU READ THE BIBLE YOU’LL FIND THERE WAS A LOT OF CHRISTIANS THAT CAME CLOSE TO QUITTING BUT THEY KEPT GOING. I DON’T KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE IF DADDY HAD JUST COME UP TO ME ONE DAY AND SAID WE’RE NOT GOING TO CHURCH ANYMORE.
IN JOHN 6:66-69 “FROM THAT TIME MANY OF HIS DISCIPLES WENT BACK, AND WALKED NO MORE WITH HIM. THEN SAID JESUS UNTO THE TWELVE, WILL YE ALSO GO AWAY? THEN SIMON PETER ANSWERED HIM, LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO? THOU HAST THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE. AND WE BELIEVE AND ARE SURE THAT THOU ARE THAT CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.” WHY ARE PEOPLES LIVES IN SUCH A MESS? BECAUSE OF CHRISTIANS LIKE THEM THAT HAVE QUIT ON GOD. THEIR OF NO GOOD TO GOD IF THEY’VE QUIT. GOD STILL LOVES THEM BUT THEY AREN’T FULFILLING HIS GOSPEL BY QUITTING. LOST PEOPLE SEE THEM AS HYPOCRITES BECAUSE THEY SAY, “WELL I’M SAVED.” BUT THEY GO OUT IN THE WORLD AND LIVE LIKE THE DEVIL. YOU CAN NOT BE CLOSE TO GOD BY NOT ATTENDING CHURCH. YOU MUST HEAR THE WORD, YOU MUST FELLOWSHIP, YOU MUST READ THE WORD, AND YOU MUST PRAY. PEOPLE HAVE QUIT TITHING TOO. THEY SHOULD GIVE GOD WHAT THEY ALREADY OWE HIM. IT’S GODS ANYWAY. IF YOU DON’T GIVE YOU 10% TO GOD THEN YOU’RE GIVING THE DEVIL 90%. GODS GONNA GET YOUR 10% ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. IF YOU GIVE YOUR 10%, YOU’LL GET IT BACK. IF YOU DON’T GIVE IT, HE’LL GET IT FROM YOU BY ALLOWING SOMETHING TO TARE UP ON YOU AND YOU’LL END UP PAYING THAT MONEY OUT OF YOUR POCKET. I’D RATHER GIVE IT TO GOD. THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TITHES AND OFFERINGS. A TITHE IS 10% OF YOUR INCOME. AN OFFERING IS ANYTHING ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT. WHETHER IT BE IN MONEY OR WORK. IF YOU’RE NOT DOING THAT, YOU’RE NOT TRUSTING IN GOD. BUT PEOPLE HAVE QUIT DOING IT.
HAVE YOU QUIT ON GOD?
LET US PRAY: FATHER, I THANK YOU LORD FOR SHOWING ME THAT I SHOULDN’T QUIT ON YOU. I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO THE DEVIL AND I SHOULD HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO YOU. FORGIVE ME LORD. HELP ME TO A BETTER CHRISTIAN. ONE WHO DOESN’T GIVE UP AND QUIT WHEN THE GOING GETS ROUGH. GIVE ME THE STRENGTH THAT I NEED TO CONTINUE ON. I SAY THAT I LOVE YOU. LET ME PROVE THAT TO YOU BY GETTING OFF THE STOOL AND GETTING ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS. IN JESUS NAME I PRAY. AMEN
