.  Living Hope Fellowship Church....Sermons by the Pastor 

A CONVENIENT DAY

by Pastor Kevin Badgley

A CONVENIENT DAY

by Pastor Kevin Badgley

1 Timothy 5:20 says, “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.”  2 Peter 3:9 tells us that the Lord, “. . .  is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Mark 6:17-20 says, “For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.  For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.  Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:  For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.”

John told Herod he was sinning, and he backed up to no one.  John was an awesome man of God.  Luke 3:4 says, “As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”  John was to tear down anything that confused people about the way of the Lord.  He made the paths straight.  He preached the straight, hard, truth message.  He was filled with the Holy Ghost and power.

Herod was under great conviction, but his wife hated John, and in due time her nagging caused Herod to throw John in prison.  He compromised to get relief.

The first stage of the devil’s plan is to get you away from good preaching and fellowship with God’s people.  The next phase is to destroy you.  Some people won’t listen to a preacher, and they even want to destroy him, because he comes against sin in their lives.

When God deals with you, and His Spirit has come against the final stronghold in you, it shakes you, and you are miserable.  For you it is a decision and a war.  Herodias wanted John dead, but Herod wouldn’t destroy him, because he knew if he did he would never again have peace.  In the midst of the conviction of God he felt something way down that said, “I love you.  I am dealing with you.  Yield over to me.”

Sometimes it is too much, and people will skip church and do other things to avoid the anointing of God drawing them to Him.

A convenient day came along.  It was Herod’s birthday, and he invited people over for a party, and the special attraction was his stepdaughter.  She was a young girl, but dangerous.  It seemed it was business as usual. 

That reminds us of Noah’s day before the flood came.  Matthew 24:38-39 says, “For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”  When God shut the door, only eight were saved, but they were warned of its coming for about 100 years!

Herod was so wound up with the girl’s dancing that he told her in Mark 6:23, “Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.”

There was no hassle or pressure on Herod that day.  There were no thoughts of peril whatsoever.  He was just excited, and he wanted to be a big shot!  The girl’s mother told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist in a charger.  Mark 6:26 says the king was exceeding sorry, but because of his oath he did not reject her, and John was beheaded.

The head of the one who made Herod and his wife miserable was cut off.  Herod knew John was right, but there were days that it wasn’t convenient for him to talk to him.  However, Herod’s birthday was a convenient day for Satan.

He made an oath and put his kingship, his reputation, his authority, and his respect in the community on the line.  Sooner or later you will be out in the open with no dodging, and everyone will be listening and watching at a certain day and time.

Sometimes God deals with you when it is inconvenient for you.  One day will be IT, and you will make your decision.  Herod looked for a way out of his trouble, but he could not find it.  There will be a day God will deal with your soul, and suddenly you will be confronted with heaven and hell.  You will have to deal with it THAT day.  Herod was king, and he finally made up his mind, and the executioner cut off John’s head. 

Later on Pilate found out Jesus was in Herod’s jurisdiction, so he sent Him to Herod.  Herod looked right into the eyes of the Creator of the Universe, and Luke 23:9 says that Herod, “. . . questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.”  A couple of years previously Herod had cut off the head of John, the one who pointed to Christ.  NOW he wanted to know who Jesus was, but Jesus would not talk to him. 

When you have heard the truth, and God has dealt with you, a time will come when you will decide to go on with Jesus, or you will back up so far that Jesus won’t talk to you!

Herod cut off the head of one who brought the anointing.  Today, the church world is trying to do the same.  Preachers of righteousness are thorns in the side and splinters in the eyes of those who want to sin and go on with their own desperately wicked ways.

 Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

You must press in.  If you back off, the Lord may quit dealing with you.  If He is drawing you, sure you are a little miserable, but by His grace, mercy, and love He deals with you to come and be saved.  In Mathew 11:28 Jesus says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Maybe in the past you said you were going to go on with Jesus, but the devil stood in your face.  Hold on, and God will bring you out.  God is looking for people who won’t back up.  Even if it is inconvenient, take time NOW for God.  This world is temporary.  Heaven and hell are eternal!