Don't Be A Fence Straddler

     Today, Brother Bob says don't be a fence straddler. Decide now to get saved, stop sinning, and make Jesus your God. Jesus said at Luke 11:23 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. Either you're with Jesus as your God or you're against Jesus as your God. God rejects fence straddlers who make no decision to follow Jesus as God. Pictured above Jesus said at Revelation 3:15-16 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

     Also pictured above, we see that Elijah told the people to make a choice to follow God and not be fence straddlers. Elijah said at 1 Kings 18:19 Now therefore send and gather to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel and the prophets of Baal 450, and the prophets of the groves 400, which eat at Jezebel's table. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel and gathered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel. And Elijah came unto all the people and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God follow Him, but if Baal, then follow him; (Now note the people's response who were fence straddlers) And the people answered him not a word.

     The people around Elijah on Mount Carmel were fence straddlers who answered him not a word. They didn't say we believe the God of Elijah is God. They didn't say we believe that Baal the god of Jezebel is God. These fence straddlers are like many people today in church who are silent about choosing between Jesus or the devil. When you preach to these fence straddlers you can't even get an expression out of them.

     Most of these fence straddlers come to church on Sunday and sin all week long. They want to have Jesus and continue to fornicate, drink, smoke, and love this world all week long. It doesn't work like this to get saved. Friend anywhere, to be saved you must repent and decide to stop sinning. Repentance is a requirement for salvation. 2 Corinthians 7:10 tells us For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death. Jesus said at Luke 13:3 Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

     You can't even look to Jesus and get saved until you first decide to repent and stop sinning. Paul explained this at Acts 20:20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, (first) repentance toward God, (and then) faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. You can't even approach Jesus until you first decide to stop fornicating, drinking, smoking, and loving this world.

     Pictured above, Ahab and his fence straddler followers resisted Elijah who told the people to repent. 1 Kings 18:17 says And it came to pass when Ahab saw Elijah that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel.  Today, if you are a preacher like Elijah who tells people to repent and make Jesus their God, you'll be despised by modern day Ahabs and Jezebels. Some Jehoshaphats will want to hear you once and a while.

     These modern day Ahabs and Jezebels want preachers that will tickle their ears and give them a soft smooth sermon without mentioning repentance from sin. We need to be like Elijah and speak the whole counsel of God and obey Isaiah 58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

     Notice how Elijah answered Ahab at 1 Kings 18:18. Elijah was not a nimby pamby, tweedle dee tweedle dum, pussy footin compromisin, white washing back scratching, ear tickling soft soaping, tiptoein through the tulips, lovey dovey, feel good preacher telling Ahab I've been on a vacation away for three and half years and if I've caused you any inconvenience by stopping the rain, I want to apologize to you and Samaria. No, Elijah spoke the truth and rebuked Ahab saying I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.

     Like Elijah we need to tell fence straddlers Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom ye will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

     Personally, I admire anyone who quits being a fence straddler and speaks out to people all over this earth to repent and make Jesus their God. We need to have no shame in our game about Jesus. Jesus said at Matthew 10:32 Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

     Unfortunately today we have too many fence straddlers that make no decision to accept or deny Jesus. These fence straddlers are like a flea; when you put a finger on them they jump here and then they jump there; You don't know where they are and you don't know what they stand for; You don't know whether they are for you or against you; You don't know whether they're gonna vote for it or against it; When they're with you they're all for you, but when they leave you they're all against you.

     Friends we need to make a decision now to stop sinning and follow the Lord Jesus. Let's quit our nimby pamby, wimpy washy, tweedle dee, on again off again shenanigan stuff. Choose today whether you're gonna be wheat or a tare; whether you're gonna be a good fish or a bad fish; whether you're gonna be a sheep or a goat; whether you're gonna be on the Lord's side or on the devil's side.

 

     Pictured above we see what happened to the fence straddlers who lived during Noah's time and rejected God. Noah preached 120 years and warned these fence straddlers to get into the ark of safety to escape the flood. All these fence straddlers thought they were alright until God slammed the door shut on the ark and all the fence straddlers perished.

     It made all the difference where you were when the flood came during Noah's time. A choice had to be made to accept or deny Noah. It made all the difference whether you were inside or outside of the ark; whether you were with Noah or without Noah; and which side of the ark's door you were on.

     Nothing's changed today. Luke 17:26 tells us And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. Today, people need to choose to repent and make Jesus their God and not be fence straddlers making no decisions. Either you are a sheep on God's right hand saved or a goat on God's left hand perishing; You can't play the game from both ends of the field. If you don't make a choice to repent and make Jesus your God, you will perish in the lake of fire.

     Pictured above we remember when God said on the first night of passover when I see the blood (of the Lamb Jesus) on the doorpost and on the upper lintel, I will pass over you. God didn't say when I see your bank account; when I see whether you're a Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Catholic, Jew, Southern Baptist or an Independent Missionary Baptist; God didn't pass through Goshen and Egypt looking for peoples' denominational relationships; God passed through the land looking for the blood of the Lamb Jesus.

     And it made all the difference whether or not you were behind the Lamb's blood in Goshen Israel. All the firstborn of the fence straddlers who did not choose to get behind the blood of the Lamb perished in Egypt. Egypt represented the dark world and Goshen Israel represented the light Jesus. It made all the difference whether you were in Goshen or in Egypt. There was light in all the land of Goshen but there was darkness throughout the land of Egypt; such darkness as could be felt.

     Today we must choose to leave Egypt and this dark world that blinds people's minds and choose to live in Goshen with our Lord Jesus in His light where we will be able to understand the marvelous truths of God's Word. In Goshen our eyes will be opened to understand sanctification, separation, service, and security. Today, like in the days of Moses, don't be a fence straddler; choose to live with Jesus in the land of Goshen (with light, love, and life) don't live in this dark world of Egypt (with darkness, death, and depression).

     Finally, note that it was important to not be a fence straddler during Rahab's time pictured above. Several spies told Rahab that her house with a scarlet thread (representing the blood of Jesus) was safe from destruction in Jericho. If people chose to live in Rahab's home during Joshua's war against Jericho they would be saved. And all the fence straddlers who chose to live in any other home in Jericho perished.

     It made all the difference between life and death whether you were in Rahab's house or whether you were in one of the other homes in Jericho on the day that Joshua and the armies of Israel marched around Jericho. If you were in the finest palace in Jericho and Joshua sounded the rams horns after circling Jericho seven days, every palace in Jericho, even the king's palace perished. Death came to every person in Jericho that was not in Rahab's house behind the scarlet thread (a representation of the saving blood of Jesus Christ).

     Today, like in the times of Rahab, Jesus is saying get covered by the blood of Jesus by faith and overcome the destruction of the devil. Say daily I am crucified with Christ and covered by the blood of Jesus. Tell the devil daily the blood of Jesus has defeated and overcome you devil, evil must pass over me, and the blood of Jesus has cleansed me of all my sins. Friends everywhere the blood of Jesus is a fence that keeps out the devil and protects you daily from any harm in this world. If it saved Rahab a harlot, the blood of Jesus will save and cleanse you my friend from all your sins. Be blessed in Jesus name.

     I pray in Jesus name this little bible study blesses multitudes all over this earth. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 604-7133. Till we all meet again soon. Everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.