IT'S GETTING LATE AND IT'S GETTING SERIOUS - Tim Dilena

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: Times Square Church – Sermons
Episode: “IT’S GETTING LATE AND IT’S GETTING SERIOUS”
Speaker: Pastor Tim Dilena
Date: August 3, 2026

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Overview

In this urgent and deeply personal sermon, Pastor Tim Dilena addresses the Times Square Church congregation and global listeners with a prophetic and passionate message: the times are more serious than ever, and true discipleship will require sacrificial commitment. Drawing from the Book of Ruth—with parallels to the broader challenges facing both modern America and the global church—Pastor Tim emphasizes the call to become "living sacrifices," to reject comfort, and to embrace the cost of obedience in following Jesus. The episode calls for concrete action, bold decision-making, and a reorientation of priorities for individuals and the church at large.

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Main Themes & Purpose

• Urgency of the hour: “It’s getting late and it’s getting serious.” The spiritual, moral, and societal climate in America—and worldwide—demands a new level of seriousness in discipleship.
• Call to sacrificial living: True Christianity is defined by the willingness to surrender ambitions, comfort, and security for God's purpose.
• Lessons from Ruth: Ruth’s unwavering loyalty and sacrificial choice to follow Naomi lead to her role in the lineage of King David and ultimately Jesus—contrasted with Orpah’s path of comfort.
• Warning to the church: The American church, and those who look to it for models, need to reject superficiality, consumer Christianity, and instead seek God for their unique calling.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Prophetic Warning: Changing Times

• Francis Schaeffer Quote ([00:33]):
  • “One day we would wake up and discover that the America we once knew is gone... That day is here, folks.”
• Aftereffects of COVID & Cultural Change ([01:10]):
  • The world and the church have fundamentally changed; old ways are no longer adequate for present challenges.
• Warning to International Church Leaders ([02:13]):
  • “Don’t copy the US Church... Don’t come to our conferences. Get on your knees and say, ‘What does God have us to do?’... Save your money.”

2. The Nature of True Sacrifice

• Fire-Proof Faith ([03:13]):
  • Refers to Daniel’s friends in the furnace: the world only truly sees Jesus when His followers endure “the fire.”
  • “It may take some furnaces for this world to see Jesus.” ([03:30])
• Romans 12:1, Living Sacrifice ([04:10]):
  • “A living, breathing believer that has surrendered everything to God... They have died to sin, to the popular opinion, to the culture, and to religion.”
  • Critique: Contemporary Christian leaders turning into “actors and showmen... food connoisseurs and sneaker heads.”
  • The challenge: Will we offer God everything—our daily, ordinary lives?

3. Example of Ruth: The Cost of Following

• Ruth’s Radical Decision ([14:34]; [15:24]):
  • After suffering great loss, Ruth chooses to leave behind everything familiar, aligning herself with Naomi and Naomi’s God.
  • “Where you go, I will go. Where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God shall be my God.” ([15:24])
• Moment of Clarity and Testing ([16:33]):
  • “If you go with me, you may never get married by being connected to me. You may need to give up on your dream.”
  • Every “yes” to God is tested. “Are you willing to lay down your agendas, dreams, pursuits, and ambitions?” ([17:13])
• Personal Testimony: Choosing Painful Allegiance ([18:43]):
  • Pastor Tim recounts siding with leaders in deep pain (David Wilkerson, Carter Conlon) rather than remaining comfortable with old friends, comparing it to Ruth’s choice.

4. Sacrifice Births Legacy; Comfort Births Mediocrity

• Ruth’s Legacy ([22:46]-[28:56]):
  • Her sacrificial path leads to the genealogy of David—and of Jesus.
  • “Ruth became the great-grandmother of David in the genealogy of Jesus.” ([28:56])
• Orpah’s Legacy: The Path Not Taken ([28:56]):
  • According to Jewish tradition, Orpah becomes the mother of Goliath.
  • “What is birthed from sacrifice is totally different than what is birthed from comfortability... Sacrifice gives birth to Obed; convenience gives birth to Goliath.” ([29:38])

5. What Sacrifice Looks Like Today

• Concrete Examples ([32:55]):
  • Are you willing to give up finances, time for prayer, reputation to witness, comfort to serve or lead, meals to fast, plans for ministry?
  • “Take the Ruth path. Take that choice.” ([34:51])
• Call for Action in the Church ([35:54]):
  • Emphasizing evangelistic outreach and Tuesday night services, refusing to diminish or “downplay” midweek gatherings as many churches do.

6. Living Sacrifice in Persecution

• Testimony from the Persecuted Church ([40:48]-[44:14]):
  • Story from an Islamic nation where Christians are arrested, yet minister in prison, leading guards to Christ. “Only Jesus.”
  • “Sacrifice is not in the language of the modern day church anymore... We have made everything easier for people to attend and to enjoy.” ([45:05])

7. The Coming Cost and the Church’s Response

• Pilgrim’s Progress and the Price of Truth ([45:40]-[47:33]):
  • John Bunyan, who wrote Pilgrim’s Progress while imprisoned, is lifted up as an example of enduring faith amidst systemic suppression.
  • “There will be two churches: a Ruth church and Orpah church. The Orpah church will say, ‘Don’t say anything.’ The Ruth church says, ‘Choose pain.’” ([47:33])

8. Final Exhortation: Choose Ruth’s Path, Not Orpah’s

• Modern Orpah and the Rich Young Ruler ([51:19]):
  • “Orpah and the rich young ruler are cut from the same cloth... At the next challenge, they say, ‘Check, please.’”
  • “To miss the Ruth genealogy, to Jesus’ genealogy, to miss the David genealogy—you birth Goliaths, you birth godless giants, you birth soft Christians.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s getting late and it’s getting serious.” ([05:15]) — David Wilkerson quote, adopted as sermon’s refrain.
• “Don’t copy the U.S. church. Don’t come to our conferences. Get on your knees and say, ‘What does God have us to do?’” ([02:13])
• “Sacrifice will give birth to Obed; convenience gives birth to Goliath.” ([29:38])
• “What is birthed out of living sacrifice is totally different than what is birthed out of comfortability.” ([29:38])
• “Every yes that you give to God is going to face a reality check.” ([17:07])
• “I cannot walk with you any longer... That was a Ruth moment for me.” ([18:43])
• “There will be two churches: a Ruth church and Orpah church... Choose pain.” ([47:33])
• “I’m so tired of Orpah talk. People aren’t going to come out. No, Times Square Church people are insane—they show up at prayer meetings, they show up at everything.” ([51:19])
• On Bunyan: “If it were lawful for me to pray, I pray for greater trouble, to experience the greater comfort.” ([47:51])

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Important Timestamps

• 00:33 – Quoting Francis Schaeffer about America’s changed spiritual climate
• 03:13 – Daniel’s friends and the “furnace” as where Jesus is seen
• 04:10 – Romans 12:1: “living sacrifice” unpacked
• 07:39 – William Booth’s wife on living, self-sacrificing Christianity
• 14:34 – Orpah and Ruth at the crossroads
• 15:24 – Ruth’s famous pledge: “Where you go, I will go...”
• 16:33 – Naomi’s second challenge: Sacrifice over comfort
• 18:43 – Pastor Tim’s personal Ruth/Orpah moment
• 22:46 – The genealogy of Ruth to David to Jesus
• 28:56 – Tradition that Orpah is Goliath’s mother
• 32:55 – Modern applications of sacrifice
• 40:48 – Persecuted church testimony (Islamic nation)
• 45:40 – John Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress, and coming persecution
• 47:33 – The “Ruth church vs Orpah church” call
• 51:19 – The “Orpah talk” and warning against lukewarmness
• 54:53 – Closing worship: “I Give Myself Away”
• 59:31 – Final exhortation: “Choose Ruth. Choose Ruth.”

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Tone & Style

Pastor Tim’s tone throughout is earnest, prophetic, story-driven, at times humorous, but profoundly urgent. He employs scriptural exegesis, personal anecdotes, historical references, and direct calls to action, urging listeners out of spiritual complacency into radical obedience.

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Practical Takeaways

• Examine your faith: Are you following the “Ruth path” (sacrifice and obedience) or the “Orpah path” (convenience and comfort)?
• Expect the cost: Every yes to God will face testing.
• Act: Identify practical ways to live sacrificially—serving, giving, inviting, praying, witnessing.
• For leaders: Don’t mimic models—seek God for direction in your context.
• Be ready: Persecution may come, but true spiritual fruit and comfort are birthed in the fire.

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Final Word

“It’s getting late and it’s getting serious... Choose Ruth. Choose the right path.”
– Pastor Tim Dilena ([59:31])

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[End of Summary]

Transcript

[Worship Leader]

Foreign.

[Pastor Tim]

Don't forget those watching around the country and around the world. We've just started them chapter by chapter with the Book of Judges. So we encourage you to join with us as we go through the Book of Judges now. The message today is still being born in me. There's something happening in my soul. But I felt it was strong enough, even though it's in seed form to continue. And, and I, God began to speak to me something on Friday and then I felt like it was kind of maturing on Saturday and I felt like it was something that, that instead of putting off to the side, I want to do my best with God's help to share with what God has put on my heart today and let him speak. You know, I was thinking of the words of one of the great Christian writers Back in the 1970s, an apologist from Switzerland. His name was Francis Schaeffer. He said some pretty prophetic words when he said this. He says one day we would wake up and discover that the America we once knew is gone. Let me say that again. Said he said there will come a day when we wake up and discover that the America that we once knew is gone. That day is here. Folks, folks, we woke up after a

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

COVID

[Pastor Tim]

pandemic, global pandemic. And the nation that we have known. And I'm telling you, not just our nation, all the nations that something has taken over. Something has come in and has taken over the culture and, and, and, and really the morale, the moral system and everything has come in and taken over what has happened to the nation, our nations, your nation. I believe it is going to take a special church and special Christians to fight what is happening out there. They're going to have to be. Let me just say this. In order to see renewal come and revival come. What we are calling today as the present day church is not fireproof. It's not fireproof, it's not able to go through the fire. And I want to encourage all those leaders watching from around the country and let me speak to the internationals for a sec for just a moment. Don't copy the U.S. church. Don't copy the US Church. Don't come to our conferences. Don't come to any of the meetings. Get on your knees and say, what does God have us to do? That's what you're supposed to do. Don't copy any of us. Don't go save your money. I talk to leaders that are on their way to conferences that stop in New York City and I'm begging you, don't Go to our conferences. We need a revival in our own country. We didn't outpouring here. I saw something in the book, in the book of Ruth that I want to just share with you. As I was preparing for chapter by chapter, I want to take a message from a David, from. I heard David Wilkerson just say this, just go by and I'm going to steal his words. And he just simply said this. It's getting late and it's getting serious. And that's what I want to talk to you about. It's getting late and it's getting serious. Let's pray. Father, in these next few moments, I'm really going to need your help because I don't know when to stop, what to keep out, what to do. But I know, God, that you put something on my heart today. Help me to get this right. With your help. Just empower me today, God, once again, I'm going to present to you a few fishes and a few loaves. Somehow would you feed the multitudes? Somehow would you feed the nations? Would you feed the nations in these next few moments? And I pray this in Jesus name. And everybody said amen. God bless you. May be seated. Thank you. Thank you, choir. Thank you. I've referenced this before, but I want to say it again because I think we need to hear it. When you read the book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar did not see Jesus until three boys were put into a furnace because of their commitment to God. Let me say that again. Nebuchadnezzar didn't see it from a church, from a Christian group or anything. He finally saw Jesus when the believers were put in a furnace. And folks, this is important because it may take some furnaces for this world to see Jesus. It may take us facing some challenging moments for the world not to listen to. They may not be listening, reading books and listening to podcasts, but I'm telling you, when they see a church and believers that are not being burned by the furnaces that they are being put in, they will see Jesus. They went through the fire and the people saw Jesus. And there, there will not be words. But a life that can face this, that life that can go through a furnace, that life that can face that and open up the eyes of the world is a person that's cut out or brought out from that famous verse, that popular, that powerful verse in Romans 12:1, you know it to say this, I beseech you, therefore brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies. What are the Next two words, a living sacrifice wholly acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Now when you, when you look at this, living sacrifice is the word that overpowers this verse. Because it's the Apostle Paul that takes an Old Testament word and ceremony and adds this, what would be this very, very unfamiliar adjective to the word sacrifice? Sacrifice is always associated with death. But to add living sacrifice almost becomes like a contradiction. It is this contradiction of terms that. But the best, it is the best description of God's people that can go through the furnace. Because what is a living sacrifice? It is a living, breathing believer that has surrendered everything to God. They have given it all up. They have died to sin, to the popular opinion, to the culture and to religion. Today we find, and I say this with grief in my heart, I don't say this even, even in a prideful or a boasting way. But we're watching. We're watching leaders, Christian leaders becoming actors and showmen. They're becoming food connoisseurs and coffee connoisseurs and sneaker heads that will not go through the fire, folks. We need believers, we need leaders that will become a living sacrifice that will say, God, it is you and nothing else. Nothing else. Listen to the way, listen to the way that the message begins to elaborate on this verse. Romans 12:1. He says this, so here's what I want you to do. He says, God helping you take your everyday, ordinary life. You're sleeping, eating, going to work, walking around life and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don't become so well adjusted to, to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize that he wants what he wants from you and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

God brings the best out of you,

[Pastor Tim]

developing, well form maturity inside of you. I love that, I love the power of that verse and how it says it. It is a challenge to all of us to what it means to be a living sacrifice. It was the wife of William Booth, who founded the Salvation army that literally had to become living sacrifice to see this work that would take place in the slums of London. She said it like this. She said, show the world a real living self. Sacrificing, hard working, toiling, triumphing cross. Christianity and the world will be influenced

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

by anything short of that.

[Pastor Tim]

They will turn around and spit on it. This is such a challenge for us today of what God is asking. We have a world that is falling apart, and we need living sacrifices. I was pastoring at a time when the world was alarmed at the AT in 1999 by a thing called the Y2K. How many remember Y2K and putting food in the basement, that at midnight and New Year's Eve, that there's something that's going to happen to the computers, that because they're not calibrated well, that everything's going to shut down. Don't be in the air, don't be on an airplane, don't be over here. Everything is going to fall apart at that time. And the computers will shut down the power grids well. And we all lived under this fear that when all this was happening. And I learned something new this week. There is a new thing that is on the way. And I learned something that will start up around the world and you'll hear these words. The new Y2K is called Q Day. It's the new thing that is getting ready to happen that anybody in the tech world knows about Q Day. Q Day is more dangerous because no one knows when it's going to happen. They say it's probably around 20, 30, 2031. Q Day is when the moment that these quantum computers start to begin to break through with all this modern technology, break through the encryption codes, then everything that is private goes public. And everybody is waiting. This is the moment that all of a sudden, they don't even know what to do with this. We have a world that is falling apart. And if ever we need believers to get serious about this, it is now of what God is calling us. And like I said, as David Wilkerson said, it's getting late, but it's also getting serious for us. And that's why I believe we are two words. If I was to describe it this way, we are two words away from, I believe revival or a move of God and awakening. And I believe those two words are needing a church. That is a living sacrifice. That is a people that are willing to say God, we put everything else aside. Or as Ricardo led us, I give myself away so you can use me. That's what I saw. That's what God began to move inside of me. This is the narrative. This is the story I want to give to you. It's Ruth's story about a living sacrifice. It's a story of a young lady who got serious because she knew it was getting late. It was a story of a young lady that was faced at a crossroads of which man or which person to choose in her life. Let me just build up the story for a moment. Naomi was. Was. This woman and her husband are facing a crisis while living in Israel. And there was a famine in the land of Judah. And the father, Naomi's husband, says, let's move. I've heard that there's food in a place called Moab. So the wife and the two boys go, the four of them go not just to a foreign land, but to an enemy country. The Moabites were against Israel. Israel and. But they knew that there was food there. In Moab, the husband dies. Naomi's husband dies, leaving the family alone. But their two boys took Moabite women as their wives. So now Naomi is left with two boys and two Moabite wives or daughter in laws. Then the two boys died. She has lost her husband and two sons, leaving Naomi with two Moabite widows. There's three widows living in a home now in this foreign country. Naomi is in a foreign country. She's husbandless, childless, and two foreign daughter in laws that are there. Boy, if there's anything that sounds like God's getting ready to do a great story, it's right there. This is where it's all about to take off. And then Naomi hears the news that God has done something in Judah. See, the Book of Ruth starts off and it talks about the judges that were ruling. So it's this moment where it seems like God has visited Judah when they. Before, before, when they left. It would seem like it was under the discipline of God. And somehow we don't know the exact time frame, but somebody started to cry out for God and the blessing of God started to come. And Naomi, who has no husband, she has two daughter in laws that are Moabites, she has no children. She's been living this life of pain. In fact, when she gets back to Judah, she makes the journey. The pain has. That she has gone through has made her almost unrecognizable. Let me just read this to you. It says, so they both went until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city stirred because of them. And the women said, is this Naomi? Like they couldn't even recognize her. Like the pain that she went through, somehow it is. It has changed her appearance. She said to them, do not call me Naomi, call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi? Since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me. So Naomi returned with her Ruth, the Moabitess, her daughter in law, who returned from the land of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest before she leaves this Moabite area and goes to Judah. This conversation is what challenged me. It's going to bring out a living sacrifice. It's going to bring out somebody that really understands it's late and it's time to get serious. Like you're gonna see something happen. And this is what challenged me for my own life.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

This will be a God move, will

[Pastor Tim]

be met with a resounding yes from two women. But always remember, anytime you say yes to God, it always seems like God will give you a reality check to make sure that your yes is for real. They will have to make a decision. It's getting late and serious. And Ruth. And I'm. And I know I may mess up before, so don't correct me, but just tell me. Ruth and her sister Orpah, not Oprah. Orpah is in this story. And somehow my computer kept changing it from Oprah or Orpah to Oprah. And I'm going, no, not the lady that's on tv. Ruth and Orpah are challenged by Ruth. And this is what happens. Challenged by Naomi. And Naomi said to her two daughter in laws, go return each of you to your mother's house. May the Lord deal kindly with you. She's trying to part ways. She's trying to send her. Send them off. You have dealt with the dead and with me may the Lord grant that you may find rest each in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them, lifted up. They lifted up their voice and wept. And they don't miss this.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

They said to her, no, we will

[Pastor Tim]

surely return with you to your people. But Naomi said, return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may be your husbands? Return, my daughters. Go, I'm too old. I have to. To have a husband. If I said I have hope, if I should even have a husband tonight and also bear sons, I would. Would you therefore wait until you were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it's harder for me than for you. For the hand of the Lord has come against me. Verse 14. And they lifted up their voice and wept again. Here it comes. Orpah kissed her mother in law, but Ruth clung to her. Then she said, behold, your sister in law has gone back to her people. And her gods return after Your sister in law.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

But Ruth said, do not urge me

[Pastor Tim]

to leave you or turn back from following.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Where you go, I will go.

[Pastor Tim]

And where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God shall be my God.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Where you die, I will die, and

[Pastor Tim]

there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me. And worse, if anything but death parts you and me. When she saw that, she was determined to go with her and she said no more to her. So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. This is amazing. This conversation was really for the serious. It was 50 miles from Bethlehem to Moab. 50 mile journey, 10 days. They would have to begin to make it through this, this uncharted ground. 10 days and 50 miles. There wasn't the issue. Here's the challenge.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

You, because it looked like both daughters

[Pastor Tim]

were going with Naomi daughter in laws. But this point of clarity comes in,

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

this point of, of asking.

[Pastor Tim]

A second thing starts to come in. They both said, we will surely go with you. Then the clarity moment comes in. It's the second challenge.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

She says, if you go with me, you may never get married by being connected to me. You may need to give up on your dream.

[Pastor Tim]

If you want to walk with me, folks, listen to me.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

She says, I have no more boys in my womb. Would you refrain from marrying?

[Pastor Tim]

And all of a sudden, that was it.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Orpah kissed her mother in law, but Ruth clung to her. Every yes that you give to God

[Pastor Tim]

is going to face a reality check.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

It's going to face something that says, are you willing to lay it down at his feet? Are you willing to lay down agendas

[Pastor Tim]

and dreams and your pursuits and ambitions?

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Are you willing to do it?

[Pastor Tim]

To take a journey with like Naomi,

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

the Christ of suffering, the Christ of pain?

[Pastor Tim]

It took just one more point of clarity to find out who was going to go with her.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Somehow Ruth knew her future was in Naomi. Somehow she knew. If I, if I go with her

[Pastor Tim]

and say, your people will be my

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

people, your God will be my God. Where you lodge, I will lodge. Where you die, I will die. Somehow she knew that this moment, her

[Pastor Tim]

future, her destiny would be wrapped up into this woman. Though it looks painful at the moment. The Moabite, the Gentile, who trusts this

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Jewish woman and chooses correctly, and I'll

[Pastor Tim]

show you why in a second. I will avoid using names except one name I'll just use. But I need to tell this story. I prayed about this because you need to make sure that when you face those crossroads, listen to me, whether you're single, whoever you are, you need to make sure that when you face those crossroads, you're choosing to move with the right people. You're choosing to go with the right people because the times are getting serious and we need people to go, I'm going with you.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

I choose you.

[Pastor Tim]

I was faced with a situation many years ago. Someone I respected and was a friend who helped me tremendously as a young pastor, would begin to affirm something that happened here at Times Square Church. I talked to you about, because I got his permission and talked to you some months ago about what took place in the 1990s. This major uprising and rebellion took place in Times Square Church. Started on the stage, moved into the choir and started to take. And 700 people left times Square Church and started to follow and go after things. And then when I found out the connection with someone I respected, I was put in a place that I was. I was looking at David Wilkerson and Carter Conlon, who, living through so much pain, their bodies felt it. They felt the weight of the rebellion of the 90s. And it came to a point, and this is so important for me to tell you, came to a point that I either just overlook it and try to hold on to someone who would just affirm what took place or hold on to the people that were going through pain. And I was faced with this moment. I'm going, they helped me. They were a friend. I could call upon them. And I'm looking at the pain in Pastor Carter, the pain that's going on with Brother Dave Wilkerson and looking at what has happened and seeing all this that was taking place. And it was a Ruth moment for me. It was this Ruth moment that just simply says, do you walk with those in pain? Do you walk with those in there? And I'm telling you, folks, it was at that moment, it was one of the hardest things I had to do in my life to say, I cannot walk with you any longer. And to walk with. I looked at David Wilkerson and Carter Connell and I said, that's the lives, though. They're walking in pain. That's who I need to walk with at that moment. That's who I need to find myself with. Because, folks, they were in the middle of a painful moment and I'm. Look at me for a second. I want you to hear this. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here today.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

If I didn't. And folks, this is huge for you to understand because there's going to be moments that you're going to have to go to Do I really walk? It looks painful. It looks like it's on their face. It doesn't look good now. It doesn't look like. There is. There is all this brightness now. It's pain and dark. But you've got to hear from the Holy Spirit before you take a journey. You've got to hear what God is saying in this book. She tells them, she said, you go with me, you may never get married.

[Pastor Tim]

And here's. Here was Orpah, check please.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

She was done at that moment. She was, I'm getting married. I'm having kids. She goes, I already have it on

[Pastor Tim]

my j. I know what the name is going to be.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

I know what I'm going to do. I'm. I'm. I'm staying here because this is Ruth somehow led by the Holy Ghost says, I choose the woman of pain. I choose. I choose Naomi. It doesn't look bright. Your country is my country. Your people are my people, and your

[Pastor Tim]

God is my God.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

I'm telling you, folks, I'm not standing here today. I didn't look at a Carter Conlon and David Wilkerson. Where you go, I will go. Your God is my God. Your place is my place. That's what we're here to do. And you've got to understand, today you will face those as we're going into the future.

[Pastor Tim]

Then a marriage takes place at the

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

end of the book. Ruth gets married. The book ends with a miracle marriage. Not just a marriage, it's a miracle marriage. I have to read it to you because this is the story.

[Pastor Tim]

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. There's stuff in between on how it happened. We don't have time. And he went into her and the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. Then the woman said to Naomi, folks, this is where all of a sudden the pain starts to change. Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today. And may his name become famous in Israel and may also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of all.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Did you see?

[Pastor Tim]

He said, what's about to be birthed is going to sustain you and it's going to revive you

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

that what's about

[Pastor Tim]

to take place is going to change you for your daughter in law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons has given birth to him. Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap, and she became his nurse. And the neighbor women gave him a name saying, a son has been born to Naomi, Even though it was born to Ruth, so they named him Obedience. He is the father of Jesse. Uh oh,

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

and the father of David, who knew that the path of pain was going to begin to birth the line of David. And can we go a little bit

[Pastor Tim]

further back in the story?

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Let me just, let me read to

[Pastor Tim]

you how this, how the book ends, because the book of Ruth ends. Going elaborating.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Look at Ruth, 4, 18.

[Pastor Tim]

Because it goes backwards and forwards. Now these are the generations of Perez. You're going like we're just talking about Naomi and Obed.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Look at this.

[Pastor Tim]

Now these are the generations of Perez because it's trying to show you the path that you took. Ruth is the right path. To Perez was born Hezron. To Hezron was born Ram.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

To Ram Aminadab.

[Pastor Tim]

These are the final verses of Ruth. And to Minidab was born Nahshon. And to Nahshon, this guy named Salmon. And to Salmon was born Boaz.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

And to Boaz, Obed.

[Pastor Tim]

And to Obed was born Jesse.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

And to Jesse, David. Okay, stay with me now. We're on a journey here. On this journey that you may thought was pain. But God is going, no, no, no,

[Pastor Tim]

there's future in that.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Do you when you become a living

[Pastor Tim]

sacrifice, watch what takes place when you

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

lay down your agenda and your dreams and say, God, I'm going to take your path. Watch how God redeems that. Boaz's father was Salmon.

[Pastor Tim]

Remember, Ruth marries Boaz, so that means her father in law is a man named Salmon. Okay, ready for this? Do you know who married Salmon and

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

is part of this genealogy? Look at the person next and say, buckle up. Do you know who married Salmon? Here it is. Rahab, the Jericho prostitute. This just gets better and better. Rahab. Salmon and Rahab had a son. And his name was what? And Boaz is the son of Rahab. Can you imagine? Ruth's mother in law is an ex prostitute from Jericho. Can you imagine what those conversations were like over the dinner table every night? Tell us again the sound of the walls coming down. Tell us how your home stood when everything else was falling around you. And that, that little, that little scarlet rope. How, how you made a promise to those spies. How did you hide those spies? And what did you say? Oh, those spies aren't here. They went into the woods. But tell us again that when they came in, that you saw the armies coming in, you saw this army marching around, you heard the sound an earthquake. And yet God rescued. Rescued you. And I could see her going, mama,

[Pastor Tim]

Mama, tell Me, I could see. So you're saying I'm going to call you Mama.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Mama. Mama. Tell me, tell me.

[Pastor Tim]

I got.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

I got to know. How. How did you get. How did you. How did you get married?

[Pastor Tim]

You started dating a Jewish boy.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

And that Jewish boy would. Would begin.

[Pastor Tim]

Whose name was.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Who's named after a fish.

[Pastor Tim]

Salmon.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Salmon.

[Pastor Tim]

So you're dating. You're dating a fish.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

And now. So, so now we're all of a sudden together and here we are as a fam and.

[Pastor Tim]

Can we make it a little bit better here? You ready for this? Let's get a little crazier.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

The record. This is Matthew, chapter one. The record of the genealogies of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac the father of Jacob. Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah the father of Perez.

[Pastor Tim]

Oh, that sounds familiar. Zerah by Tamar.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Minadab. Amminadab, the father of Nahshon. Nahshon. The father of who? Salmon. Salmon. The father of who? Of Obed. Watch this now. By who? There's the wife. There's the mother in law. Boaz's mama was an ex prostitute who went through Teen Challenge in Jericho. Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz was the father of Obed. By who? Ruth and Obed the father of Jesse. Jesse, the father of David.

[Worship Leader]

Who?

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

The king. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. If you didn't notice this, the whole thing started out.

[Pastor Tim]

This is the genealogy of Jesus.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

This is to get you in the genealogy of Jesus.

[Pastor Tim]

Oh my goodness. This just keeps getting better and better. Ruth went with the right person. Her future was found in Naomi. History shows that Ruth became. Becomes the great grandmother of David in the genealogy of Jesus. Folks, we're not done yet because there's one other person we have to talk about. It's the woman who didn't go. We still have to talk about Orpah for just a moment. Orpah did get married. According to Jewish history and based on Jewish tradition. Ruth and Orpah will meet again. Their children and grandchildren are going to meet the Jewish. This is tradition. But there's something here probably worth mentioning. The Jewish Midrash is a commentary on the Old Testament. It's rabbis and historians, Jewish historians that look at the scriptures that we have before you, before us, the Old Testament. This is their commentary. This is their. It's not. They wouldn't call It a fabrication. This is their commentary. This is what they have researched. And this is what. This is what the Bidrash says, that Orpah becomes the mother of Goliath. That's what the Midrash says. So their seed is about to meet again on a battlefield. One with a slingshot and one who's nine feet tall with a sword. And I'm telling you, folks, here's the thing. Orpah is the mother of Goliath. And while Ruth was David's great grandmother. And what I realized is this. What is birth from sacrifice is totally different than what is birthed from comfortability. Listen to me carefully. What is birthed out of living sacrifice is totally different than what is birthed out of comfortability. Sacrifice will give birth to Obed. Convenience gives birth to Goliath. Sacrifice gives birth to Obed, who will then give birth to Jesse, who will then give birth to David the king. The midrash says that Orpah is the mother of the Philistines, giants that are even mentioned in 2nd Samuel, chapter 21. Three other giants, Romans 12. Living sacrifice births something powerful. Orpah's kiss is almost like a Judas kiss. I'm with you until it gets difficult. I'm with you until something gets hard. While one kisses, Ruth clings. What does sacrifice mean? What does it mean? Sacrifice. That we see the seriousness of it that you see in Ruth. Sacrifice is when you let God interrupt your life with a challenge. That he interrupts your comfortability with a challenge. Sacrifice is accepting the challenge, regardless of the difficulty. Sacrifice, I've learned in my own life, is not an addition to your life, but it's a subtraction. It's when you choose the God directive over your comfortable schedule and routine. It's when God goes, and I want that out. That's what Ruth was doing. I want the Moabites out. I want you to. I know you're comfortable here. I know you know the. The local store owner here. And I know you. You know the market people over here, Ruth. And I know that you grew up as a little girl and went to that school there, Ruth. But I'm gonna ask you to leave Moab, and I'm gonna ask. There's a future I'm gonna tell you about that you don't even know. I can't even explain it to you because it wouldn't even make sense. Sense for me to tell you that you're going to marry a guy that you meet in a barley field. And that barley field and you're. And Your mother in law is going to be an ex prostitute that saw walls come down and then you're going to give birth to somebody who is going to begin to give birth to Jesse who's going to give birth to David the king. And you don't even know this, Ruth, but that genealogy that I need to get you on is going to bring you all the way to the birth of, of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. But you don't get that right now, Ruth. So what I need you to do is I'm going to ask you to choose something and accept the challenge and be a living sacrifice. I'm going to ask you to accept the challenge that when everybody else is going to go, I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. Listen, just think for a moment. What is, what is God asking you to do by giving up something or hope or even hope of something? I just kept writing these down. Listen, you can take them to heart. You can just put. I just kept writing this down. Are you willing to give a tenth of your finances to God? Are you willing to give up your mornings to pray? Are you willing to give up your reputation at work to witness? Are you willing to give up two years of your life and go to summit like you saw in the announcement? Are you willing to give up your Thursdays and join the choir? Are you willing to give up your comfort and lead a beyond Sunday group or a chapter by chapter group? Are you willing to give up a meal to fast each week? Are you willing to come to noon prayer meeting on Wednesdays? Are you willing to join Pastor Carter in the worldwide prayer meeting? Are you willing to give up your teens and not date? Are you willing to give up your plans and do something in missions and ministry? Are you willing to try out for the cross and the switchblade? Some of you going like, will it pass? Well, we'll make exceptions. Are you willing to come to Tuesday night services and invite somebody? I just kept going on and on. That's the path that's gonna. That's the path that God puts us on.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

That's the path that he says, take the Ruth path. Take that choice. Oh, it's we, we. I get it, I get it.

[Pastor Tim]

If you're a New Yorker, I get it. Sometimes to get into this city, it is like a journey from Moab to Israel.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

I get that.

[Pastor Tim]

They'll shut down roads and shut down trains and shut down. A president visits here, a parade comes over here, it's U N Week over here. And then you just go and like, man, just to get cross town in this city is hard enough. But I'm here to tell you there is a path that God asks us to take because he sees something we don't see. He sees what's on the other side of this. Even, even the challenge of Tuesday nights. We're at a place, I know God has spoken to us. This is so important for some of you to hear. I felt like God said, I started to hear testimonies of Tuesday night salvations from over the years before the pandemic, from our own workers on staff and saying, I came on a Tuesday night, someone invited me from work and someone brought me. And I just said, I kept hearing over and over again of people getting saved on Tuesday nights. And I said, man, we're doing this all wrong. We're not to follow what the church is doing in America. Who's trying to get rid of midweek service. We're to amp it up. We're to, I'm not going to listen to whatever everyone else is going. Don't do it. Or just meet once a month or just come in with a little, with, you know, with a little guy and a guitar. I don't know why I said little guy, but I just, I mean, it's just, I, I just said that, Just edit that. But, but I, I, it just, and it's, Forgive me, I don't even know. I, I, I just, the thing is. And so we want to just downplay, folks, Tuesdays for this city, I believe is an outreach to New York City. I want to go and say I want to reach New York City. I want to reach all those business buildings here in midtown Manhattan. And that's why we said this. We said, let's go full throttle on Tuesday nights. Choir, nursery and kids ministry. We're starting high school and all the high school kids in junior high, we'll be meeting on Tuesday nights. All this happening at the end. And then we'll do all this at the end of. And I just told him, I said, put me on for two Tuesdays a month. Let's get our, our own people speaking. Then we'll just do a special guest once a month on Tuesday nights. First special guest on Tuesday in September is David Jeremiah, who will come join with us on Tuesday night.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

But you gotta listen. You can't just come and sit. We need you to serve and be part of that. Oh, I don't know. That's good. You're asking me to come into, invite the co Workers and get here. I want to win this city to Jesus, but it's going to take a living sacrifice. Listen, Orpah will just hang out. Ruth goes, it's going to cost me. But who knows what's on the other side of that decision? Who knows what God can do when

[Pastor Tim]

all that takes place.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Who knows what God can come and do when you volunteer, when you say, let me do this, let me help with this, let me set thing, do security, help with children, help with you. Let me help, let me get people here, whatever that looks like. You never know when you take the path of inconvenience. I got this from, from Siby who

[Pastor Tim]

leads all of our our volunteers and our foundation groups. Listen to what she wrote me last week.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

She said, hi, Pastor Tim, just wanted

[Pastor Tim]

to share an awesome testimony about one of our participants from the foundation last foundation group. And. And some of you need to get into the foundation group. Listen, said she joined. Stephanie is a wonderful woman. She joined the foundation this past spring and is co leading the information desk from the foundation group. She started her facilitators evangelism team. Which means earlier today that was on a Sunday or a Saturday Sunday. So you can sit there and go, Orpah would just be going like, listen, I've already been to church, I've already done church. Listen. And he kept us longer than we should be here. Supposed to be over at this time. And he was just, he just didn't stop spitting on everybody. It was just. It was a mess. Everything was a mess. Then you get Ruth. Then you get Ruth. That goes, not only did I go to church, but I'm gonna go out witnessing on the streets after service. Listen to this. So the foundation group, she started an evangelism team earlier today. That was last Sunday they went out for evangelism and at the end they met in front of the church under the marquee, which by God's grace is going to be an LED wall and above that is going to be an LED wall. So they got there to wrap it up and pray. As they prayed, the Holy Spirit filled fell so heavily that under the marquee she got baptized in the Holy Ghost and received the gift of tongues. Underneath that marquee she said, praise God. She was being obedient about her father's business and received her prayer language. Just wanted to share that God is on the move all over the place. And I just wrote down in my notes, they gave their Sundays and got the Holy Ghost. That's not a bad deal.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

I'm just going to tell you that right now.

[Pastor Tim]

You give your Sundays, you get the Holy Spirit, folks. That's what happens when you choose the road. That's what happens when you find yourself. When everybody else is going, come on, we got to get out of here. We got to find the keys. Let's hurry up and get first in line.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

It may be God saying, orpah, you

[Pastor Tim]

go, but I'm going this way for what God is asking me to do. That's what Revelation 12:11 talks about the elements of those that will be a living sacrifice. When he says they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony. They did not love their life when they faced death. Overcoming Christians living sacrifice. Christians have three elements. They trust in the blood of Jesus.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

That's salvation.

[Pastor Tim]

God protects his children that trust in him. Word of their testimony. That's boldness. God empowers his children that will speak out. And they did not love even their life when faced with death. That's sacrifice. And God uses his children when they sacrifice. As the band comes, let me tell you a story. And I've been told not to mention the nation, but it is an Islamic nation where Christians are greatly persecuted and we have just ventured to put a work there. And we are presently sending Bibles to the underground church in this nation and trying to figure out a way to do a child cry program in this place. But I want to read to you what was just sent to our missions department. Warm greetings, the ministry to feed hungry children, helping Christian prisoners and their families. Street women and children in. And I, I had to do this for my own notes. I had to put every time they. They told us the nation. But I had to put all these X's. So I wouldn't say it because there's a. There's nations that tune in with us that I can't mention on Sunday. These are the restricted nations. If I mention them, it could put them at risk. This is not to be printed. If mentioned, it could be said that it happened in an Islamic nation. This is the story written by a Muslim convert to Christianity, to us in that nation. My wife and I live in a big town in this country. We were both born in Muslim families. We were both drug addicts. Ten years ago, our Lord Savior Jesus Christ saved us from our sinful nature. And from then on, these are Rome. These are Revelation 12:11 overcomers. We are witnessing about the Lord to others. We're trying to bring glory to him. Over 18 months ago, my wife and I were arrested for evangelistic activities. Sometime later we were released by paying this large bail amount. It was a very huge sum of money for us. This is an electric. There is an electronic wristband around my leg. I can only walk less than a mile to my workplace as all my activities are checked on by the authorities. While my wife and I were in prison, this is the part I want you to hear. In different cells for men and women, we witnessed to many about the Lord and discipled those who surrendered their lives to him in prison. And secretly this made me laugh. Secretly we baptized 10 people in the bathroom. Only Jesus, only two. So they write to our missions department. One day, as my dear wife was in solitary confinement, she began to sing Christian worship songs. That's the boldness, the word of their testimony. A female prison guard came to her cell and asked my wife what she was doing. My wife answered that she was the Christian. She was a Christian. She was singing Christian songs. The prison guard opened her cell door and took her to the prison kitchen and told my wife there are no security cameras there. And then asked my wife to tell her about Jesus. For days, my wife was sharing about Christ with that prison guard in the kitchen of the prison. And one day the prison guard told my wife that she wanted to make a confession. What is your confession? My wife asked the prison guard. She said, every day I pray that you will not leave prison and not be released so I can hear more about Jesus.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Please.

[Pastor Tim]

Said, please forgive me for my prayer. This is one of the many things Jesus is doing in our country and in our lives. Please lift up the believers in this country. That's why even with our Vision fund, we're taking $100,000 and pouring it into the 10 most persecuted countries in the world. This. This one being one of them. This one being one of them. Sacrifice is not in the language of the modern day church anymore. We have made everything easier for people to attend and to enjoy. We made it easier for everybody. We made sure your morning coffee is in the church lobby with your donut waiting for you. We made sure that we didn't inconvenience your weekend. So we'll do a whole bunch of services and come on Saturday night, friend. We'll only do an hour service so you can enjoy your Sunday. What? What have we lost? What has gone on?

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Listen to me.

[Pastor Tim]

Don't come to our conferences. Get on your knees and say, God, what do you want us to do? Because our conferences is the way of orpah. Get these few things. And this is how you begin to Get.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Get on the Ruth path. Get on Ruth's journey.

[Pastor Tim]

I've been meditating and there's a reason why. Been meditating and reading on the life of John Bunyan, who wrote the most popular Christian book next to the Bible book is the thousands of books that I have. It's when people ask, what's your favorite book? It's always this one, Pilgrim's Progress. Thank you. Just Pilgrim's Progress, a book that was written in prison that More. More Pilgrim's Progress been so. It's the journey of a Christian. It's so powerful. So powerful. It was written in prison and at 32 years old, John Bunyan would not. The folks, boy, this sounds eerie today because I'm telling you, it's getting. Getting late and it's getting serious. It's getting late and it's getting serious. When I was reading about his life, it says that the government. The government in the middle 1600s in England was they. They would. That every church had to be sanctioned by the government. And you had. You could not say anything against them. And they. And they monitored everything that, you know, there was no technology then, but they would send spies into there. And John Bunyan, at 32 years old as a pastor, would not budge. He was going to preach the Bible. Folks, I'm telling you, those times are coming. Mark my words. They're going to monitor what we say. They'll pull us. They're going to pull us off technology first. They're going to find us and they're going to. And they're going to try to lock these doors. But the gospel is going to go out because people are going to see Jesus. I'm telling you right now, it's going to happen. It's going to happen. And you're gonna have to choose. Listen and you're gonna find there'll be two churches. There'll be a Ruth church and an Orpah church. And the Orpah church will say, no, don't say anything.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Don't say anything.

[Pastor Tim]

And it's the Ruth church that says, choose pain. Choose that walk with Naomi.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Choose.

[Pastor Tim]

Because at the end of that, we find Jesus. We find Christ in the middle of this whole thing. Listen to these words by Bunyan in jail. And I'm gonna tell you what God spoke to me. And then we'll get ready to. We're gonna read really close while he's in prison. He writes these words. He says, I never had in all my life so great an inlet into the word of God as now those scriptures that I saw nothing in before are made in this place and state to shine before me. Jesus Christ also was never more real and apparent than now. I never knew what it was for God to stand by me at all times and at every offer of Satan to afflict me as I have found him since I came hither. For lo, is fears have presented themselves. So have the supports and encouragement. Yet God, as being very tender of me, hath not suffered me to be accosted. But with one scripture and. And another strengthen me against all in as much that I have often said. Listen to this prayer. He says, if it were lawful for me to pray, I pray for greater trouble, to experience the greater comfort. What kind of prayer is that? Get me in more trouble, God, so I can experience more of God. I want to tell you what the Lord spoke to me as all the. Bring. Bring everybody out because I want them to hear this. Stand with me.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

I want.

[Pastor Tim]

I want you to hear this. And then we close. Reading about Bunyan in. In prison in this book, as I was praying, I felt the Lord speak to me in prayer this week and just said this. He says the best works of writing and songs have yet to be written for this generation. They will come when persecution comes. Keep that on the screen. I want every one of you to hear this. I want every musician and every singer to hear this. The best songs have not even been written yet. They've not even been written. They will be written in a furnace. They'll be written in a crucible. They'll be written in the fire. They'll be written in the fire. And you know what? God spoke to me. I'm just gonna. I'll just tell you. Let me just. Why not? Listen, I'm already in trouble. Let's just go ahead and just get it. Let's get it all out there. I felt like the Lord said, chapter by chapter in these next three years will not be finished the normal way. I don't think it's prison. It could be. Pastor Carter promises that he'd go to prison with me.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

He told me.

[Pastor Tim]

He said, we'll go in like Paul and Silas. So we'll both sing at midnight. Listen, we'll do it. I don't know when. I don't know. But I feel like the Lord said to me, says, you'll not write chapter by chapter. You'll not finish the final chapters of it the normal way. But something will take place in these next three to four years. I think it could happen soon after the next presidential election while everybody else is Going, oh, it's going to be Rubio, and it's going to be that. Folks, I'm just telling you, this world is getting darker faster. It's getting darker faster. Don't hold on to a Republican or a Democrat. Don't hold on to socialism or liberal or conservative conservatism. Won't even. Conservatives will still burn in the fire. It is living sacrifices that have a fourth man in the fire. Folks, I'm just telling you, I've come too far to go back with Orpah. I just. I've come too far. So anybody that tries to bring me to Orpah, and I hear it all the time, don't do this. You can't do this. Oh, that's gonna. Oh, what about Friday? You can't. You can't. Oh, Orpah, go home. Go home.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Go home.

[Pastor Tim]

I'm so tired of Orpah talk. I really am. People aren't going to come out. No, I said, you don't understand. Times Square Church. These people are insane. They'll show up at prayer meetings. They'll show up at everything. All you got to do is open up the building. They show up. Orpah and the rich young ruler are all from the same cloth. They're cut from the same cloth. Here it is. You're probably not going to get married. Ladies. Orpah, check, please. Rich young ruler, I'm here with you. I'm here. I've kept all the commandments. Okay. Sell all and follow me. Check, please. Not doing that. That rich young ruler sits before Jesus, the son of God, and just like Naomi says, follow me. And he chooses not to listen to it. As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and asked him, good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus said, why do you call me good? You don't miss this. No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments. Don't commit murder. Don't commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Do not defraud. Honor your father and mother.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

This is. This is.

[Pastor Tim]

This is Orpah. And he said, teacher, I've kept them

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

all, all these things from my youth up. Great.

[Pastor Tim]

Here comes the next challenge. This is the. You may not get married. Looking at him, Jesus felt the love for him, said, one thing you lack, go sell it all. Give to the poor. He left treasure in heaven and come. These are discipleship words. Come, follow me. But at these words, he was saddened, Takes his Moabite journey, went away grieving for he was one who owned much property. Oh, Lord, you know, when he said, good teacher, Jesus responds and says, no one is good except God. And you're calling me good Teacher, therefore you're calling me God. And here's what's crazy. Don't forget who's asking the question when you're asked to follow me in sacrifice. He was saying no to God. I'm going this way. I'm going this way. To miss the Ruth genealogy, to Jesus genealogy, to miss the David genealogy. You know what gets birthed on that road? You know what gets birthed by a rich young ruler. You birth Goliaths, you birth godless giants, you birth atheists, you birth soft. These soft Christians that will show up. This is the new statistic. Someone told me this the other day. You know, they go. You know how often people show up at church now? 1.2 times a month. I said, well, yeah, invite God back. Don't invite the people. Invite God back. Maybe they'll show up. Invite God back. Get God in the house. God doesn't need. God doesn't need smokes and lattes. You just need. God just shows up. People's lives get changed. At that moment. It's getting late and it's getting serious.

[Podcast Host or Announcer]

We.

[Pastor Tim]

Kevin sometimes sings the song. It's the same. It's the same author. I don't know what he was going through. Those songs sound like Ruth, you sing the song, I won't go back. That's William McDowell. And then you sing the song I give Myself away. That's William McDowell. I don't know. I don't know if he was choosing this path. He wrote the song, withholding nothing

[Worship Leader]

and

[Pastor Tim]

just for a moment. Just close your eyes. Would you just lift your hands and just sing? I give myself away. Come on, just. Just sing it with me. Come on.

[Worship Leader]

I give myself away.

[Pastor Tim]

Come on. Sing it to me. Sing it to me. I give.

[Worship Leader]

Give my.

[Pastor Tim]

Say it again.

[Worship Leader]

I give myself away.

[Pastor Tim]

Sing the verse. Sing the verse. Sing the verse.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Listen.

[Worship Leader]

My life is in your hands oh, Lord, I'm longing to see your desires re. I give myself away. I give myself away so you can use me I give myself away.

[Pastor Tim]

That second verse. Take my heart Take my life. Here it comes.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

This is a good place to lift your hands. This is Ruth's anor for Listen,

[Pastor Tim]

Lord,

[Worship Leader]

I place them in your.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

I give myself singing church.

[Worship Leader]

I give myself away hold on. I give myself away oh, so you can use me I give myself away oh, Lord I give myself away so you.

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

My life is not my own. Come on, sing it Church. Come on.

[Pastor Tim]

Just the voices?

[Assistant or Co-Pastor]

Just the voice of my life? I give myself away?

[Worship Leader]

Give myself away?

[Pastor Tim]

So you. One more time. One more time.

[Worship Leader]

Give myself away? Give myself away. It.

[Pastor Tim]

Choose ruth. Choose ruth. Choose the right man. You can do business with God today. We're done. You're dismissed. God bless you. We'll just play softly. Keep the curtain up and just play. Just play.

[Podcast Host or Announcer]

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