This is “The Three Chairs.” To hear more inspiring messages from Jentezen Franklin, visit http://www.jentezenfranklin.org/watch & subscribe to this channel: http://goo.gl/yfkXHy

the following program is sponsored by

friends and partners of Kingdom

connection I love you enough to get

right in your face and tell you the only

thing at stake is your family the only

thing at stake is your marriage and when

you move into this seat it’s a dangerous

place for believers if you have your

Bibles I would like for you to open them

with me to Joshua chapter 24 in verse 15

and if it seems evil to you to serve the

Lord choose for yourselves this day whom

you will serve whether the gods which

your father’s served that we’re on the

other side of the river or the gods of

Amma writes in whose land you dwell

hears Joshua now but as for me in my

house we will serve the Lord

obviously today there’s some props with

what I’m going to preach there are three

chairs on the platform there are three

chairs because the three chairs

represent the three kinds of people that

are listening to me right now at every

campus and by television there are three

kinds of people in your one you’re in

one of these three chairs the first

chair this chair represents people of

commitment they’re fully committed to

Jesus Christ they have completely sold

out and they live to serve and honor the

Lord Jesus Christ they have a spiritual

nature that leads them and guides them

and they have come under the authority

of that spirit and then there’s the

second chair it’s people of compromise

people who who they have been born-again

they have given their heart to Jesus

Christ they go to church some it’s not

really consistent but they would be glad

to tell you that they’re a Christian and

they are and they attend church some

but they live a distant life from the

Lord Jesus Christ if they were to be

totally honest they would say Jesus is

more of an acquaintance than he is a

relationship that I have an acquaintance

with him once every week or maybe once

every two weeks I’ll go to church I’ll

think about him hear about him but

that’s pretty much it that’s about all

that we have the second chair is the

chair of compromise the first chair is

the chair of commitment the first chair

is the chair of commitment and it’s the

person in it has spiritual nature but

the second person in the second chair

the chair of compromise has a carnal

nature the Apostle Paul said in first

Corinthians 2 and then lastly there’s

the person in the third chair and this

is the seat of the conflict the people

of conflict they are unsaved they’re

unchurched listen and they’re

uninterested in God the Bible said

they’re in a natural state Paul uses all

three of these just to describe people’s

spiritual carnal fleshly worldly and

then natural meaning they’ve only been

born once they have never been born

again they are unchurched they are

unsaved they’re uninterested in God they

believe there’s a god somewhere out

there their worldview is one of that is

humanistic and maybe even a Fiat atheist

or you know they they don’t have any

feelings or they believe that all

religions lead to heaven and all

religions are the same and all the gods

that people worship it’s all one and it

doesn’t matter what path you take to get

there so I want you to get it now every

person setting in this room is sitting

in one of these chairs the first chair

is people who are dedicated their

spiritual

they are committed to God they are

committed to the church the second chair

is people who have been born again and

encountered God they know the word but

they don’t necessarily want to live the

word so they live a life of compromise

and then there’s people that I’m

preaching to today that are hearing me

that are absolutely in conflict with the

Word of God their lifestyle everything

about them is void of God that second

person knows the Bible but there’s a

difference between the first chair and

the second chair because they’re not

committed to living the Bible the third

chair does not confess to be a Christian

the person in that chair doesn’t walk in

a relationship with God they’re in a

natural state there’s a spiritual state

a carnal state and a natural state and

you’re in one of three of these chairs

when I think about these chairs and

every one of you that are hearing me

including myself I couldn’t help but

think of Joshua and how committed he was

to the Lord the Bible said that Joshua

this day stood before the people and he

said I have wholly committed myself to

the Lord he said I have wholly followed

after the Lord with all of my heart I

have completely I used to preach a

sermon when I was an Avenger there

somewhere in Joshua where he says the

Bible says of Joshua he left nothing

undone that God told him to do there was

something about him that was so

committed he was sitting in a seat of

commitment and he left nothing undone

that God told him to do completely

obedient completely intimate and walking

in a committed relationship to Jesus

Christ but then you move over and he

said to the people that day you

choose who you will follow but as for me

in my house we’re gonna serve the Lord

and the next generation looked at him

and gave verbage yes we will follow the

Lord like you but when he died the Bible

said they didn’t do what God told them

to do they didn’t drive the enemy out of

the land they coexisted with the enemy

they intermarried with the enemy thereby

taking on their gods and their idols and

suddenly they moved from the first seat

of a generation that’s committed to God

consecrated to God to a second seat of a

generation that is compromising mixing a

little of this in that and suddenly you

have idols the Bible actually says that

they were serving idols and feared the

Lord and then you move into Judges

chapter 2 and this is all the same

family and it says and there arose

another generation that knew not God nor

the works of God they were sitting in

the seat of conflict this can happen to

our families if we’re not careful that’s

why it’s so important that we set the

pace of our family and be committed to

God and it happened to Joshua they

struck a compromise they moved from

commitment to compromise they recall

God’s people but they were not in a

relationship with him he was an

acquaintance I wonder how many people

I’m preaching to today I’m not naive I

understand that there’s a battle for our

souls and our minds and the enemy would

love for you to just sit in this seat

the rest of your Christian experience

and compromise more and more and more

but understand that it affects

generations you see when you understand

what I’m preaching it will become clear

to you that if you were truthful

truthful of

your relationship with Jesus Christ many

I’m afraid would describe it as an

acquaintance not as a living vital

intimate relationship and then I think

about this third seat there’s no God in

the house this describes this generation

they get up on Sunday morning and it

never crosses their mind we should even

go to church do you know how many people

will get up today and Sunday is not even

considered the Lord’s Day it’s

considered cut the grass day or be good

to yourself day or go to the grocery

store day or gods nothing to them now

listen to this these three chairs speak

of how each person in each chair relates

to the world the person sitting in the

first chair of commitment has a value

system that is at odds many times with

the world they find themselves feeling

almost different and well no doubt

different and and and and almost

outdated because you feel at odds with

the way the world talks the fields of

the songs that they uncleanness thee

there’s no modesty there’s nothing and

you find yourself when you’re committed

to God many times at odds with the

values of the world and by the way if

you don’t ever feel this if you fit in

with that whole nasty world out there

and you never feel it odds something’s

wrong truth and morality matter to you

if you’re in that first seat they’re

saved they love the Lord they’re

committed but the person in the second

chair the chair of compromise they know

the Bible but they care their career is

more

or tit than their calling if you talk to

them they never talk about the Lord they

never talk about God they talk about

their money as they talk about material

things they talk about going here and

doing that but it’s never really a heart

that’s captured and committed it’s just

compromised they love the Lord but

they’re living a compromised carnal life

the person in the third chair is that

odds with God they fit right in with a

culture that says gay marriage is right

they fit right in with a culture that

says abortion even in the ninth month

late term abortion they cheer and they

laugh how do we get this way in a

generation and if you click if you’re

scared to count clap I’ll clap for you

you pitiful food if we can’t speak up

for a baby what have we come to what

have we come to a living breathing baby

in the ninth month I will not be silent

nor will this sparks be silent we must

speak up it’s not a political issue it

is a Bible issue and God’s Word is right

and I will not be in the seat of

conflict on this issue

[Applause]

but we have a generation that is and we

have churches that have moved from

commitment to compromise to little mousy

preachers who sit real quiet and won’t

say one thing when the Bible is so clear

proverbs 6:6 things God hates he that

sheds innocent blood is one of them

clamp now and I’ll keep preaching he

loves people who’ve had an abortion he

forgives he cleanses but we must not

ever feel something in us that can sit

without any conflict with murder a

babies now watch this when you’re living

a life of commitment God is your closest

friend you’re in a relationship you

serve him first the person sitting in

this seat serves him first in self

second but when you’re sitting in the

second chair you’re living a life of

compromise you know God as an

acquaintance not in an intimate

relationship it’s a responsibility to go

to church almost a drudgery to go to

church that’s why you don’t do it

consistently I love y’all I dressed up

in the suit so I’d look sweet while I do

this I love you enough to get right in

your face and tell you the only thing at

stake is your family the only thing at

stake is your marriage the only thing is

and when you move into this seat it’s a

dangerous place for a believer because

all of the sudden when the enemy comes

after your home if you’re not pray

if you’re not seeing through spiritual

eyes whoa-whoa-whoa wake up wake up I

need a revival in my so I can’t believe

that I did that I thought that I

entertained that that’s what’s gonna

happen and something begins to bother

the person who’s had an encounter with

Jesus sooner or later this person wakes

up and they realized something’s going

on with my kids I mean the little

flicker of fire is still there it’s not

like it used to be when they were here

but there’s a little godliness in them

little discernment in them something’s

going on with my kids and I’ve noticed

that that my kids have more

non-christian friends than Christian

friends and I noticed that I have to

drag them screaming and kick into church

now that they’re 16 and 17 and old you

know I really secretly I suspect that

that they’re becoming sexually active it

just scents it I feel funny about that

boy she’s with something’s not right but

I want to wink I want to look the other

way because I’m carnal and I compromise

and I don’t want to have to confront it

either I just I’ll just let them and I

know they came in from that party and

went straight to the bedroom and I

probably ought to go back and see why

their eyes are bloodshot and get all in

their business and but but you know I’m

a compromising parent sometimes you just

want peace at any cost because I’m

carnal now oh well you know the times

we’re living in kids will be kids just

have safe sex it’s just too plain but

when you’re committed

it matters somebody almost fell out of

the seat right then on that part just

preaching the truth then there’s that

person who’s listening to me right now

you’re sitting in that seat of conflict

you got to build your career above all

your God is your career and if she likes

her boyfriend she doesn’t have to marry

him just move in with him the difference

does it make

marriage is just a piece of paper what

difference does it make

you’re living in conflict with the Word

of God she thinks about having children

someday but I want intellectual kids I

want popular kids

I won’t cheerleading Beta Club nothing

wrong with those things but is that the

highest thing that it never crosses this

person’s mind I want my kids in church I

want my family raised in the fear of the

Lord it never crosses this person’s mind

to get up and go to church

it’s there now the question that I want

to propose to you in closing this

morning is simply this parents of the

first chair percentage-wise will have a

mass majority of children voluntarily

serve the Lord Jew parents of the second

chair will almost always have a majority

of children who will not follow the Lord

and of course there’s not much hope

barring a miracle of God for the third

chair parents thing that I’m preaching

to you today is if I were to give out a

secret card and I were to say to your

children you can check the card that mom

and dad what seat do they sit in you can

check that off would it be seat number

one are they committed it’s the secret

it’s a secret check I won’t tell mom and

dad what do you think they would say

would they say moms committed would they

say moms the compromiser if you’re

sitting in this seat and I sense many

are wouldn’t you like to move from this

seat to that seat Joshua said I’m gonna

tell you what to do about it

choose you

this day who you will serve and if

you’re not gonna sit in that seat for

yourself sit in it for your children sit

in it for your grandchildren you say you

love them but if you’re not giving them

Jesus all the money in the world won’t

be in the forum you must give them Jesus

my word to you today is simple strive

for that number one chair not just for

you before your children and your

children’s children where are you

leading your family as I described that

second chair this morning many of you

felt pricked in your heart because if

you were to be totally honest this

morning you would say Jesus is an

acquaintance

he’s not really a intimate relationship

partner of my life I talk to him all the

time he talks to me a lot I worship in

my car he’s in my house he’s in my life

he’s he’s he’s a part of my thought

process he’s number one

[Music]

I gotta get in that first year God’s

calling us all out of the second chair

and the third chair and those of you who

are lost and indifferent and far from

God you haven’t gone so far that Jesus

cannot reach you but you must choose

this day who you will serve some of you

young people must choose this day which

see you’re gonna sit in because God’s

plan for your life will not allow you to

capture it if you’re sitting in this

seat it’s going to require total

commitment and this is the day

I love what he said choose you this day

I put it plain because I’m preaching to

dying people who are headed for eternity

and you better know what seats you’re in

here and now choose you this day I love

what Joshua said he said I can’t I can’t

decide for you but I can for me as for

me starts with me

I’m getting my rear end out of this

chair and I’m moving it over that it as

for me and then he makes a powerful

statement as for me and my house we will

serve the Lord now this guy hears this

attitude as for me in my house we tried

and it’s not up to God it’s up to

YouTube’s choose life

[Music]

life doesn’t always turn out the way you

plan it for me my plan was to leave my

home in Guatemala and I was to move to

the United States and with my mother I

just found out that I was pregnant and I

wanted to give birth to my daughter in

the United States but like I said plans

don’t always work out the way you want

them to

I went into labor while traveling

through Mexico and ended up in the

United States with a beautiful 1 week

old daughter many people have asked me

if I was scared traveling so far and so

late in my pregnancy and I tell them I

wasn’t afraid because all that I could

think about was that I wanted a better

future for my daughter I knew that God

was going to take care of me and I was

sure that he was with me the entire way

it’s boys like after we were detained at

the border we arrived here at youth for

tomorrow we have everything that we need

and they have taken care of all of our

medical expenses

my faith has increased by being

surrounded by so much support I want my

daughter to have an easier life in I’ve

lived I want her to study have a career

and to try up in life but the most

important goal I have for her is for her

to know Jesus Christ as her personal

Savior

my name is Gloria and I know all of this

is possible but only to the support of

youth for tomorrow

[Music]

in our closing moments today I am so

excited to share with you about a brand

new project we have just begun we’re

partnering with youth for tomorrow an

incredible Christ centered ministry that

is feeding and sheltering unaccompanied

minors you’re seeing in the news the big

debate about our border situation but

the bottom line is we need to be the

body of Christ as I heard the stories

firsthand of these children it broke my

heart and I knew that we had to do

something I spoke with one young girl

who arrived in the United States

pregnant she had been raped there are

thousands of stories of girls thousands

of stories of children that whose lives

have been changed for the glory of God

as they came to this campus and we’re

building a new home there we need your

help we need your support I want you to

pray about sewing a special seed and is

that this is the very heartbeat of God

James put it like this the book of James

he said an undefiled pure religion is to

look after the widows and the orphans

Wow and that is exactly what we are

doing will you join me I’m asking for

2000 people today to sow a seed maybe

you can’t so a thousand could you sow a

gift of 300 to preach the gospel and

provide the critical care to children in

desperate need here’s my announcer to

tell you how you can be a part of this

miracle house this year over 700,000

children and young people entered the

United States with no parents sent to be

trafficked or worse pushed across the

borders with nowhere to turn and nobody

to turn to but we know that our God is a

father to the fatherless and we believe

as the church we have been called to the

frontline to help these children in the

most desperate need that’s why we’re

partnering with youth for tomorrow to

provide residential educational and

outpatient services to these fatherless

children at Kingdom Connection we

believe that we are commanded to care

for those in desperate need

and when we do God promises to bless the

work of our hands

you can join Jensen Franklin in building

this brand-new dorm by sowing your best

gift of $30.00 or more when you do

you’ll receive the newly released

restart your heart 21 day devotional for

those who sew a special $1,000 seed to

complete this project and leave a

lasting legacy you’ll receive Jenson

Franklin’s best-selling book love like

you’ve never been hurt

with the restart your heart companion

devotional or name will also appear on

the legacy wall of faith and you’ll

receive a legacy certificate

commemorating your generosity this month

as an exclusive bonus you’ll receive the

Jenson Franklin Legacy Bible with over

300 thousand words of commentary and

over 150 articles from decades of

messages the legacy Bible will remind

you and your family of God’s

faithfulness for generations to come

visit us online to extend a hand of

grace to these fatherless children in

desperate need this program has been

sponsored by friends and partners of

Kingdom connection

[Music]