WEBVTT 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:07.360 Hey, I'm Pastor Steve Hole. 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.759 I want to empower you today to walk in your true identity as a worshiper and warrior. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:15.839 Today, embrace the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:19.120 Welcome to the Born for War podcast. 00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:29.199 Well, interesting passage today from Psalm 15. 00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:36.240 And I chose Psalm 15 because it's so different than the other Psalms that we've been looking at. 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:40.159 And I felt like it was a good balance to the other Psalms. 00:00:40.320 --> 00:00:42.079 But who do you trust? 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:46.799 I mean, what kind of people do you trust in business? 00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:52.240 What kind of men and women do you trust to date your kids? 00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:55.359 Do you know who's dating your kids? 00:00:55.520 --> 00:00:57.520 You probably should know that, by the way. 00:00:58.159 --> 00:01:02.960 What kind of friends are your kids hanging out with? 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:09.439 What kind of business dealings are you involved in in the work that you do? 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:11.680 Can you trust that person? 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:21.359 Is there something in your spirit that gives you a kind of, we say like a kind of check in your spirit when you're around a certain person? 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:25.439 Or when they say things, you just know it's not true. 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:32.640 They're just using flattery, or they tend to have a deceptive way about them. 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:40.560 You know, if you're a person of righteousness and you're a Jesus follower, you have the Holy Spirit. 00:01:41.120 --> 00:01:54.959 And with that Holy Spirit, if you become intuned to the voice of the Holy Spirit, then there are times when you're in situations where there's something in you that tells you to beware. 00:01:55.280 --> 00:02:00.079 To beware of that person, to beware of what they've said because you have the Holy Spirit. 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:06.480 Now, if you don't have the Holy Spirit, if you're not really a Christian yet, you've never given your heart to Christ, then you don't have that. 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:08.719 You just have your own conscience. 00:02:08.879 --> 00:02:15.520 You have your own ability and wisdom to think things through, which you're creating the image of God. 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:22.879 So there is an image of God called your conscience that's even among the unbeliever. 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:37.439 But isn't it exciting that when you have the image of God lined up with the Spirit of God, how in tune you can be with certain types of situations and certain kinds of people? 00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:53.599 Well, it seems in Psalm 15 that David's giving us an indication of some of the qualities of what God looks for in the people He entrusts Himself to, He entrusts His work to. 00:02:53.919 --> 00:03:12.960 There's also the God side of things in which God's eyes, what is it, 2 Chronicles 16, 9, look to and fro across the land for those whose hearts are wholly His, completely His, that He might strongly come and support them. 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:17.360 So it appears that God is actually doing interviews all the time. 00:03:18.159 --> 00:03:21.039 You're getting interviewed every day by God. 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:28.000 So you get put in situations that nobody knows about with what you look at on the internet. 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:33.919 With for you men, when your wife's not there, what are you looking at? 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:35.599 You know, what are you up to? 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:36.719 At work. 00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:45.759 With business deals, when nobody really knows exactly what you're doing, and nobody can really find out. 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:49.840 That's kind of how you find out if you fear God or fear man. 00:03:50.000 --> 00:04:00.000 Because if you fear God, you know God's there and he's interviewing you, and he's actually created the situation you're in to see if you'll pass the test. 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:05.280 Now, some of you in this room are locked into crummy jobs. 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:09.520 And you hate your job or you hate who you work with. 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:12.960 And it's rough, it's tough, it's difficult. 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:18.720 And you keep wondering why you never seem to have any doors open at your work for new opportunities. 00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:30.720 Well, it might be because, and it might be, I'm not saying it always is, but it might be that you're actually not passing the tests of God in the secret, and God can't open doors of opportunity for you. 00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:34.879 So, pass the test. 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:39.920 Start being interviewed by God and then be a man of integrity. 00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:41.519 So that's what I've entitled this. 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:50.000 I'm gonna call this today marks of integrity, or marks of a man or a woman that God can trust. 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:53.199 Because if God can trust you, any human being can trust you. 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:57.439 So look at verse 1, and this is how David describes it. 00:04:57.680 --> 00:05:04.000 He says, Lord, who may abide in your tabernacle and who may dwell on your holy hill? 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:16.240 So the question that David is asking is, what are the qualities of the man or the woman that God wants to have fellowship with? 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:22.800 I mean, isn't that exciting to think that in your life God wants to have fellowship with you? 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:28.959 Now, God wants to have fellowship with everyone, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:30.879 So he loves all of us. 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:38.800 So, in one sense, even without God, God loves us and he wants to have a relationship with us. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:52.000 But on the other hand, there's those that are believers in Christ that God can't have fellowship with because of the unrighteousness that courses through the veins of the lack of integrity of their lives. 00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:59.040 And so it's David, and man, if anybody understood men, it would have been David. 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:04.319 David was betrayed times without number. 00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:08.639 David hung out with people who turned him in. 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:11.120 David was always having to evaluate people. 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:17.279 He had a son that so betrayed his father that he took over the, he took over the kingship. 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:20.000 He took over the palace in Jerusalem. 00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:22.160 So David understood men. 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:35.759 And I wonder if David, under the inspiration of Scripture here, in asking this first question, is asking the question even for himself, because we want to have relationships, you guys, with people God can trust. 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:38.560 I mean, if God can trust them, you can trust them. 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:50.160 And so the integrity that goes with walking with God is something that works well in business, works well in who your sons and daughters marry. 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:54.639 And if you've got concerns, you need to go with that gut sense. 00:06:54.959 --> 00:07:06.560 And here's one of the best, I mean, there's probably a dozen different passages in scripture where God gives us a list of some of the qualities of what he's looking for. 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:08.160 Look at Psalm 5. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:10.639 Just turn real quickly to Psalm 5. 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:12.959 Just turn left or click on your phone. 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:16.160 Psalm 5, 4 through 7. 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:21.600 It's almost the same phraseology of Psalm 15. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:27.519 For you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with you. 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:31.040 The boastful shall not stand in your sight. 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:34.399 You hate all workers of iniquity. 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:38.000 You shall destroy those who speak falsehood. 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:41.759 The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:47.600 But as for me, I will come into your house in the multitude of your mercy. 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:52.879 In fear of you, I will worship toward your holy temple. 00:07:53.040 --> 00:08:13.759 Now, last week I talked about fear of God, so I'm not going to go into it here, but in a nutshell, I believe that the fear of God is one of the great boundaries of the Christian faith that keeps us in a place of integrity and truthfulness and honesty within our own spirit and also with others, in that on one side there's the fear of God, and on the other side there's the love of God. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:19.759 So, in the boundaries of the fear of God and the love of God is the route to intimacy with God. 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:26.560 So he speaks of the fear of God, and that's really the essence of what's going to be said in Psalm 15. 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:27.759 So look at verse 2. 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:31.279 Now back at Psalm 15, he says, He who walks uprightly. 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:32.399 Let's just stop there. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:35.360 He who walks uprightly. 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:39.279 God is looking for men and women who walk uprightly. 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:41.039 So that's the point of the Psalm. 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:44.559 The English Standard Version says blamelessly. 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:49.759 The New American standard says, he who walks with integrity. 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:51.360 That's why I'm choosing that title. 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:52.720 He who walks with integrity. 00:08:52.879 --> 00:09:00.080 Integrity doesn't mean sinless, it means someone who sins less. 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:03.840 Doesn't mean sinless, someone who sins less. 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:18.720 Cambridge English dictionary, integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change. 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:24.080 Some definitions speak of wholeness, completeness, soundness. 00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:34.080 Here's what I say: who we are when everyone is looking is the same as who we are when no one's looking. 00:09:34.320 --> 00:09:37.039 That's to me a great definition of integrity. 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:42.799 Who we are when everyone is looking is the same as who we are when no one's looking. 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:45.759 So listen to what I just said. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:49.440 That means you can have integrity as an evil person. 00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:53.919 In other words, if you're evil on the outside, you're evil on the inside. 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:56.000 There's wholeness to that. 00:09:56.720 --> 00:10:00.879 But what we're speaking of is believers, Jesus followers, Christians. 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:05.279 What is it that we that we say that we believe? 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:07.759 And then do we act on it? 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:08.320 Do we live it? 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:14.720 Now, everybody in this room, if I asked you to show of hands, how many of you would say that I have areas where I don't have integrity? 00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:18.399 If your hand doesn't go up, you're deceived. 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:29.919 So we all struggle, we all battle, but what I'm gonna say today, and I want you to understand this really clearly as we go through these eight marks, is that we're in this process of growing in these areas. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:43.360 Because to stay fired up, to stay on fire, to stay complete and whole, we're doing the best that we can in the power of the Holy Spirit, because you cannot change without God's Spirit in your life. 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:50.000 And so it's leaning into the Spirit in those areas of our life where we know that we don't have it all together. 00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:51.919 So look at verse 2 again. 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:56.639 He who walks uprightly and works righteously. 00:10:56.799 --> 00:10:57.519 Let me give you the first. 00:10:57.679 --> 00:11:02.480 First mark is a person of righteousness in dealing with people. 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:06.080 A person of righteous dealings with people. 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:12.960 It doesn't mean you're good in business and you can turn the key and you can turn the deal. 00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:14.799 It means you're actually good with people. 00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:22.399 Righteousness is not just being right in the choices that we make, but it's also right in how we handle people. 00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:25.759 So, why is this important? 00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:28.159 The reason it's important is because I'm a pastor. 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:33.840 And I have this interesting relationship with you. 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:39.600 Okay, in which I want to see this church thrive. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:46.399 I want to see every one of you, I want to see you successful, I want to see you effective for the Lord. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:47.679 So here's the problem. 00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:49.519 I've been doing this for 27 years. 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:56.080 The problem is when I people come to me and say, hey, do you know a good plumber? 00:11:56.320 --> 00:11:58.240 Or do you know a good electrician? 00:11:58.399 --> 00:11:59.279 And I know. 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:03.360 I know all the good plumbers and all the good electricians in the whole city. 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:05.039 I've been here 27 years. 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:17.440 And I'm gonna initially say someone from the road, because I want to benefit, I want my people, my family to benefit more than this other guy over here. 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:20.399 So I'll say, well, so and so is a good plumber, so-and-so is good. 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:26.799 And then from time to time, not often, but from time to time, I hear, what a jerk. 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:32.879 That guy you recommended, man, he he ripped me off and stuff like that. 00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:34.559 I've heard that three or four times. 00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:37.759 In 27 years, that's not bad, but three or four times I've heard that. 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:57.919 I've also had people that I've sent to people's houses who are reputable Christians, and that reputable Christians, in most cases not from the road, have just treated my buddy who's an electrician or my buddy who's a mechanic, like, you know, really looked down on them, treated them badly. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:00.559 And I have to apologize for them. 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:02.159 I have to apologize for the faith. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:04.159 I almost have to apologize for Christianity. 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:05.600 You guys know what I'm talking about? 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:08.879 So, so be a person of integrity. 00:13:09.440 --> 00:13:10.559 Be who you say you are. 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:19.679 If you're gonna put a fish or something on the back of your, that you may notice that we don't have any bumper stickers for the road. 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:28.080 I know you guys. 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:32.080 Look, I know me. 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:41.039 You don't see, you don't see a road little symbol and then senior pastor on the back of my car. 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:47.039 You cut people off, I cut people off. 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:49.360 I mean, it happens, man. 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:51.120 Not good, right? 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:53.519 But let's grow in that. 00:13:53.919 --> 00:14:02.639 Let's ask God to give us the ability to love everybody, even that person who comes to our house who doesn't have a lot. 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:07.039 Maybe their communication skills aren't what you'd like them to be. 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:08.399 But they're trying. 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:12.720 They got a job, they started their own company. 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:14.879 You gotta respect that. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:25.440 I think I can say with all honesty, except for maybe a few exceptions, over all my years, I've always tried to treat everybody the same. 00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:36.720 I don't care whether they're wealthy or they're poverty stricken, they deserve a respect, they deserve dignity, they deserve honor, and I'm there for them. 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:39.519 And I think people feel that way when they work with me. 00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:41.840 But some of you guys don't do that. 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:43.679 You got this pecking order. 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:46.639 A lot of Southerners are like this. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:50.080 I is one, so I know what it's like. 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:53.440 And it's a caste system. 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:56.639 The cell is the caste system, man. 00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:25.360 I really felt that when I was in um at University of Georgia in school because I was just middle class, regular kid, you know, athlete guy, and I get around, you know, these fraternities rush you and everything, and so you're in these fraternities and stuff, and they got the khaki pants and they got the little you know polo shirts, and and you could tell papa's paying for everything, and they're just arrogant a mile long. 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:33.679 I remember one time this guy, I I went into his fraternity house and they were rushing me, and the only reason they rushed me is because I was an athlete. 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:37.919 Because I did not, I mean, I didn't measure up on anything else. 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:50.240 And um this arrogant little frat boy, who's actually a big frat boy, was talking down to this black kid who was there. 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:54.159 Man, it ticked me off. 00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:58.480 So when he was done, I went up to him and I let him know what I thought about him. 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:01.840 And then he just looked at me like, Who are you? 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:10.799 And then he pushed me against a wall and said, Look, you can do all the pushing and shoving you want, but I'm telling you what you did was wrong. 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:13.759 And I wasn't even a believer yet. 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:14.879 Okay. 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:17.519 So stand up for the little guy. 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:18.080 Okay? 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:20.000 Everybody look at me and go like that. 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:21.279 Stand up for the little guy. 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:22.960 Nobody stands up for them. 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:27.039 These other people, these, I mean, they've got all their money and stuff. 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:28.960 I love this in Proverbs 11:1. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:35.039 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight. 00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:37.039 Proverbs 2010. 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:42.799 Diverse weights and diverse measures, they are both alike an abomination to the Lord. 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:52.000 So the idea here of dishonest scales was that in that day, you know, you didn't have scales you stood on, you had the old timy scales, like my granddaddy had on the ranch. 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:53.440 So you got the old timing scales. 00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:56.559 So you you put a certain amount of weight on one side. 00:16:56.720 --> 00:17:14.480 So if a person came into a setting where they were getting five pounds of sugar, that particular uh businessman, businesswoman would put five pounds on one side and then measure out until it balanced out the five pounds of sugar. 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:23.279 Well, what if what he had is a rock that he said was five pounds, but it was four pounds, and he was ripping that person out of a pound of sugar. 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:25.279 That's what it means about being dishonest. 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:28.240 So, guys, be honest in your dealings. 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:43.519 Even go beyond that and be known as someone who thinks of others, and even, and you'll see later why this is important, is one who would even take a loss in order to bless somebody else. 00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:49.359 Verse 2 He who walks uprightly and works righteousness and speaks the truth in his heart. 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:52.960 So the second mark would be a person who speaks truth in his heart. 00:17:53.200 --> 00:18:00.160 So, so we know from Proverbs 23:7, for as one thinks in his heart, so he is. 00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:11.279 So how you work in business, how we treat people, is in essence how you view yourself. 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:16.079 So if you're speaking truth in your heart, you tend to start speaking truth verbally. 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:22.480 If you believe in your heart truth, you tend, not always, not perfectly, but you tend to start acting that out. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:27.359 So he's saying right here at the beginning, this is actually a hard issue. 00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:30.319 So walking with integrity and holiness is a hard issue. 00:18:30.400 --> 00:19:05.680 That's why, in any situation, whether it's political or moral, whatever, to, I mean, you should we we need to take stands, but we need to also understand that those who believe certain things that are different than us that we might consider immoral, who don't have the Holy Spirit and don't have truth, it's a little bit unfair to think that they're really gonna change that much in a particular moral issue or even a religious issue if they don't have a heart that's been transformed by truth through the Holy Spirit. 00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:06.720 Does that make sense? 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:18.480 So I would, you and I, we would view entirely, have an entirely different set of criteria of what we consider truth if we didn't have God in our life. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:22.160 But God has given us the ability to discern truth. 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:31.519 That's why I'm such a big believer that in the political realm or the economic realm, we should be better than everybody else. 00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:34.960 We don't have to follow what everybody else does. 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:46.160 So if everybody's just taking pot shots, why not be a believer who doesn't do that and lives with a standard higher because we have the Holy Spirit living in our heart? 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:55.200 But if we act like everybody else, which is typical American Christianity, revival's not gonna come. 00:19:55.440 --> 00:20:02.480 Somehow we think that revival is gonna be this entity that just sort of shows up one day and suddenly there's revival. 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:06.480 No, revival begins in our own individual hearts by walking in integrity. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:12.400 If you're walking with a fire in your heart and you're treating people well, you bring, you become the revival. 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:14.720 You bring the revival wherever you go. 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:16.000 Because people are like, what? 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:17.200 He did what? 00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:18.799 He gave what? 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:21.759 Nobody does that. 00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:33.039 And suddenly you're set up to bring revival to others because they've never seen somebody who's that honest and tells the truth and treats people so well. 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:38.960 So as one thinks in his heart, so he is. 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:40.640 Verse three. 00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:47.920 He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor. 00:20:48.000 --> 00:21:00.880 And I put those two together because I believe that probably the most that we do, and some of the deepest things that we do to wound others is with our tongue. 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:02.640 It's through backbite. 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:05.839 So I term it this way. 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:10.480 Third mark, a person who does not slander others. 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:12.880 And this is interesting in the Hebrew. 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:17.279 The Hebrew for slander is literally means to spy out. 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:26.160 So in other words, you're spying out to find stuff wrong with that person that you might slander them to others. 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:29.119 And it happens, it happens in the church. 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:32.000 That's why we have a covenant of harmony. 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:40.960 So you that went through the roadmap last week, you know, we read, we talked about the covenant of harmony. 00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:50.880 All of the staff, anybody who gets a nickel from the road for working here, has to sign off that they will follow the covenant of harmony. 00:21:51.119 --> 00:21:57.039 Every small group leader has to sign off that they will follow the covenant of harmony. 00:21:57.119 --> 00:21:58.240 Now, what's the covenant of harmony? 00:21:58.319 --> 00:22:10.400 The covenant of harmony is an Essence, Matthew 18, that when you have disagreements, when you have struggles, you will go to that person, not tell anybody else about it, and work it out. 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:14.079 And then we have all these different ways to learn how to do that, the skills to develop that. 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:15.519 I'm not going to go into it here. 00:22:15.680 --> 00:22:16.880 But that's what we believe in. 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:22.319 The reason we believe in it is because of how many of you have been hurt by the church? 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:23.599 Just raise your hand if you've been hurt. 00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:24.160 Okay, there you go. 00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:25.440 That's the answer right there. 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:28.559 How many of you have left a church because of hurt in your life? 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:29.279 Raise your hand. 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:30.720 Okay, that's the reason we do it. 00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:35.119 Because most of us in this room are hurt by the church, have been hurt by the church. 00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:44.880 We've run from that church to another church, and there's a problem with that, and the biggest problem is that who you are at the other church is the same as who you are when you get to our church. 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:46.960 So now we got to deal with you. 00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:51.599 So if we let you be you, not good. 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:55.920 Because you already haunted another church, you're gonna come and haunt our church. 00:22:56.160 --> 00:23:07.519 Now, but if we can equip you, if you want to be equipped, because it can't make anybody do anything they want to do, but if you want to be equipped, we can train you in a covenant of harmony. 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:09.279 You don't have to have enemies anymore. 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:12.720 Now you have people that don't like you, but you don't have to not like them. 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:19.839 And so you start to become a person of integrity because you, here, I'll tell you, man, you want to snuff out slander? 00:23:20.480 --> 00:23:23.440 Just tell someone, you know, I don't really do slander. 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:26.880 I'm not really into slander and gossip and stuff. 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:32.000 Matter of fact, Matthew 18 tells me that you should, you need to quit telling me about that person. 00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:34.319 You need to go to that person and make things right. 00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:42.640 I mean, you got a 50-50 chance that you actually might have a really good friend there that you're slandering right now, but you be the first one. 00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:47.119 And the most mature in a relationship is the first one. 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:50.880 It's the one who goes and starts trying to make things right. 00:23:51.680 --> 00:24:04.160 And I can't tell you the countless dozens of people at the road through the years, through following the covenant of harmony by becoming a member of the road, then saw their marriage transform because they actually started doing it in their home. 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:09.599 What a novel idea that you could be married to someone and you actually work out your problems. 00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:12.880 That's really possible. 00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:15.680 Supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, man. 00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:17.119 I'll tell you. 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:18.559 All right, verse 3. 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:26.640 He who does not backbite with his tongue nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend. 00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:29.839 Kind of similar, fourth mark, a person who's not a gossip. 00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:32.319 So one's a slanderer, the other one's a gossip. 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:33.359 Slight difference. 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:46.799 I think one's spying out, the other one's probably been hurt by one, but both are related, and it's it's taking evil against someone, but it's also someone who won't listen to gossip. 00:24:47.680 --> 00:24:57.200 So if you won't go there with people who slander and gossip, and they're unwilling to change, you'll probably lose a friend. 00:24:57.680 --> 00:25:00.720 But isn't that the kind of friend you want to lose? 00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:04.400 Because some relationships are built on gossip. 00:25:04.640 --> 00:25:08.880 Some relationships are built on kind of knowing that the next thing. 00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:12.400 And you, you know, they you kind of run to each other at the end of the service. 00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:18.000 And you say, and you hear about all that stuff and everything. 00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:19.839 And then you say, I'm not doing that anymore. 00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:28.000 Because Pastor C said I shouldn't do that, I'm not gonna do that because I want to be successful, I want to be effective, I want to have a clear conscience at night, and I want to walk in joy. 00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:30.319 And they go, Oh man, that sucks. 00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:34.240 Or they change. 00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:43.839 I think part of what we do when we walk in righteousness and integrity is we're spreading the love of righteousness integrity. 00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:49.440 And those that are open to that change because you don't go there anymore. 00:25:49.839 --> 00:25:53.039 And so, and so, I mean, it happens in our family. 00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:55.599 Holts, you know, we get together. 00:25:55.920 --> 00:26:06.400 Think about it seven kids, and four of them are married, so you know, and start multiplying that out and everything. 00:26:07.359 --> 00:26:12.640 And their whole life, these guys were in the church nine months before they were born. 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:18.079 So they just know, they know half of the families in Colorado Springs. 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:23.599 My kids, every time we're together, say, Hey dad, do you remember so and so? 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:25.039 And I go, Yeah. 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:26.720 I remember them like 20 years ago. 00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:31.039 Yeah, I saw them at the post office, they came up to me and said, Man, you've really grown up, and da-da-da. 00:26:31.359 --> 00:26:33.359 And everybody knows like the holts. 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:40.880 So you can imagine when we get together, what we have to be careful to snuff out when talk starts going. 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:45.759 Well, so and so, man, you can't believe what happened over here, and da-da-da. 00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:50.799 And then you go on and on because you got 27 years in one place. 00:26:51.599 --> 00:26:58.640 Man, we man, I got more dirt on more people in this city than you can imagine. 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:07.599 I mean, I meet people who I know, oh you, yeah, you ran for Congress like 12 years ago, you know, and I used to know stuff. 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:11.039 And oh yeah, I used to get my car work done by you. 00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:16.960 So you gotta be careful, especially if you've been in a place a long time. 00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:26.319 Verse 4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the Lord. 00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:28.079 This is really, really fun important. 00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:38.559 Um, the fifth mark is a person who gives no esteem, no esteem to the vile, but honors the godly. 00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:43.359 No esteem to those who are people of vile, but honors the godly. 00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:48.079 A person of integrity doesn't esteem vile people. 00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:57.680 A vile person is one who is unrepentant of their sins and hardened in doing perverse things. 00:27:57.839 --> 00:27:59.920 That's the best example, best way I can describe it. 00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:07.519 A vile person is one who is unrepentant of their sins and hardened in doing perverse things. 00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:12.240 So be careful, church, who you admire. 00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:16.559 Young people, be careful who you admire. 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:24.640 As it relates to rock stars or movie stars or sports figures, you may be esteeming vile people. 00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:30.640 And what wait, if you do that too much, you start becoming like that which you emulate. 00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:39.359 So read biographies, read stories of godly people, let them be your models. 00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:46.400 Those that have done great things and good things and righteous things, think about them, model your life after them. 00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:54.240 If you have a mom and dad, for the most part, who are honest and have integrity and are good people, model your life after your mom and dad. 00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:57.759 Honor them, honor godly people. 00:28:58.799 --> 00:28:59.759 So important. 00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:16.240 What would happen if we all ceased to admire, honor, or reward, or give special privileges to vile people in business, sports, and politics? 00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:18.480 What if we didn't give them the time of day? 00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:26.000 What if we became a people that honors godly people and we turned our back on vile people? 00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:31.599 Think of the church, if we did that across the nation, what a difference that would make. 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:38.559 It would draw out the best, it would draw out the best in the worst people. 00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:40.960 Because there's still good there. 00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:43.440 I really believe that. 00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:50.000 I really believe there's good in every person because they're created in the image of God. 00:29:50.319 --> 00:30:00.960 So if we had a standard of righteousness that we tried to live by as best we could, it would begin to take vile people who would start to repent. 00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:06.559 They might not even know what the word means, but they'd want to change because they want to be someone like that. 00:30:06.799 --> 00:30:10.400 They would want to be like that because that's who we admire. 00:30:11.119 --> 00:30:12.240 Verse 4b. 00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:18.000 He who swears to his own hurt and does not change. 00:30:18.319 --> 00:30:23.839 Six mark, a person who keeps promises even if it hurts. 00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:27.839 A person who keeps promises even if it hurts. 00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:33.359 The NIV reads, he keeps his oath even when it hurts. 00:30:34.079 --> 00:30:38.880 In other words, honor is more important than one's wallet. 00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:41.599 Integrity has no price tag. 00:30:42.079 --> 00:30:49.680 This is a person who's willing to sacrifice, even financially or physically, to do the right thing and to be honest. 00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:52.880 That's really hard. 00:30:53.680 --> 00:30:56.160 Because nobody's going to really esteem that. 00:30:56.319 --> 00:30:58.160 Maybe nobody's going to notice that. 00:30:58.480 --> 00:31:13.359 But you're willing, you made a promise, you made an oath, you made a commitment to something, things have changed, and you stick to it because you made the your honor, your word. 00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:15.359 It really is your bond. 00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:22.319 Sam Storms writes, one will never know of what motivates you. 00:31:24.079 --> 00:31:37.039 What made it motivates you is moral conviction, this is really important, or moral convenience, until you're forced to suffer loss for standing your ground or keeping your word. 00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:38.559 Let me say it again. 00:31:38.799 --> 00:31:52.799 One will never know if what motivates you is moral conviction or just moral convenience until you're forced to suffer loss for standing your ground or keeping your word. 00:31:53.759 --> 00:31:56.640 I mean, tithing's one of those examples. 00:31:57.200 --> 00:32:00.640 Because nobody really knows about tithing but you and God. 00:32:02.559 --> 00:32:04.720 And sometimes you guys suffer loss. 00:32:04.880 --> 00:32:12.880 Some of you have a business downturn, but you stick to that commitment you've made, and guess what? 00:32:12.960 --> 00:32:15.359 You're being interviewed by God. 00:32:16.880 --> 00:32:19.519 Not interviewed by me, but interviewed by God. 00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:22.079 And God wants to bless you financially. 00:32:22.640 --> 00:32:26.960 And he can open doors and close doors according to his desires on that. 00:32:27.119 --> 00:32:28.000 Verse 5. 00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:31.119 He who does not put out his money at usury. 00:32:32.160 --> 00:32:37.279 Seventh mark, a person who doesn't take interest on borrowed money. 00:32:37.519 --> 00:32:55.599 Now, this was important because the primary aim in the Old Testament for this command, which is all through, especially Leviticus and Deuteronomy, was that you have the poor, and they didn't have a social welfare system except for gleaning out in the fields. 00:32:55.759 --> 00:33:25.359 Other than that, the idea was that someone was poverty stricken, and a compassionate way to deal with that was not to perpetuate their poverty by taking their money or giving them money and then adding to it something they had to pay, but giving them an opportunity, one up, one opportunity here, from you, not from a bank, but just a fellow Israelite to be able to give them a chance to step up to get out of poverty. 00:33:25.519 --> 00:33:27.599 So it was really a compassion move. 00:33:27.839 --> 00:33:31.680 So I remember being around John Wimber. 00:33:31.759 --> 00:33:39.599 John Wimber was the founder of the Vineyard movement and had the privilege of working with him at Anaheim Vineyard before I came here. 00:33:39.839 --> 00:33:42.240 And he died in '98. 00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:49.519 And one of my friends was there and they were cleaning out stuff, and he found a drawer in his office. 00:33:49.599 --> 00:33:54.240 And I know exactly where that drawer was, just stacked full of IOUs. 00:33:56.000 --> 00:33:57.359 Well, no one knew it. 00:33:57.839 --> 00:33:59.519 No one knew it until after he died. 00:33:59.680 --> 00:34:00.559 He didn't tell anybody. 00:34:00.960 --> 00:34:07.519 But he was always helping people out financially with IOUs, and he didn't ever expect to get paid back. 00:34:07.599 --> 00:34:10.400 He just did it because he had love in his heart for people. 00:34:10.559 --> 00:34:15.440 And he wasn't doing it to have kind of brownie points with God or something. 00:34:15.519 --> 00:34:16.400 It's just who he was. 00:34:16.480 --> 00:34:17.440 It was his heart. 00:34:18.159 --> 00:34:22.559 He does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. 00:34:22.639 --> 00:34:25.679 So the eighth mark is a person who won't take a bribe. 00:34:26.719 --> 00:34:33.280 So it's often the poor taken to court and the wealthy seem to always win. 00:34:33.840 --> 00:34:36.639 And usually there's an exchange of money somewhere. 00:34:36.960 --> 00:34:39.840 There's some kind of a thing going on. 00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:42.239 What if we wouldn't allow that? 00:34:42.960 --> 00:34:45.920 What if we would not take a bribe? 00:34:47.280 --> 00:34:48.800 And then look at verse 5. 00:34:49.039 --> 00:34:50.239 See, I love this. 00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:51.519 Circle it. 00:34:52.480 --> 00:34:53.760 Highlight it. 00:34:54.559 --> 00:34:55.920 Underline it. 00:34:56.320 --> 00:35:00.320 He who does these things shall never be moved. 00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:02.320 Isn't that great? 00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:18.320 If you can't be bought, if money's not your God, if popularity is not the goal of your life, but to fear God and love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, to love your neighbor as yourself, you're unshakable. 00:35:19.519 --> 00:35:21.199 Nobody can get you. 00:35:21.440 --> 00:35:22.880 Nobody can bribe you. 00:35:23.119 --> 00:35:29.519 Nobody can talk you into doing something that's not holy and right because you don't care about those things. 00:35:29.679 --> 00:35:31.199 You've died to those things. 00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:32.960 Don't you want to be that kind of person? 00:35:33.199 --> 00:35:35.840 Unshakable, unchanging kingdom person? 00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:36.639 I do. 00:35:37.039 --> 00:35:38.639 And I'm not there yet. 00:35:38.800 --> 00:35:40.079 And neither are you. 00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:41.679 But let's grow together. 00:35:41.920 --> 00:35:52.880