The Wise and The Foolish 4-24-96 WED

4-24-96 WED

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

First Corinthians chapter 14. Thanks for being in church tonight. First Corinthians 14. And then would you also pick up Proverbs chapter 13? Proverbs 13. 1 Corinthians 14. I don't know if you've really thought about what I'm going to describe to you in just a moment today. Certainly you've thought about it in the past. And I guess for me it becomes more and more something that I think about multiple times during the week. The throne is sapphire. It's blue. Around that throne, there's a there's an emerald bowl, if you would, or an emerald circle, or it's a green tinge, if you would, that surrounds that throne. You say what throne? The throne of God. Before that throne, if you were to see it, the Bible says there's a sea. And I don't know how big this sea is, but when I think of a sea, I don't think of a lake. I think of a sea. I don't know if you've ever flown over the Sultan Sea or something like that, but it says it's a sea of glass, like unto crystal. And around that throne, there's cherubims and seraphims and people that are praising God. And there's creatures are saying, right now, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. And he that sits on that throne, well, I don't know if you've thought about him yet today, but I thought about this multiple times today. One day the Bible says that I will appear before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of those things that are done in my body, whether it be good or bad. And so were you. I don't know if you thought about that. That should not be a down thought. It ought to be something that motivates us to think about what did I do today? Who influenced me? What was their influence on my life? And did it help me at that therm? Is it going to help me in some way, shape, or form? Two Wednesday nights ago we talked about walking with the wise shall be wise. Last Wednesday night we talked about the spirits, as far as the idea that our spirits, well, look at 1 Corinthians 14 and notice a verse of scripture put in here for a reason. Verse 32. Verse 32 of 1 Corinthians 14. Now let's read this together tonight, and this will be lightened up in just a moment. Look at verse 32. Ready? Begin. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. What's going on here is this is the one, the chapter that talks about spiritual gifts and prophesying and people speaking out in church, and it's a rebuke going on to what's going on in Corinth. And he says, listen, the spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet. You know what that means? What's going on inside of me should be subject to me. Is that right? The spirit, the attitude, the way I think, uh, my my heart towards things. The spirit of me, and I'm not a prophet, but the spirit of you is subject to you, and the spirit of the prophets are subject to the prophets. Brother, now our attitudes today, and however our attitudes, let me ask you a question. How many of y'all had a bad attitude today? Let me ask you again. Come on. What time? I don't know. You know, let's let's take an average.

unknown 3:37

7.20.

SPEAKER_01 3:38

7.20, okay. Marcelo, what was your attitude at 7:20? Okay, good. Did it change?

unknown 3:47

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_01 3:48

What time was that?

unknown 3:50

7.21.

SPEAKER_01 3:51

721? Very good. Very good. And what happened at 7:22, Marcelo? This is going to be a long night. What's that?

unknown 4:00

The Lord answered my prayers.

SPEAKER_01 4:01

Oh, that's good. Wonderful. I got some prayer requests. If he's answering your prayers, I want to get in on it. Amen. Do you have a bad attitude today? Do you have a good attitude today? The spirit of the prophet, subject to the prophet. Please look up here. If we make sure that we don't let people influence our spirits in a wrong way. One man I read a little book and he said, the most powerful influence in his life outside of the Lord is people. Now that's a pretty strong statement. The most powerful influence upon his life outside of the Lord is people. And when I read that, I said, Amen. It's true. Look, if you would at uh Proverbs 13, where we're at two weeks ago. Stay with me now. We're going to analyze something tonight because we will all appear before that judgment seat of Christ. And I don't know about you, but it's imperative to me as a pastor that you have a good judgment seat. See, let me say this again tonight. Let's all understand this. The purpose of the church is not so much to get something from you, it's to give something to you. The purpose of the church is not for you so much to build the church from my perspective. It's the church to build you. Now, in order to build you, we have to study God's word. And once you get built, and once I get built, we'll want to do something back for the church. Is that right? That's the way it works. Look at Proverbs chapter 13 again with me. And look at verse 20, would you please? Verse 20. He that walketh with who? Wise man shall be what? Wise. But a companion of fools shall be destroyed. I want to analyze something tonight, and uh, just so you have a visual representation. Terry, would you come up here with your Bible and just sit right there? Uh, Brother Bill, would you come up with your Bible and just sit right here if you don't mind? So we have just sit right there in that spotlight. And so we have a visual representation tonight. This will help us a little bit. If we walk with the wise men, we shall be what? Say it? Wise. Now remember, with the judgment seat of Christ in mind, those who I let influence will have an influence on my spirit, my attitude. But a companion of what? Say it. Fools shall be destroyed. Now, just for the sake of illustration tonight, Bill, you're on my right hand, so we're gonna make you wise, all right? You're the wise man, alright? Terry, you're on my left hand, so we're gonna call you the what? Fool. Terry, just be yourself, amen. Everything will be fine. Welcome. Hey, listen, this is family night, amen. So the idea is Bill is what, say it? Wise, and Terry is fool. Absolutely. Now, with that in mind, look if you would at Proverbs 25. Stay with me. Proverbs 25. And notice the verse of scripture. Now, again, uh, sometimes somebody says, now wait a minute, didn't we just talk about that? Sometimes repetition is good, brethren. We learn by repetition. Look at Proverbs 25 and notice verse 28. Verse 28. He that hath no rule over his own what? Spirit. That's his attitude. That's his actions that from that attitude. Now the spirit of the prophet is subject to the who? The prophet. Therefore, my spirit ought to be subject to me, but he that hath no rule over his own spirit, his attitude is like a city that is broken down without walls. That little statement I said, please look up here just a minute, brethren, is this. Outside of God, the biggest influence in my life is probably what? People. Now I have to just choose. Am I gonna let this man over here influence me, or am I gonna let this man over here influence me? Amen. Is that right? Because he is what? Say it. And he is a amen? You say, I don't know. Look if you would at Proverbs chapter 9. We're gonna be in Proverbs just a little bit tonight. Proverbs chapter 9. Let's get a list here of some things. And by the way, if you'll stay with me and we gather this list, at the end here I'm gonna show you something I think will be interesting to you. Proverbs chapter 9, and we'll get back to the judgment seat of Christ. Proverbs chapter 9, look at verse number 7, and you help me to analyze this. He that reproveth a what? A scorner, geteth to himself shame. And he that rebuked a what? A wicked man, get him a what? Reprove not a scorner, lest he what? Hate thee. Now let me ask you a question. Where would the scorner fit in this category? Wise or foolish? Absolutely, over in the foolish. Because why? A scorner does not like to be corrected. Now I've got to decide something. Do I want to hang around people that don't want to be corrected? Or do I want to hang around people that are correctable? Stay with me. Look what he says a little bit further. Repute around a scorner, verse 8, lest he hate thee. Rebuke a what? A wise man and he will what? Hey, you want a wise man, a good rebuke, is good for him and he accepts it. Why? It helps him to grow. Stay with me. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet what? What? Hey, please look up. A wise man's willing to change. Not change wishy-washy, but change to make himself better. But a fool? A fool thinks he knows it all anyways and has got it all together, and he's not going to change and listen to anybody anyways, amen? Is that right? Come on, stay with me. So he says this give instruction to a wise man, he will yet right. Teach a just man, verse 9, and he will do what? Increase in learning. Please look up here. The wise man is not done growing. The wise man's not done maturing. The wise man's not done reaching his potential, but the foolish already thinks he's there. Is that right? Now let me say this again. If I walk with the wise man, I shall be what? Wise. If I walk with the fools, there will be destruction. Destroy myself. Let me ask you a question. Who's going to help me more at the judgment seat of Christ? The wise or the foolish? The wise, absolutely. Stay with me. Look at Proverbs chapter 13. Proverbs chapter 13. Now, obviously the question is, who are you hanging out with? And who am I hanging out with? And how much am I letting them influence me? Proverbs chapter 13. Look if you would at verse 1. A wise son heareth his father's what? Instruction. But a what? Say it. Say it again. A what? A scorner heareth not what? Rebuke. Why? A scorner won't listen. A scorner is not teachable. Look at Proverbs 15, please, with me. Proverbs chapter 15. I'm going to show you something about both these categories in just a little bit, but we've got to set up a list first. Proverbs 15. In Proverbs 15, notice if you would, verse number 12. Verse 12. A scorner loveth not one that does what? Reproveth him. Neither will he go unto the who?

unknown 10:34

Why?

SPEAKER_01 10:34

Hey, look up here. This guy as a fool, as a scorner, will not go to this man over here. Is that right? In fact, this man over here, look up here, this man, this fool will criticize that man over there. He will look at him and criticize him and just criticize him and criticize him. Amen? Now listen, I've got to decide who I'm walking with. Hey, at work today, you had to decide who you're going to walk with. In your family, extended. This summer, you going to visit them? Alright, I'll leave that one alone. Amen. Mark will say anything more about that. That was a good answer. Proverbs chapter 22. Look at this. Proverbs 22. Stay with me. They will, these these two categories will have an influence on us. Proverbs chapter 22. And notice if you would. Look at a verse of scripture in verse number 10. Cast out the who? Please look up here. Is that a foolish or a wise person? Foolish. Cast out a scorner, and what will happen? Contention shall go out. And only by what cometh contention? Pride. So the scorner's major problem is what?

SPEAKER_03 11:47

Pride.

SPEAKER_01 11:48

Pride. Only by pride cometh contention. Hey, you know what? We need to look and get to the place where who we're hanging around and companions, we're not supposed to companion with foolish people, and here's what we get. This guy, you can't tell him a thing. He doesn't want to listen to it. He's got a hard heart. He's proud. He won't listen. He'll hate you if you try to rebuke him. Is that right? Come on. Are we okay, Ms. Claiborne? Okay, everything's fine. All right. This guy's not going to help my attitude. Why? Because if I cast him out, if I get rid of him, then contentions. So this man is very contention and brings strife into my life. Is that right? I'll show you what's going to hinder in just a little bit. But if you would, look at Proverbs 22 again. I'm sorry, yeah, verse 10. Yea, strife and reproach shall cease. Now, the concept, look at Proverbs 15. And let's go back on the other side just for a moment. And I'm setting you up for something. Just a minute, if you'll stay with me. Proverbs chapter 15. Think with me. Look, if you would at verse 7. Let's get it on the other side for a minute. Verse 7. The lips of the wise do what? They disperse knowledge. And brother, I want to grow. I want my attitude to grow. I want my spirit to grow. I want my spirit to be fruitful. So I'm going to hang around wise because that's going to disperse knowledge. But look, the heart at the foolish does what? It doesn't. There's no knowledge that comes out of him. Why? He's not willing to listen. He's not willing to be corrected. And God's not going to give him more knowledge because he's not using what he's already been given. The wise man is going to get more because he takes what God gives him. He's got humility in relation to and in the in the difference between pride and humility. He has humility. He receives it so God gives him more knowledge. And God gives him more wisdom so he can dispense it. Disperse it. Give it out. Is that right? Oh, let me just say this up here. We ought to see ourselves in just a little bit of this. You know what I see over here? Spiritual. You know what I see over there? My carnal side. My carnal side, it does not like to be reproved. Amen? It does not like to admit it needs help. Come on, yes or no? There's more. Stay with me. Look if you would at Proverbs chapter 15, right where you're at. If you are there. And look at verse 31. The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the where the wise. So the one that's going to be reproved and take it. By the way, which do you think will last in church the longest? Come on. You know why some people don't last in church? Oh, it's the preaching. Sometimes it's not the preaching. Sometimes it's not the book. Sometimes it's they go from wise to scorner. Foolish. And all of us have that capability. I ran into some scorners the other day door knocking. Said they were Christians. Boy, you couldn't tell them anything. They were, you know what? Here's something interesting. The wise man, he's a learner. The scorner, he's a teacher. They want to teach and teach and teach and teach and teach and teach and teach and teach and teach. They don't want to learn anything. You ever run into somebody? All they want to do is teach you. Teach, teach, teach. But learn, they won't do. Look, if you were to Proverbs 15, where we're at, and Lois verse 32. He that refuseth refuse, I can't say it. Mephibosheth, amen. He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul. But he that heareth reproof getteth what? Understanding. Then he says this, verse 33, the fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is what? Who am I going to hang around? I'm going to, I want to, I should, I should look and say, I want to hang around those that are going to humble themselves and get wisdom and have the fear of God in their life. Stay with me a little bit longer. Look, if you would, in Proverbs chapter 11. Proverbs chapter 11. This is interesting scripture as we discuss wise and foolish. Proverbs chapter 11. And we get into a new category now. Look at verse 30. Verse 30. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that wineth souls is what?

unknown 16:10

Why?

SPEAKER_01 16:13

So what's somebody that doesn't witness? Now wait a minute. I didn't, I didn't, I'm just asking you a question. You say, show me in the Bible where it says that. Well, he that wineth souls is what? And to win souls you have to witness. Now, now wait a minute. Who am I going to hang around? Who do I want to hang around? I want to hang around somebody that, if the Bible says, in God's opinion, he that wineth souls is wise, then I want to hang around somebody that witnesses. Why? Because it's going to make me want to do it. Did you ever hear this? You are what you eat. Did you ever hear that? I don't know if that's true or not. I think this is more true. You are what you assimilate after you eat. Do you know what I'm saying? Assimilate, that's a big word. It means it it's not so much I am what I eat, it's am what I eat and then what I do with it. Whether I'm a coucher potato or whether I exercise. Assimulation, use it. Is that right? In the same way in Christianity, we are what we hear, digest, understand, and then use and assimilate. Somebody that used to be a witness and doesn't anymore, they don't want to hang around anybody who does. We are not ever going to leave as a church this area of wisdom. As a church, we're always going to be talking somewhere along the way about personal evangelism or witnessing or the Great Commission or the soul-winning Sunday school class or the men's soul winning or the ladies' soul winning or the street evangelism or the bus ministry evangelism or the teen uh soul-winning time. It's gonna be a part of our church. Why? Because that fits the category of wise. Is that right? Now, somebody says, I don't like that kind of church that, you know, has a little personal evangelism. Well, where do you want to go? To a foolish church? That's just the Bible. That's common sense. You say, well, I don't believe in that. Then go up through God's eyes and look how he sees it. A church that has the Bible and has the scripture and has the seed, which is the word of God, and keeps it in the barn is foolish. He says over there we ought to get the seed out of the barn. Is that right? Get the word of God out. Now let me ask you a question. Oh, say man. In this area of winning souls or witnessing, how's your family doing? Not a school. What's your home atmosphere like? We got children down there. I've got children spread out all over this property. Amen. And some of you got children out there too. You know what they may be being taught right now, and I don't know for sure what they're being taught. I'd hear about it later at night to check it out. I can pretty well check the whole church out. Just sit around the family table, amen. No problem. But if they're being pushed tonight and say, you know, you ought to go witnessing. If the teens are being pushed about going to teens soul winning, you know what? We as adults got to set the example somewhere. Over Easter break, I was glad I got to go soul winning with my son a few times, and I decided we're going to go soul winning even more with him. Because he goes his way and I go mine and we do our own thing. But we need to do it together once in a while. I'm not trying to put anybody down. I'm just saying, if you used to do some soul winning or personal evangelism or get out straps or stuff like that, don't look at others that do that and say, look at those fools. You're contrary to the book. Because the wise one is the one who's out witnessing and doing the Great Commission. Now, don't sink down in your chair and say, Oh, I wish I wouldn't have come tonight. I feel so bad. Amen. Get back out there again. Out there, out there. What are you doing? I'm stepping on your toe. Out there again. Every once in a while I walk out, somebody says, stepped on my toes tonight, preacher. I didn't step on nothing. The book does. Well, you know what? You were amenant just a while ago, but now it's got real quiet in here. It's like when I talk about TV, it gets real quiet. I talk about money, it gets real quiet. Talk about personal advantages, it gets real quiet. Should this ought to be part of it. And we all need to be stirred up once in a while. Why? Sapphire blue throne. Emerald green ring around it. Bo. See a glass before it. He that sitteth on that throne, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending. Flame of fire in his eyes. Amen? That's who we're gonna face. Stay with me. Look at Proverbs 22. We'll go quickly over that. Proverbs 22. Look at verse uh 24 here, brethren. Proverbs 22, verse 24. Look what he said in verse 24. Make no what? Friendship with an what? An angry man. And with a furious man, thou shalt not go. Why? Lest thou learn his ways and get a snare to thy what? Why? Because if if I go with an angry man or a furious man, that's going to affect my attitude. If that's all we talk about is negativity and what makes me angry with this world and oh this world, oh it's wicked, oh, it's oh, it's a oh, it's a oh, I get sick of that. I don't want to hear all that. I already know the world's wicked. I live And I come out of it. I was one. I know that. And I don't mind hearing that a little bit, but I don't want to live in that. I'd rather hear about heaven. And what's going on up there and how God can change the wicked world. Why? Because I'm not of that world and I don't want to live in that slop all the time. You know what I'm talking about? I really, hey, listen, I went to work, man, out there in that secular business world, and I know what's going on out there. I know that slop. I understand all that. But brother, you know what? All we have to do is touch base with it. We don't have to hug on it. We don't have to live in it. That's why we're here tonight. You know what we're doing? It's wash day. Amen. It's wash day. Get that. Somebody says, you're brainwashing them. Well, God brainwashes us through this book. You're brainwashing those children out there. That's right, we are. We absolutely are. Where would they get that dirt and filth that needs to be brainwashed? TV?

unknown 22:57

I'm not right.

SPEAKER_01 22:59

Wrong kind of friends? The mall?

unknown 23:03

That's frightening.

SPEAKER_01 23:04

You know? That kind of place. Now, I don't know about you, but I need my brain washed every once in a while. Clean it up, and I need my heart washed and cleansed. And that's what this book does every day. Keeps it washed. Proverbs 16, brother. Proverbs 16, you're doing well. Back to Amen and me again. Soul winning. Okay. We'll see. Proverbs 16. Look at verse 32, brother. He that is what? Slow to anger. That means he has a he is temperate. He that is slow anger is better than the what? Mighty. And he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh the city. Now, look up here, please. Then who should I hang around? I ought to hang around some guys that are gals that are temperate. I ought to be careful how much time I hang out with these quick-tempered fools. Now we all have a quick temper once in a while. Well, ought to be careful about who we hang around with and whether that quick temper starts to wear on us. Amen. Well, look at uh look at Proverbs chapter uh 29. Proverbs 29. You say, when are we going to get out of Probabs? I'm just about finished with the book of Proverbs. But you know, you could go and go and go and go and go. I mean, you could you we could be here till we could here be here for many, many weeks doing this. Proverbs 29. I just want to give you something here. Proverbs 29. Look if you would at verse 22. Verse 22. An angry man, let me ask you a question. Foolish or wise? An angry man stirreth up what? Strive. And a furious man aboundeth in what? Prane. And then he goes on to say this in verse 23. A man's pride. Remember, only by pride cometh what? Contention. A man's pride shall bring him low. But honor shall uphold the what? The human spirit, and that's the wise over here. Question. What kind of church are we? What kind of church are we? We are the kind of church that we are. Whatever you are and I are, that's what we be. That took me a while. That took me a while. I say that again. I mean that, hey, listen, that's profound. Whatever I are and we are is what we be. And every once we ought to look in the mirror and say, what really are we? And it starts with, what really am I? I fit this category over here. Humble. Not soon angry. Willing to be instructed. Not not angry when someone who is faithful to me is going to give me that little rebuke and that little reproof, because faithful are the wounds of a friend. Willing to grow, willing to change, involved in witnessing. Or do I fit this over here a little bit more? And you say, now wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. This is this is the way I like to be. I'm not saying which way we like to be. What are we? Or you say, though this is the way I used to be. Okay, but what are we? And if this is not what we are, then we need to get back to that because what you are and what I are is what we be as a church. And please look up here. Right now, I don't know the number, hundreds of children on this property are being influenced by what we are. Hundreds of children of children on this property are being influenced by what we are. Okay. Hundreds of children on this property are influenced by what we be. Not so much what we want to be, but what we really are. For example, if I were to, I'm the head of my home. What's going on in my home right now? What what what what atmosphere is in there? Is it foolish or is it wise? And if it's foolish, what am I doing about it? And if it's wise, what am I doing to maintain it? Now our our our our family's changing. Hey, it used to be, I mean, it's a nice little family, there's little children, you know, it's it's you know, they're six, and you know, and they're nice, and they're young, and they're they're ten, and they're eight, and they're six, and they're, you know, it's nice and they're young. But now, it's a little bit later. And now they're this group, 19, and mom and dad. Not not much problem with that group right now. Pretty good. And then there's the 14, 12, and 10 group. Working on that group, and such was I. And then there's the eight, six, and two.

SPEAKER_03 28:40

Amen.

SPEAKER_01 28:42

Not bad. But we all go through those cycles. And once you get, for me, once I get one kind of squared away, it seems like plates are wobbling back on the other end. Do you understand what I'm saying? It's a constant struggle. But one of the things that needs to get to the place where there's not a struggle is where it starts at the head of the home, and that's inside of me. But if I were to ask, what's your home life like right now, would you say, okay, it's wise or it's foolish? Given to anger. Nobody's willing to accept instruction. Everybody's got kind of, you know, their pride up. Scorning going on in my home. Personal evangelism? We hear that and we just that just goes in one ear and out the other. We don't do that. Uh, a good night where everybody laughs, that's an uncommon occurrence at our home. It's the exception rather than the rule. And really, what it should be, I'll guarantee you, you get over on this side, it will be the rule that you have a good time together. I mean, you'll laugh. You'll you'll you'll joke with each other. Rather than somebody jokes with them, and over here on this side, someone gets offended. Well, Dad, what'd you say about me? Hey, listen, I was just joking. You joke with me. You see, when this attitude gets to where it's foolishness, they start joking about the fact that I don't have any hair, my chest is dropping down into my stomach, and all the rest of that stuff, and my hair's growing gray, and it looks like frosting, and uh, they laugh at something I did at church. You said this, you did this, and they're all laughing around the table. I stomp out. We're on the foolish side. Not having any fun. You know what's fun? They joke about you and you joke back. And we don't have our little feelings right out there to get offended. Amen. What's going on in your home? What's going on in your home reflects what's going on here. You don't want to split a church? Get over on this side where everybody's got their little feelings out there, and and you know, and and she said this and he said that, and they didn't do this, and they joked about me. Hey, a school couldn't get this way. A school. A simple school. Man, especially as we come into this time frame. Man, everybody's tired. You know. Oh, we're just about to the end. And if we're not careful, we can get over on this carnal side. So what? We've got to do things to keep it. Look up here, we've got to do things to keep it spiritual. Absolutely. And it's not, man, I hope my husband's listening to this tonight. I hope my wife's listening to this tonight. Better just look at you. Man, I've got enough, I've got enough about my own back doorstep than to worry about whether my wife's listening tonight. I mean, I'm not going to get home and say, Did you get that tonight, baby? I mean, come on. Hey, this atmosphere in a home, this atmosphere in our life, this atmosphere in a school, this atmosphere in a ministry, this atmosphere in a church, who would want to come to this? Scorning. Nobody wants to grow, nobody wants to change, no one wants to take responsibility, angry, contention. Nobody's worried about soul winning because they're so concerned about themselves. It's foolish. It's not an attitude for potential growth. It's a dying atmosphere. Amen? Now, who I hang around will influence that. Are we okay so far? Look at Psalms 1. You got it memorized, maybe, but look at it. You're doing great tonight. Psalms 1. Who we walk with and who we fellowship with and who we talk with will influence our spirit if we let him. We ought to choose the right people, therefore. Look at Psalms 1. Blessed is the man that walketh, what's the next word? Underline that word, in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of who? Nor sitteth in the seat of the what? So that pretty well takes care of the foolish. But his delight, who? The man that's blessed, is in the law of the Lord. And his law does he meditate day and night. That's a wise man. You know why? Hey, brethren, look up here. When we get carnal and we get over on this side, we don't want to be in God's words because it's going to reprove us. It's going to rebuke us. We don't want to hear that. Amen. So you know how we have our devotions when we get over here? Stare out the window. What did she say to me last night? What did she say to me the other day? I wonder what she meant like that. I wonder what he meant when he said that to me. He's no saint. Now I'm sitting in the seat of the scorner. That's what's going on in my mind. What did she, what he, or what happened at church the other day, or let's see, boy, I tell you what. You know what? Six months ago that person said that to me. I wonder what they meant by that. I'm sitting at the seat of the scornful, and my time is going by, and Satan, principalities, and powers have me just where they want me. I'm not going to grow that way. We've all been there. His delight is in the law of the Lord, and his law doth he meditate both day and night. Verse 3, and he shall be like a tree. Who, that man that's blessed, planted by the river water that bringeth forth his fruit in season. In his season. His leaf also shall not wither. And I like this little part. Whatsoever he doeth shall what? Prosper. Brethren, that's that's walking over here. That's reaching potential. That's getting ready to face the judgment. That's getting ready for those who we influence to face the judgment. That's a growing church. That's growing people. Now look at 2 Kings 6. Let me give you practical illustrations. I'm watching the time. You're doing great tonight. 2 Kings 6. I want to give you three and we'll be done. 2 Kings 6. Because all these things are written in here for our admonitions, and then he gives examples. 2 Kings 6, and what we need to do is assimilate these. 2 Kings 6, there's trouble in Samaria. There's no doubt about it. If you know the story, just so you get it, 2 Kings 6, we won't go into the whole thing. There's a famine going on, there's a siege going on. Verse 25, and there was a great famine in Samaria. And if you know, uh they were they were selling things that we wouldn't even think about eating. And if you would, the king passes by in verse 26, and a woman on the wall cries, Help my Lord, O King, and she describes uh what's going on and how these two women made an agreement and they they they did cannibalism, if you would, in verse 29. You say, Do you really believe that happened? I really believe it happened. And the king is wrought, the leader in verse 30 of 2 Kings chapter 6. And it came to pass when the king heard the words of the woman that he rent his clothes and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloths within upon his flesh. Things are not going well. And brother, we all get pressures on us, but look what happens in verse 31. Then he said, here's the king, here's the leader. God do so, and more also to me, of the head of who? Elisha. So now he's blaming it on someone. Now he's blaming it on the prophet. Now he's blaming it on the preacher. He's getting angry about this. God do so more, uh, do so, and more also to me of the head of Elisha, it says, shall stand on him this day. Now Elisha's sitting at the house in verse 32 and 33, and the king comes in. But look at verse 1 of chapter 7. Stay with me. Chapter 7, verse 1, stay right with me. Then said Elisha, then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord. He's talking to this king. Thus saith the Lord, tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria. You know what he's saying? The famine's gonna be over, everything's gonna be okay. Verse 2. Now watch this very carefully. Then a who? Lord. That's a man who's in the influence of that ungodly man, if you would, that man who's angry. We're not supposed to make friendships with an angry man, lest we learn his ways. Then a Lord on whose hand the king leaned? Hey, please look up here. It's one of his servants. It's one that takes care of him, it's one that walks with him. Don't you think that Lord had the attitude of the king? Then a Lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? What an attitude. You know what? Please look up here. You know what's lacking over here on this foolish side? Faith. Let me just say to you, what's lacking on this foolish side is faith. You get a bunch of people together and they're a church and they're a foolish church, and all they do is sit around and scorn each other or scorn other churches, or they don't want to grow and you can't teach them anything. They already know everything, and they don't go soul winning. They criticize those that do. Look up here, please. They're not going to reach the potential. They're going to stagnate. And they're not going to do things by faith. Just float over and say, Oh, you know, if the windows of heaven would be open, why? He was in the wrong council. He was walking with the wrong man. He was walking with a man who was angry at the situation and blaming the preacher. That's not going to happen. It's never going to happen. You know what? When we do things by faith around here, one of the things that I really try to stay away from is skeptics. Now, I don't mind someone that says, preacher, I've been praying about this and I want to ask you about something. I remember when we were uh thinking about uh, I remember when we were thinking about uh, oh, a couple years ago, thinking about buying that urgent care, and then we talked later about moving over here. Um a family that's not really in our church or anything like that. I got this big 10-page letter. I don't get many of those big 10-page letter on why we were doing it wrong and what was wrong and what was this and what was that. And you know, I looked at this letter and I thought, I'm gonna read this, and I read it and everything. Then I considered the family, and I'm not, I'm not trying to be skeptical or critical, but they haven't done anything in their life for years that I know of. They're not even faithful to church. Oh, they were here Easter. We'll see them again Christmas. Maybe. You say, What are you saying? I'm saying this 10-page long letter of skepticism. You know what the skepticism was about? Doing something by faith. And they couldn't understand, didn't think it was right, and all this, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I read that. Why? Because I learned a lot from scorners and skeptics. What do you learn? The book of Proverbs. Oh, there's a person that I had in my life for almost two years that was a scornful person. Almost two years this person was a scornful person in my life. This was years ago. Followed me around, called me on the phone, let my wife have it on the phone, let my children have it on the phone. Always had something negative to say. Oh, when I see that person later on, if that person gets to heaven, I think that person's saved. I'm gonna thank him. I tell you what, I never ever would have known anything about what a scorner is had I not faced that. I'm serious. Two-year training on scorn, scornful. You say, what'd you do? I ate it. I didn't attack back. But it wasn't that I didn't want to. The foolish side of me wanted to attack. The spiritual side of me said, let it go. Learn from it. Let God take care of it. He'll recompense tribulation to those who trouble you. Oh, but there are times I wanted to just stand up and say, get out! Oh, if I could tell you some things. You don't know what goes on behind the scenes sometimes. And I don't have anybody like that right now, I don't think. Oh, that side of me wanted to do that, the other side said, let alone, let it alone. Don't stir it up. Reprove not a scorn lest they hate thee. And you know what then they do? They conspire to get others to hate thee. You say, What happened? Sooner or later that person did have not have a voice in our church, they lost their credibility. How? They were going and saying to someone, well, do you know about Pastor Fisher and what he's done here, how Pastor Fisher's treated me bad like this, and Pastor Fisher treated me bad over there, and Pastor Fisher treated me bad. And I had people call me from time to time and say, Did you do that? And I said, Well, let me explain the situation. But listen, we're trying to help the person, don't make a big deal out of it. You know, after a while, nobody would listen to the person? I didn't do anything. They just lost their credibility. And when they lost their credibility, you know what happened? They moved on to another church. So, Marcelo, um just kidding. Just kidding. If I were you right now, I'd be wise and hold my tongue. Let thy words be few, my son. I'm just kidding. You know it wasn't him. And by the way, I learned a lot from that person. But please look up here. I got to the place where I avoided the scorner. Why? Push my buttons for the day. You ever hear of a rain cloud follow you around? And it rained bad thoughts? Come on, yes or no? Oh yeah, that person pushed my buttons and knew how to do it. Learned a lot though for it. You say, what are you talking about? This this Lord that sat in the gate? Or I mean this Lord that that said by this thing about faith and the skeptics about doing things by faith. Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? I don't think we ought to move that seven day Adventist church. Well, what are we gonna do? I don't know. I don't think that's right. Nobody said that to me. But there probably was talk about a year ago. We've been over it since July. This hasn't been so bad. Amen? Hasn't been so bad at all. We've been able to reach more people. You've wanted to bring people. We got restrooms and parking and AC. Yeah, AC and lights and lightboards. Yeah, all the stuff, man. Oh, may I say this? Do you understand that sooner or later we won't stay in this church? In this building. We will be on the move again. You say when? I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 44:45

Church on the move.

SPEAKER_01 44:49

And you know what will happen? Some will go. I don't know. I don't know. You know the ones that say, I don't know? They're not, they're not, they're not in evangelism. They're not out door knocking. They're not discipling anybody. They sit at home one night on soul winning night and watch their TV. Hey, come on. Those are the ones. You know who are the ones that will say, come on, let's let's let's let's do it if that's what God wants? Be the wise. Be the wise. Now you say, well, somebody's got a concern. Don't mind a concern. Long as it's a wise concern. But not a ripping apart destructive style. You see, this Lord, he wasn't interested. He just said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be. And look at the answer back. And he said, Behold, verse 2, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shall not eat thereof. Yeah. If you know the story, you ought to read it sometime. And I won't go into it just for the sake of time, but by the next day you know the story. Everything happened. And the king, verse 17, appointed the Lord on whose hand he leaned, that had made that dumb statement to have the charge of the gate. And the people trod upon him in the gate. And he died. He saw it, he just didn't get to eat. And everything God said turned out. Why? The guy had a situation where he had a problem with his attitude and his spirit. And typically those people who have that, they don't want to do something by faith, and they don't want to believe it's going to happen. Look again, if you would, just a little bit more. 2 Samuel 6. I'm watching the time. Watch the time. And by the way, you say, well, man, who's he talking about? Ah, you know, come on. I would not talk about anybody that's here currently or anything like that. And may I say that I've just had a handful of those things through the years because I'm such a nice guy. What are you laughing at? I'm just kidding. 2 Samuel 6. Now watch this very carefully. David's doing something that's just tremendous in his life as the king. This ark had been taken by the Philistines and not had been brought back to its proper place. And the first time David tried to bring the ark back, I mean, it didn't go well at all. A man died because of it. And finally, David goes down to get the ark. He puts the priest where they're supposed to be and put the staves in, and they bear the ark up like they're supposed to. And look at verse 14. And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was girded with the linen Ephon. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, my cow, Saul's daughter, looked through a window. And saw King David doing what? What? Look up here. Leaping. He wasn't doing this. Om. Oh, we're bringing the ark of God in. No, no, no, no. The Bible said he was dancing and leaping. You know why? He was happy. The ark was coming back, and the blessings of God that was associated with the ark was coming back in the camp, and he couldn't restrain himself. Leaping. Stay with me. And what? Dancing before the Lord. And she despised him in her heart. Every once in a while on a Sunday night, somebody uncorks. Every once in a while you'll see Steve Stevenson over there. I don't know if he's he's out teaching tonight. Steve, you in here anywhere? Good, we can talk. Is he in the back? Every once in a while, Steve Stevenson. He'll just get up and just, you know, go down and he'd just come right up there. What's wrong with that? If David can leap and dance, and it wasn't this dance. You want to see that again? No, you missed it. No, no, no. Absolutely, positively not. Only one time, once in a while. I know, and you're not going to see it again either. It wasn't sensual, it wasn't worldly. It wasn't what was going down at the discotheque of the golden calf. He did not pull off his clothes like they did. He had a linen ephod on. He was happy, he was rejoicing, and he was expressing it. Now, somebody over here can just weep and cry, and that's their expression. And somebody over here jump up. Let people be themselves. So he's dancing and leaping before the Lord, and she despised in his heart. Now, I've preached on this before, and I won't go into it tonight. You know that she was was, I don't know how to say it, not comfortable with what men had done in her life. Saul, her daddy used her. David had to go away and flee, and Saul gave that daughter over to another man named Faltio. She was with him, and then David came back and said, I want my wife back. And Fautiel walked behind her weeping, and she had to leave him. And I mean, it was just, it was just a constant turmoil in her life with the men in her life, because what happened to her? And now she let that get to her, and she despised David because he was doing something for God. They brought the ark in the Lord and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peat offerings, peace offerings before the Lord. Now, wait a minute. All the people go down, they're happy about it. Verse 20. Then David returned to bless his household. And my cow, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet David. Now wait a minute, wait a minute. It said, it didn't say she waited for David to come in the house. It said she went out to meet him. Why? She was angry. And please look up here. Even though everything happened to her, she was a fool. Why? Because of the attitude. And Michael, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet David and said, How glorious sarcasm was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servant, as one of the veined fellows shamelessly uncovered himself. Ma'am, uh, wife, don't quench your husband's spirit. I know it's gonna get quiet when I say that, because no man in here that's married is gonna say, Amen! Ladies, don't quench your husband's spirit. Especially if he's trying to do something. Man, build that thing up, sir. Don't quench your wife's spirit. Now you say amen. That was wise, guys, for you to keep your mouth shut when I said ladies. Don't that was a wise thing to do. Marcella, very wise. Very wise to keep your mouth still shut. If you're visiting here tonight, you say, I can't believe you talk to me. We are a family. And we don't offend each other. Are you offended?

unknown 52:50

No, sir.

SPEAKER_01 52:51

I'm gonna work on it. Now please look up here. We ought to not be quenching each other's spirit. And by the way, sometimes we work in ministries. And we've got to be careful. I work with men, I work with women. I've got to, I have to be careful about quenching their spirit. And they should be careful about quenching mine. We ought to be careful about quenching each other's spirit. Somebody's a little zealous about they just got to lead somebody to Christ, and we sit there and you know they're telling us the story, and we're, you know, and we're, we're, uh, we're, you know, listen. They just had a great thing happen in their life. They got to witness to somebody. My children come home, you know, and I'm busy about something, and they say, hey, Dad, I've got to tell you about tonight. Man, I just want to stop what I'm doing and glue and listen. Why? Because it's exciting to them. And I think about, they're coming back leaping and dancing, and I'm, you know, ah, get your room cleaned up. I gotta be careful with that. I listen first. Hey, that's great, son. Praise the Lord. Glory to God. Get your room clean right now. I gotta be careful to quench their spirit, though. Man, zeal is something that ought to be nurtured. Now, don't take this wrong. Somebody says, I don't believe with what, you know. Verse 21. And David said to my cow, it was before the Lord, which chose me. You know what he's saying? I was doing that before the Lord, honey. It was before the Lord which chose me before thy father, before all his house to appoint me rule over the people of the Lord of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore will I play before the Lord. And I will yet be more vile than thus. And will be base in mine own sight. And of the maidenservants which thou hast spoken of, she's being critical of those maidservants. Of them shall I be had in honor. You say, how'd God think about that? Therefore, my cow, the daughter of Saul, had no child to the day of her death. Now, my cow, you study her out. I'm not trying to put her down, but she let that thing eat on her. There are bitter Christian men and women out there. Not out, I'm not saying out there. There are bitter men and Christian women out there. Bitter Christian men and bitter Christian women. Please look up here. You've got to decide whether you're going to hang with them or not. They will affect your faith. Am I losing you? It's 8.15. Let me put another nickel in the parking lot meter so I get five more minutes, all right? Stay with me. They will, they will affect our faith if we hang around them. I try to help bitterness, but I don't hang around bitterness. I do. I try to help bitterness. And we run into people from time to time that are bitter, that need help getting into church, and I want to help them. But I'm not going to hang around them. I want to teach them, I want to help them, then I back away. Teach them, help them, back away. Teach them, help them, back away. If they stay bitter, be careful. Why? Bitterness not only defiles the person, but it defiles many. Hebrews. Now they can turn away from that bitterness and become wise. Please look up here. Many of us have. Many of us have. It's possible. Alright, let me ask you again, what's going on in your home? One more. Numbers 14, we'll quit. You getting it tonight? And I'm not going to go into detail over this. I'll just show you. Numbers 14. It goes along with walk with the wise, be wise, companion of fools, destruction. I'm not trying to put anybody down. Numbers 14, you read it sometime along with this context. Numbers 14. Thank you. We're finished. Numbers 14. Numbers 14. The ten spies, the 12 spies come back, report in the land. What's lacking here? Well, they got a bad spirit. They're acting like fools. Numbers chapter 14. In Numbers 13, the ten come back and say, No, we can't go up to Joshua and Caleb says we can. Look at Numbers 14 and look at verse 1. And all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried. And the people wept that night. And the children of Israel murmured against Moses, against Aaron. Now that already tells me what category to put them in. Foolish or wise? Absolutely foolish. And why are they foolish? Because they listened to ten spies come back who've been murmuring and complaining all the time they've been out there and they don't have the faith to go on and trust in God what they're able to do, what God's able to do, and they're always downing what's going on with the leadership. And the whole congregation said unto them, Moses and Aaron, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt? That's foolishness. Or would God we had died in this wilderness? That's foolishness. And wherefore hath the Lord brought us into this land? See, their faith is gone. To fall by the sword that our wives and our children should be a prey. Were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain and let us return unto Egypt. Foolishness. You know what happens later? Please look up here. God says, All right, I'm done with you. God is finished. I'll use your children. Well that you die out here, and I'm just going to use your children. Why? I'm tired of the murmuring and complaining and skepticism. You don't trust me. You don't see my miracles. You don't thank me. You don't appreciate the manna. You don't appreciate the water. You don't appreciate that you're not slaves anymore back there in Egypt, building those things that they had you building with rigor, killing your babies when they were born. You don't appreciate that I've taken you out of this world, that I had you from that bondage. You don't appreciate what I've done in your life, and you don't want to go forth, you wanna reach your potential, you don't want to let me help you to be what you can be. You don't want to leave off that skepticism and that negative attitude and that junky attitude and that stinking thinking. You don't want to read your Bible, you don't want to do that, I'm done with you. And by the way, that's our example. Not to let it happen to us. As a church, as a ministry, as a home, as an individual. Better for us to be Joshua and Caleb. And said, hey, listen, he took us across the Red Sea. He did all the miracles. Don't you remember back when we were in Gosham, Goshen? Man, it was dark over there and light in our place. There were flies over there, and none of the flies in our place. Don't you remember that stuff? Don't you remember when he dropped manna down? Don't you remember when he dropped quail down? Don't you remember when he got raw water out of the rock? Don't you remember all the things that happened? Don't you remember God? We can take them! With God's help. And only two went in. The two wise men. Joshua. Okay. That was it. Sometimes I get carnal. Don't you? Now let me say it again. Sometimes I get carnal, don't you? Sometimes I live in this area over here, and what I need to do is come to church and hear these kind of messages and get back out of that area and get back over here again. I didn't put anybody down tonight except Marcello. Alright. You were gonna say that? Let your words be few. I totally apologize for making you to look like a fool. You can do a good job by yourself. Just kidding. Stay with me. Come on. If you're not laughing, you're going, I can't believe he's you know what? Right now you're warming up to Marcello. You're on his side. Is that right? Sure you are. See, I'm getting all kinds of friends for you, Marcello, right now. And you need them, brother. You need them. Are we okay tonight, Mrs.? Okay, okay. Stay with me. Now, okay. I'm finished. And so are you. We're supposed to walk over here. And over here it allows our faith to grow and build, and we do things that are exceedingly abundantly above what we ever thought we would do. I never thought this church would be here doing this. You mean a seventh-day? No. This this this but God has given me a scripture. Thy ladder end shall greatly increase. God gave me that scripture when I was thinking about some things of whether I could be the pastor of a church that needed to grow bigger. That was about a year and a half ago. And he gave me some scriptures along the way that helped me to know that thy ladder end would greatly increase. You say, what was the first part? Though thy beginnings were small, thy ladder end shall greatly increase. But it's up to me how much it increases. And it's up to us. How's your home? How's your personal life? How's your ministry? How's your marriage? How's your friends? Who are you hanging with? What are they doing for you? That's all saying. It's about 8.20. It's actually 818.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:38

We usually take about five more minutes before we dismiss. So tonight, you've done well to listen. There would be a concern, somebody's saying, well, if I pray tonight, somebody will think something of me. You know what?

SPEAKER_01 1:02:52

Every one of us have the capability, including myself, of acting like a fool. With all these things. And brethren, every one of us have, including me.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:07

It could happen again tomorrow. Doesn't need to. With your heads bowed and your eyes closed. What's going on in your home? What's going on in your life? What's going on in your ministry? Wouldn't it be good for some of us to get down and pray for our children?

SPEAKER_01 1:03:26

And then would it be good for some of us to pray for ourselves? The throne's sapphire. Emerald bow around it.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:36

See a glass crystal in front of it. Cherubims and seraphims all over the place, thunderings, lightnings. Holy, holy, holy. And that's what we're going to face one day. And that's who we're going to face one day. Not each other. Him. Him. Him. And we still got opportunities to become what he wants us to be.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:02

Lest we're scorners. If you want to use an old-fashioned altar, come.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:05

If you want to get down on your knees right here at, if you want to have some prayer at your pew, and you want to just sit down, if you want to stand and pray. And let's not be so foolish not to thank him. And worship him.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:20

And say, God, make me more what I need to be. My spirit's a little bit off track right now.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:26

My attitude's a little bit off track. Correct it. Ladies, are we helping our men, men are we helping our ladies? Parents, are we helping our children? Teachers, are we helping our students? Let's take our time tonight. And let's analyze ourselves. I didn't come out here tonight and preach something that someone needed. I preached something that I need. But I really think that if God's dealt with me about some things, probably. That by opening myself up a little bit tonight, some things that God's dealing with me about, maybe someone else could be helped too. If we walk with the wise, we're going to be wise. Companion of fools, we'll destroy ourselves. Our attitudes will be destroyed. Our faith will be destroyed. Our willingness to go on will be destroyed. Our willingness to reach our potential for Him will be destroyed. What kind of church are we? I hope we're the wise kind. Say, what about this personal evangelism things? We can teach you. We can train you. We can help you. You don't have to say anything for months. If you want, don't want to, just come. Saturday morning, Thursday night, Tuesday morning, ladies. Just all kinds of different times that we have available if you'd like to go.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:55

Friday nights, street preaching, street evangelism. You say, is that winning souls? That's that's giving the gospel out. That's getting the seed out of the bar. Find a place and time in the week that you could go. Find a partner that you could go with. He that wins souls is wise. You say, Oh, I can't win him. Well, at least get the seat out of the bar. At least at least use your hands that he's given you and get the gospel track out. At least let that mouth that he's given you, or that any way possible. Just just use it in some way. Let's not be fools.