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Wisdom for the Days Ahead - Joe Sweet — Transcript

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0:04Well, tonight I'll bring a word um
0:06I'm calling it wisdom for the days
0:08ahead.
0:09>> Yes.
0:10>> And this it's a teaching, but it's a
0:11prophetic in nature to help us
0:13understand what time it is, what is God
0:16doing, and what should be our
0:19response.
0:21I want to begin by reading out of Isaiah
0:22chapter 40
0:24beginning at verse 3.
0:26This is a prophecy concerning John the
0:28Baptist.
0:30The voice of one crying in the
0:31wilderness, "Prepare Prepare the way of
0:33the Lord.
0:34Make straight in the desert a highway
0:36for our God.
0:38Every valley shall be exalted and every
0:40mountain and hill brought low. The
0:42crooked places shall be made straight,
0:44the rough places smooth, and the glory
0:46of the Lord shall be revealed. And all
0:49flesh shall see it together, for the
0:51mouth of the Lord has spoken."
0:54So, this verse is being This is what's
0:56in action right now.
0:58>> Yes.
0:58>> God is preparing a way for the
1:01visitation of the glory of God that will
1:03be seen by all flesh.
1:04>> Amen.
1:06>> That's what's happening right now.
1:08And um I want to just read this briefly.
1:10It says,
1:11"Every valley shall be exalted."
1:15A valley is a low place that should be
1:17high.
1:18So, this means things that are important
1:20to God that men have overlooked are
1:22going to be exalted.
1:25For example, holiness, the fear of God,
1:28evangelism, discipleship, purity.
1:32The valleys will be lifted up. Then it
1:34says every mountain and hill brought
1:37low. These are things that men exalt
1:39that God doesn't
1:42want to exalt.
1:43In Luke chapter 16, Jesus said the
1:46things that are highly esteemed by men
1:48are an abomination to God.
1:50So, God's in process of doing these
1:52things right now.
1:53>> Yes.
1:53>> And we're going to see it happen in a
1:55really accelerated way.
1:58Then he goes on to say, "The crooked
2:00places shall be made straight
2:03and the rough places smooth."
2:05With all since
2:082023,
2:09the fall of 2023, beginning with Kansas
2:12City,
2:13there's been one exposure after another.
2:16And many of it is much of it is
2:17shocking, isn't it?
2:20You know, we go can't go a month without
2:22hearing about another ministry or
2:23minister that's been exposed.
2:25What's happening?
2:27God is bringing down the mountains
2:30and he's making crooked places straight.
2:33Where there's been lack of integrity,
2:34there's been immorality, there's been
2:36corruption,
2:37God's dealing with it.
2:39This is a very good sign. I've never
2:42seen anything like it in the last 3
2:44years in my whole Christian life. I've
2:46been a Christian almost 50 years. Never
2:48seen a season like this.
2:50What it's like when are we going to be
2:52shocked next? And I know some things
2:54that I can't say and I can say there's
2:56bigger shocks coming.
2:58There's more shocks coming and it's all
3:01the work of the Lord.
3:03And God's heart is redemptive.
3:06I don't want to have an attitude at any
3:08time ever to say, "Oh, look at over
3:11there."
3:12Let him with who's without sin throw the
3:15first stone.
3:17All of us should have an attitude of
3:19staying low and going low.
3:21Saying, "Lord, if you're cleansing the
3:23body, then search my heart."
3:26I'll say it again, "Lord, if you're
3:28cleansing the body, then search my
3:29heart."
3:30>> Oh, yes.
3:31>> Amen.
3:31>> And I don't want to be haughty. I don't
3:33want to be self-righteous. I don't want
3:35to
3:36uh judge,
3:37but we should fear God and tremble at
3:39what he's doing. He's preparing a way
3:42for the glory of God to be seen. One of
3:44the reasons he's doing what he's doing
3:46right now is so that when his glory
3:47comes, we don't have a whole lot of
3:49Ananias and Sapphira.
3:52I suppose
3:55that there are many people who are not
3:57high profile
3:59that are just as corrupt as the ones
4:00that are being exposed publicly.
4:03And hopefully the exposure would put the
4:04fear of God in many people and help them
4:06repent.
4:08This is a time to have clean hands and
4:10pure hearts before God.
4:12So here's what it says, he's going to
4:13bring down the mountains, lift up the
4:14valleys, make the crooked places
4:16straight,
4:17and then the rough places smooth.
4:20I shared this a week or two ago, but I
4:22was inquiring of the Lord, Lord, what
4:24does that mean, the rough places smooth?
4:26He said, that's when Christians,
4:27ministers, ministries make it hard for
4:30people to get to me.
4:33They charge for their teachings.
4:36They'll have a
4:37school of the prophets and charge more
4:39than a thousand dollars to attend it.
4:44And then that way only a few hundred
4:46people. Why not open it up and let
4:47thousands across the nation attend it?
4:51You already get paid a salary as a
4:53minister.
4:54Why do you have to make more money?
4:56See, these are rough ways that need to
4:58be made smooth.
5:01When when we make it hard
5:03for people to get the word of God, Jesus
5:05said, freely you have received, freely
5:07give.
5:09So it should be easy for people to get
5:11the word of God
5:12and not be charged
5:14for it.
5:16Then he said,
5:17as God brings down mountains, lifts up
5:19valleys, make crooked places straight,
5:21and the rough places smooth, the glory
5:22of the Lord will be revealed and all
5:24flesh shall see it together, for the
5:26mouth of the Lord has spoken it.
5:29So again, I titled this
5:31message tonight, wisdom for the days
5:33ahead.
5:34I want to talk in part about some of
5:37what we're seeing, and this will
5:39hopefully answer questions
5:41for many of us. People have asked me
5:43questions.
5:45Um, I want to talk about false brethren.
5:49I want to talk about brethren that are
5:51true, but they fall, fallen brethren,
5:54backsliders. How do we deal with it when
5:57we see what's going on? It it makes
5:59questions arise in our heart.
6:02Was that person ever really good?
6:05They're bad now. What's going on? How
6:06could this be? How could someone who had
6:08a ministry do that?
6:10I want to look at what the scripture
6:11says. I want us to to look at this not
6:14from a place of oh, I'm better than
6:16them, but from a place of fear and
6:19trembling.
6:20You say, "Lord, except for the grace of
6:22God, there go I."
6:23And what can we learn from it?
6:27What can we learn from it? How can we
6:29become wiser? How can we learn to walk
6:32in the ways of God? How can we learn to
6:35not have mountains exalted in our life
6:38that need to come down? How can we learn
6:40to walk before God so the things that
6:42are down here that God wants lifted up
6:44are lifted up?
6:46So, that's the reason why we want to
6:48look at this, and I believe it'll answer
6:49a lot of questions. It'll help us
6:51understand what the Lord is doing and
6:53what we can how we can grow from it, and
6:55we need this wisdom for the days ahead.
6:58>> Yes.
6:59>> When the Holy Spirit fire comes,
7:02uh when God is moving, the enemy won't
7:05be silent.
7:08So, we need to have more wisdom. So, I
7:10want to begin by speaking first
7:12addressing what Paul called false
7:15brethren.
7:16And then we'll go on from there, but we
7:18want to look at these.
7:20In 2 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 22,
7:22Paul writes, uh
7:24he's
7:25reluctantly defending himself as an
7:27apostle to the church because they'd
7:30been sucked in and deceived by apostles
7:33who took from them,
7:35apostles who lifted themselves up,
7:38and the people were impressed with them.
7:41And so, Paul was giving his credentials
7:43here. He said, "Are they Hebrews? So am
7:45I.
7:47Are they Israelites? He said, "So am I.
7:49Are they of the seed of Abraham? So am
7:51I.
7:51Are they ministers of Christ? Now he
7:54said, "I'm speaking like a fool, but I
7:55am more.
7:57In more labors, more abundant. In
7:58stripes above measure, in prison more
8:01frequently, in deaths often.
8:04From the Jews five times I received 40
8:08stripes minus one.
8:10Three times I was beaten with rods. Once
8:12I was stoned. Three times I was
8:15shipwrecked. A night and a day I've
8:16spent in the deep. That's in the ocean.
8:19In journeys often, in perils of waters,
8:21in perils of robbers, in perils of my
8:23own countrymen, in perils of the
8:25Gentiles. Perils means dangers.
8:28In perils of the city, in perils of the
8:30wilderness, in perils of the sea,
8:33in perils among false brethren.
8:37I'll keep reading. In weariness and
8:39toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger
8:42and thirst, in fastings often, in cold
8:45and nakedness. Besides the other things
8:47which come upon me daily, my deep
8:49concern for all the churches. Who's weak
8:51and I'm not weak? Who's made to stumble
8:54and I don't burn with indignation?
8:56How many want to be an apostle?
9:02It means the crucified life. It means
9:04Romans 12, becoming a living sacrifice.
9:08Now here's what I want to look at. He
9:10said, "There were perils. There were
9:11dangers." He said, "I dealt with among
9:13false brethren."
9:15Now I was pondering this.
9:16>> [clears throat]
9:18>> If a false brethren was so easy to spot,
9:21they wouldn't be that dangerous.
9:23Part of the danger of a false brethren
9:25is false brethren can be very They're
9:29very manipulative. They're
9:30smooth-talking. They're intentionally
9:32deceptive. And because we're we're
9:35Christians, and not we don't practice
9:38being intentionally deceptive. We don't
9:40practice trying to manipulate and use
9:43people.
9:44So, we can be caught off guard when a
9:46false brethren comes in. We've seen it
9:48happen here.
9:51They come in and they're smooth talking,
9:53but they have a selfish agenda.
9:56They're after something.
9:57And so, um
9:59that's why Paul said he had to deal with
10:01this. They're perils of false brethren.
10:03They can cause harm to the church. They
10:05can bring in false doctrines. They can
10:07spread division.
10:09So, one kind of false brethren, he goes
10:12on, he is in Galatians chapter 2. It's a
10:14pretender.
10:16Verse 3, he said, "Yet not even Titus,
10:19who was with me, being a Greek, was
10:20compelled to be circumcised."
10:23And this occurred because of the false
10:24brethren secretly brought in, who came
10:27to in by stealth to spy out our liberty
10:30which we have in Christ Jesus, that they
10:32might bring us into bondage, to whom we
10:34did not yield submission even for an
10:36hour, that the truth of the gospel might
10:38continue with you. So, here Paul's
10:40giving example of Judaizers.
10:42These were false brethren. They
10:44pretended they weren't uh Christians.
10:47They pretended to be, so they could come
10:49in among the Christians and bring them
10:50back into bondage to the law.
10:53There are people like that today that
10:55may even be born again, but they
10:57themselves are in bondage to legalism.
11:00And so, they will try to bring other
11:02people into that same bondage that
11:04they're in.
11:06And so, this was uh something that Paul
11:08warned about. It was a danger.
11:11So, uh there are false brethren. There
11:14are people that are not Christians, but
11:16they pretend to be.
11:18There's also another category, same
11:20thing as false brethren, but in Acts
11:22chapter 20, Paul calls them
11:24savage wolves.
11:26Paul said in Acts chapter 20, verse 29
11:28and 30, he said, "After my departure,"
11:30he's speaking to the elders of the
11:32church of Ephesus.
11:33By the way, Ephesus was a city. There
11:36was one church per city.
11:38So, when there was the elders, that was
11:40over the city, over the house churches
11:42in the city.
11:44So, Paul met with the leaders of the
11:45church of Ephesus.
11:47He was exhorting them.
11:49And he said, "After my departure, savage
11:51wolves will come in among you.
11:54Even from among yourselves, men will
11:56rise up speaking perverse things to draw
11:59away the disciples to themselves."
12:02So, there Paul gives us another
12:03definition. Now, we have false brethren.
12:04That's someone that pretends to be a
12:06Christian, but they have an agenda.
12:09And then he said, "There's savage
12:10wolves. They come in." What does a wolf
12:12do? It could be a Christian. It could be
12:13a Christian that backslid and fell away
12:15from God. Their heart is so corrupt with
12:17selfish ambition and selfish agenda. How
12:20do we know a wolf? Paul said they'll
12:22speak things to draw people to themself.
12:25>> Yes.
12:27>> They'll try to split churches. They'll
12:28try to make factions. They'll try to
12:30say, "I'm the leader." And they try to
12:33get, "I have this the revelation. I have
12:35the anointing. I have it. Follow me."
12:38Paul said they're savage wolves.
12:40So, we have to watch out for those.
12:44Okay, we're just getting warmed up. You
12:45still with me?
12:46>> Yep.
12:48>> [clears throat]
12:48>> Now, another kind of false brother, Paul
12:51also referred to these as false apostles
12:54and ministers of deceit, false
12:56ministers.
12:58These are one who take from the church
13:00because of greed for money
13:03or and or they use the people for their
13:05own advantage. They don't fear God. They
13:08don't deny self, and they do not lay
13:10down their lives to build the church up.
13:13But with smooth speech, flattery,
13:16cunningness, and manipulation, they try
13:19to get as much money as they can out of
13:21the church and use the people of the
13:24church for their advantage.
13:28When Jesus sent his 12 apostles out in
13:30Matthew chapter 10 verse 8, he said to
13:32them, "Freely you have received, freely
13:35give."
13:36So, the mandate for minister of the
13:38gospel is not to charge for the gospel.
13:41We have a special course of training,
13:43I'm not going to charge people.
13:45We're not going to charge, we're not
13:47going to make money off this teaching
13:49series.
13:51Now, we have in the past
13:53we've had CDs sets in a bookstore. Our
13:57CDs, if you rounded up to the
13:59they're just a little under a dollar.
14:02So, we we have a staff and they
14:03reproduce them, they're a dollar
14:06a cover is two bucks for the cover and
14:08the artwork, whatever.
14:10So, if there's a five CD set, it's $7.
14:14You're not paying for the teaching,
14:15you're paying for the CD. The teaching
14:18is available free online.
14:21So, all our all the books we have
14:23written are free online. So, if someone
14:26wants a copy of the CDs, they're not
14:28paying for the teaching, they're paying
14:30for the CD.
14:34Just the material. Same thing with our
14:36books, our books are free download.
14:38People download them from all over the
14:39world, they're free, print them off. You
14:41could make all the copies you want.
14:45The gospel should not be sold.
14:48It should not be made hard. You know, I
14:51recently I told this
14:52recently I received an email from a
14:55well-known international ministry.
14:57And it's really really sad
15:00to see the corruption that's crept in.
15:03Because in the email is manipulation.
15:06Paul said these ministers lift
15:08themselves up.
15:09They manipulate and they try to make
15:11money.
15:12They said we have now a new
15:15new revelation on spiritual warfare.
15:18And that's what they said, "In the last
15:20five years Satan has had new tactics and
15:23by now watch here's the lifting up of
15:25the minister by fasting and praying and
15:27waiting on God. I've been given the
15:29secrets.
15:31The old way for you is not working for
15:34your breakthrough. You need this
15:35teaching.
15:37I'm paraphrasing but that's pretty close
15:38to what it said if anybody's read it.
15:42And then are you ready for the good
15:43news? You get you can get this
15:46revelation that you need for your
15:48breakthrough
15:49for $200.
15:51Can pay $200 click here and you can get
15:54the teachings.
15:56This is Now here's what the Apostle Paul
15:57said, "We are not like many who are
15:59selling the word of God."
16:01Peddling is the King James says.
16:03So this is one of the signs of
16:04corruption.
16:07When a minister has lift himself up it's
16:09oh I got this. I got this from prayer
16:11and fasting and God gave this secret to
16:14me. You need it. I'm going to sell it to
16:16you.
16:17See that's very very corrupt and these
16:19are things God wants to get out of the
16:21way and he is getting it out of the way.
16:25Okay. Now watch.
16:27Here's what it says about another kind
16:29of false brethren. Second Peter chapter
16:312. Peter makes reference in his day to
16:35false ministers
16:36and he compares them to Balaam
16:39the corrupt prophet. Second Peter 2:15
16:42it says they've forsaken the right way
16:44and they've gone astray following the
16:46way of Balaam the son of Beor who loved
16:49the wages of unrighteousness.
16:53Now this is interesting. We'll look at
16:54Balaam for a minute. You can read about
16:56him in Numbers chapter 22, chapter 23
16:58and chapter 24. Balaam was a prophet. He
17:02was a seer. He had encounters with the
17:05Lord. If you read chapters 22, 23 and 24
17:07the Lord would appear to him. The Lord
17:10would put words in Balaam's mouth.
17:13Balaam said, "I'm seeing a vision." and
17:14he would prophesy. He said, "With my
17:16eyes open."
17:18That's what it says. With his eyes
17:19having open visions, he would see the
17:22Lord, he'd see visions, he'd have the
17:23word, but he was corrupt, and he was so
17:25corrupt that God wanted to kill him.
17:28But he had gifting and anointing.
17:30And he had the word of the Lord.
17:33This is what Jesus said. He said, "By
17:35their fruits you shall know them." So,
17:37this what we're
17:38With all this going on, it's bringing to
17:40me a fresh reminder.
17:43Look for the fruit. Look for the godly
17:46character. Don't ignore the signs.
17:50Okay? Let's look what Balaam Now, Balaam
17:53is first seen in Numbers chapter 22.
17:54He's in the context of the Israelites'
17:56journey through the plains of Moab.
17:59Now, the king of Moab, Balak, was afraid
18:02of the Israelites.
18:04He said, "They're going to come in and
18:05just take over." Just like an ox comes
18:08in and licks everything up. That's what
18:09he said. So, he went to
18:12Balaam, who was known as a diviner or
18:14prophet, and he said he sent his
18:17messengers, and he was going to offer
18:19him They came with a diviner's fee, so
18:22money.
18:23He's going to offer him money and honor.
18:26And Balak said to Balaam, "We know that
18:29what you bless is blessed, what you
18:30curse is cursed.
18:32We need you to curse our enemies, the
18:34Israelites, for us
18:37because we're afraid of them."
18:40Balaam sought the Lord, and now,
18:43>> [clears throat]
18:43>> why did he have to seek the Lord?
18:48If someone comes and says, "Hey, I want
18:49you to curse the Christians."
18:51I'm going to say, "Get lost."
18:54I say, "Wait, you got I I notice you
18:56have some money there. Let me Let me
18:58pray and see if I can get permission."
19:00So, that's what he's doing.
19:02See?
19:04Where's the integrity? Where's the fear
19:05of God? So, God says to him,
19:09God says to him, "Do not go with the
19:11people that King Balak sent. Do not
19:14curse this people, they are blessed.
19:16That was the word of the Lord. He should
19:18have already known that.
19:20Right?
19:21Now watch.
19:23So Balaam decided to ask the Lord a
19:25second time.
19:27He said, "Let me They said He said, "I
19:29can't do it." They He said, "Well,
19:31they were unhappy,
19:33but they had the money."
19:36So he said, "Well, let me ask the Lord a
19:37second time." Now, when he asked the
19:38Lord a second time, the Lord became
19:40angry.
19:41Lord was so angry that the Lord
19:43stationed angel on the way to kill him.
19:45That's what the Bible says.
19:47Because he was corrupt.
19:50So, God said to him, knowing that it
19:53knowing that God didn't want him to go.
19:55God already said, "Don't go."
19:57But now that he asked again, God said,
20:00"Go." But he didn't want him to go.
20:03It's like the son who said, "Father,
20:05give me my inheritance."
20:07You're not supposed to do that. The
20:08father decides when you're at the right
20:11time to give you the
20:12So, he was doing something he shouldn't
20:14have done.
20:15But the father said, "Here you go."
20:18So, sometimes we can ask God for things
20:21that are not God's will. And if we keep
20:23persisting,
20:25we may get what we ask for, and it won't
20:28be good for us.
20:30So, God said, "Go." But he was angry.
20:33And he said, "Go, but don't um curse
20:36him. Only say what I say."
20:39So, he refused to curse God as God
20:41commanded, but he was still driven by
20:44greed.
20:45But later, here's how corrupt he was.
20:48Uh God said God kept putting his word in
20:50Balaam's mouth, and he said, "I can only
20:53say what God gives me." And so, he
20:55couldn't curse him. So, he still wanted
20:57something from them. So, he counseled
20:59them. He said, "I can't curse them,
21:02but I can tell you how to get them
21:03cursed.
21:04Bring in prostitutes and ungodly women
21:06and idolatry. And when they fall for it
21:09God will curse him.
21:11God will judge him and that's what he
21:12did. How corrupt is that?
21:15So here So what am I Why am I saying
21:17this? Here's a man that has open
21:20visions.
21:22He's giving recorded in chapter 22, 23,
21:2524. He gives different prophecies that
21:27are 100% accurate.
21:30He's giving accurate words. He has open
21:32visions. He sees the Lord and he hears
21:33him.
21:35And God's so angry at him he wants to
21:36kill him.
21:38He's referred to in the Old Testament
21:39and New as corrupt.
21:42So why am I saying this? These kinds of
21:45ministers are being exposed.
21:50Now I don't think that everybody starts
21:52out that way.
21:54Maybe Balaam didn't start out that way.
21:57But that's why Jesus said, "He that
21:59endures to the end will be saved."
22:02See not everybody starts out and says,
22:04"I'm going to be a corrupt." Now some
22:06do.
22:07Some do.
22:08They're corrupt from the get-go. Some
22:10start well-meaning and they get off
22:12course.
22:13In fact, that's implied in 2 Peter what
22:16he said about Balaam, about people who
22:19become like Balaam. Here's what he said,
22:21"They have forsaken the right way and
22:23gone astray. They followed the way of
22:25Balaam." So that means one day they were
22:28on the right way, but they forsook it
22:31and went astray. So some people say,
22:33"How can so-and-so How can they be
22:35corrupt? We saw the ministry and it was
22:38good." It probably was.
22:40But God knows what's in the heart.
22:46So we we bring And again, I don't think
22:49it's dangerous for any of us to have a
22:52self-righteous attitude.
22:54So oh that bad person.
22:56We're looking at this so that we can all
22:58have fear and trembling
22:59and say God keep me from it.
23:01>> Keep me.
23:02>> Keep me from it. Keep me straight. Keep
23:04me So, here's what God said. He said,
23:06I'll put my fear in their hearts so they
23:08won't depart from me.
23:10>> There.
23:11>> That's what we should do. That's one of
23:12the lessons we should learn.
23:14We should if we want to learn something
23:15from all the exposure, God, make me
23:17increase in the fear of God all the days
23:19of my life.
23:20>> Amen.
23:21>> Cuz when the fear of God is in your
23:23heart, you will not depart
23:25from the Lord. You'll depart from
23:26iniquity. That's what the fear of God
23:28is.
23:29>> Amen.
23:30>> Now, so here's [clears throat] a in the
23:32New Testament, Paul had to deal with
23:33people, ministers who were after selfish
23:36gain from the church. And then here's
23:39what it says in 2 Corinthians chapter 11
23:41verse 1.
23:43All of you would bear with me a little
23:44folly and indeed you dare do bear with
23:47me. Now, watch.
23:48I am jealous for you with godly
23:50jealousy, for I betrothed you to one
23:52husband
23:53that I may present you as a chaste
23:55virgin to Christ. But I fear lest
23:58somehow as the serpent deceived Eve by
24:01his craftiness, your minds may be led
24:03astray from your sincere and pure
24:06devotion to Christ.
24:07>> Amen.
24:08>> Now, stop right there.
24:10This is where
24:11uh any of us can get off.
24:14>> Yes.
24:14>> So, we can start out, we're anointed,
24:16we're gifted, we're serving God, we're
24:19out it seems like we're doing everything
24:20right. But if in our heart the driving
24:25motive of our heart is not supreme love
24:28for God and for his glory and for his
24:31will.
24:31>> Yes.
24:32>> He said, we have to maintain and hold on
24:35to sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
24:40Not to the ministry.
24:42>> Not to the
24:42>> There's a big difference. Because men
24:44can make a small shift
24:46>> Yeah.
24:47>> and they equate the ministry with
24:49serving God.
24:50And then suddenly ministry growth,
24:53ministry ministry success becomes the
24:56goal rather than pleasing Christ.
24:59>> Wow.
25:00So then compromise creeps in and it's
25:02justified.
25:04Cuz this will help the ministry. So now
25:07the ministry becomes a god and not
25:09Christ.
25:10So to stay on track, we have to fiercely
25:13hold on to and contend that Jesus Christ
25:16always is our first love.
25:19That we have we maintain pure and
25:22sincere devotion to him.
25:27You know, I have a friend named John
25:29uh
25:30uh Jenks and years ago he and his wife
25:33and their uh children took a missionary
25:36he was a sailor and he had a boat a
25:39sailboat and they took a missionary trip
25:41along like a five-year missionary trip.
25:43They sailed from the coast of Southern
25:45California and they went all the way to
25:48Japan and around the the Pacific Rim and
25:51they stopped at many islands and they
25:53were doing evangelism off the boat.
25:56And uh he was talking to me one day
25:58telling me about their trips and he said
26:01when you sail from here to Japan
26:03he said you have to have a you have to
26:05make sure that you're sure that you're
26:07sure that your compass and your
26:09instruments are accurate.
26:12He said if you're charting your course
26:14and you're off [snorts] 2%
26:17in your compass. If you're going to go 5
26:20mi, 2% is not that bad. You still end up
26:23close to your goal, but if you're aiming
26:25at Japan and you're off 2%, you can be
26:27off by hundreds of miles.
26:30So that's the admonition is in our
26:33heart. Remember Jesus said three times,
26:36"He that endures to the end shall be
26:38saved." So in our heart to keep that
26:41compass that's absolutely true, there's
26:44only one thing, sincere and pure
26:48devotion to Christ and his word.
26:51>> Amen. Yes.
26:52>> That's it.
26:53If we get any other thing driving us,
26:56we're going to
26:57shipwreck our faith.
27:01So, he said, "I fear lest you be led
27:03astray from sincere and pure devotion to
27:05Christ." He said, "For if he comes, he
27:08who comes preaches another Jesus who we
27:10have not preached."
27:12There is another Jesus being preached in
27:14America.
27:16It's one you just accept him. You don't
27:18repent. You accept him into your heart.
27:22You don't repent.
27:23You pray a prayer and accept him.
27:26There's no real salvation. It's another
27:28Jesus. It's another gospel.
27:31If you receive a different spirit which
27:32you've not received or a different
27:34gospel which you've not accepted, you
27:36may well put up with it.
27:39Then he goes on in verse 7, 2
27:40Corinthians 11, "Did I commit sin in
27:43humbling myself that you might be
27:45exalted because I preached the gospel of
27:47God to you free of charge?"
27:50So, these other people came in. He said,
27:52"I was a burden to no one." Verse 9.
27:55"But what I do by not charging."
27:58He said, "In everything I've kept myself
28:00from being a burden to you, and I will
28:02keep myself that way. As the truth of
28:04Christ is in me, no one shall stop me
28:05from this."
28:07"Why? Because I don't love you? God
28:09knows I do."
28:10God knows. He said, "But what I do, I
28:13will continue to do." What Paul did was
28:16he labored among them. He was a burden
28:17to no one.
28:19At one point, he said, "I
28:21so to speak robbed from other churches."
28:23In other words, "I took offerings from
28:25them so that when I came to you, I
28:26couldn't wouldn't take a penny from
28:28you."
28:29>> Amen.
28:29>> And he said, "Why did I do that? Because
28:31you got other people coming in taking
28:33money from you."
28:34>> Yes.
28:35>> And he said, here's what he says.
28:38"I will continue to do what I'm doing
28:39that I may cut off the opportunity from
28:41those who desire to be be regarded just
28:44as we are in the things of which they
28:46boast. In other words, these fake
28:48ministers can't do it without money.
28:52>> Yes.
28:53>> He said, "So, I'm going to come in and
28:54do it for free, so you'll know the
28:55difference between the truth
28:57and the false."
28:59That's true.
28:59>> Yes.
29:01>> Paul was admonishing, he goes on in the
29:03same chapter, that the Corinthians
29:06were lacking discernment and allowed
29:07themselves to be abused by false
29:09ministers. He said, "For you put up with
29:11it if one brings you into bondage or if
29:13one devours you or if one takes from
29:16you."
29:20I had someone share with me recently
29:22that they went to a
29:24a meeting of a very internationally
29:26known minister.
29:28I won't say his name.
29:30And uh he was teaching that there was a
29:32special blessing
29:34they could get a very special blessing
29:35from the Lord.
29:37But in order to get the blessing, you
29:39had to give an offering of $300.
29:43This person said, "I really needed I
29:45needed that blessing.
29:46I needed it. I felt bad like uh
29:50should I give this money, but I needed
29:52that blessing."
29:54They ended up giving the money and later
29:55they felt Isn't that horrible?
29:57>> Yes.
29:58>> That's perverse. Now, listen, I do know
30:01this. I don't I don't know that minister
30:02personally, but I know that he had a
30:04real anointing.
30:06See, that's where people get
30:08tripped up. They go, "How can this be?
30:11How can this be?" Here's how it can be.
30:13They're going to stand before God and
30:14give an account. How would you like to
30:16stand before him whose eyes are like
30:18flames of fire, whose feet are like
30:20burnished brass, whose voice sounds like
30:21a waterfall, sound of many waters, and
30:24give an account for ripping off God's
30:26people for your personal gain in the
30:28name of Jesus?
30:29>> Ouch.
30:30>> I would not want to.
30:33By the way, let me just say this. In
30:35Luke chapter 16, Jesus said, "Whoever is
30:37not faithful with unrighteous mammon
30:40will not be trusted with the true
30:42riches.
30:43>> Wow. Now, the true riches are what God
30:45can give us of his kingdom.
30:48In other words, being faithful with
30:50money is a test that every believer has
30:52to pass in order to walk in the fullness
30:55of the true riches that God wants to
30:58give us.
30:59We have to learn how to be faithful
31:01where we don't love money, we don't
31:03serve money, but we steward it.
31:07All right.
31:09Now, say keep We're going on. We're
31:10still talking about money. We're going
31:11to get to some more exciting things.
31:13Second Corinthians 12:14, Paul says,
31:16"Now for the third time I'm ready to
31:18come to you and I will not be burdensome
31:19to you, for I do not seek yours."
31:23He said, "I'm not seeking what you have,
31:25but I'm seeking you." In other words,
31:27your growth in Christ.
31:29Now, watch this. Here's a test between a
31:31true apostle and a false.
31:33For the children ought not to lay up for
31:36the parents, but the parents for the
31:38children.
31:40And I will very gladly spend and be
31:43spent for your souls.
31:46So, there's a true minister of God.
31:48He said, "The children don't lay up."
31:51Now, you We hear about I don't know if
31:53you have, but I have.
31:55Um these ministers we had someone right
31:58here in
31:59I don't want to say names or details,
32:01but someone in the apostolic network,
32:03you know.
32:04And I remember years and years ago I
32:06would
32:07drive over there and I'd go to the
32:08monthly meetings. And here's here's what
32:11it was. It was It was a financial
32:13organization. I'm It may have been more
32:15than that,
32:16but if you're going to be part of that
32:17network so that you could say, "I'm part
32:20of a network of churches."
32:22You got to tithe 10%
32:24of all the church income to them.
32:27Or at least 5% and try to go up to 10%
32:31something.
32:32I don't think they required for sure
32:3410%. That That a suggestion, something
32:36like that.
32:38So, what is that? So, apostles are
32:40supposed to be fathers.
32:41>> Yes.
32:42>> They're supposed to be helping other
32:43ministries. If you're planning a church,
32:46look, we're going to help finance it.
32:47We're going to send some people. We're
32:48going to help you.
32:50The fathers lay up for the children. You
32:52don't say, "Okay, all kids come around.
32:54You can be part of my family. Everybody
32:56pay me so much."
32:58Then I'm the fat cat, and I have someone
32:59carry my briefcase, and I'm Apostle
33:02So-and-so. That's That's the false
33:04apostolic.
33:05>> That's perspective there.
33:07>> The true apostolic is, here's as Paul
33:10said, "I will very gladly be spent and
33:13spend for your souls."
33:15Come on.
33:16>> Come on.
33:18>> He said in verse 19, "We do all things
33:21for your edification, beloved."
33:24Then in 2 Corinthians 2
33:2617, Paul says, "For we are not as so
33:29many peddling the word of God."
33:32We're not selling the word. We don't
33:34have a seminar and say you can get the
33:36the teaching set online for $200. Oh,
33:39but I did hear this week it went on sale
33:41for $100.
33:43That's the truth.
33:45That's That's corrupt.
33:47>> That's corrupt.
33:48>> That's corrupt. What happened? How does
33:49this happen?
33:51I don't have all the answers, but
33:53I know what the Holy Spirit is telling
33:55me. God's done with this.
33:56>> Yes.
33:57Yeah.
33:58>> He's bringing down the mountains. He's
34:00lifting up the valleys. He's making the
34:01crooked straight. He's exposing things.
34:03>> Yeah.
34:04>> And he's going to make the rough way
34:05smooth. God's going to give his favor
34:09>> Yes.
34:09>> to places that and people that fear God,
34:13that tremble at his word,
34:15that want to give him the glory, that
34:16want to stay low and do his will.
34:18>> Yes, Lord. Yes.
34:20Thank you.
34:24>> Now Now, listen what Paul said 2
34:26Corinthians 2.
34:27We are not as so many peddling the word
34:31of God, but as of sincerity, but as from
34:33God, we speak in the sight of Christ.
34:37So, he said so many.
34:39So, there were many in his day doing the
34:41same thing.
34:42Now, I don't think that every minister,
34:45that's just my opinion, that sells their
34:47CDs or or that whatever their their
34:52I don't think all of them are maybe
34:53intentionally so corrupt, because my
34:56experience of people I've run into is
34:58they do it because everybody else is
34:59doing it.
35:01They think, well, they do it, they do
35:02it, isn't this normal? I said, no, the
35:04Bible doesn't say that.
35:07I had a minister come here, a very
35:09beloved man of God.
35:12And this is years back, and he wanted to
35:14do a special seminar.
35:17And
35:18in charge everybody $59 for the special
35:20school.
35:21And I said, well, you can come, but
35:23we're not going to charge anybody. I
35:25said, I'm not going to charge anybody. I
35:26said, I will make sure that you get
35:28blessed.
35:30We always will make sure that you get
35:32blessed, but we're not charging anybody.
35:34I want whoever can come to come. I know
35:36what it's like to have a small family
35:39and be starting out and and and then
35:41going to a meeting go, I can't even
35:43afford to go.
35:45Why can't I go here?
35:48That's Anyway, I shared it and they
35:49accepted it. They said, you're right.
35:51I'm not charging.
35:53Okay? So, that's good.
35:56Now,
35:57what let's look at um
36:00I want to say this again. Luke 16:14,
36:02Jesus said, if we are not faithful with
36:05unrighteous mammon, that's money, who
36:07will commit to us the true riches?
36:09This isn't just for ministers and
36:10churches, it's for Christians.
36:13We all have to learn how to be good
36:15stewards with money.
36:17Now, there were some tests the apostles
36:19had to go through. In 1 Thessalonians,
36:22the uh chapter 1, Paul said the word of
36:25God came to you not in word only, but in
36:27much power and conviction.
36:29So, when the apostles were entrusted
36:31with the gospel, they were given power.
36:33They were given anointing. Much
36:35conviction. Here's what he said in 1
36:37Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 4. We have
36:40been approved by God to be entrusted
36:43with the gospel. So, in context, he's
36:45talking about the gospel with power.
36:47Now, the Greek word for approved is
36:48dokimazo. It means tested and passed.
36:51The same word can be translated tested,
36:54and the same word can be translated
36:56passed. But, it means inspected, tested,
36:58and given a pass.
37:01So, we So, he's saying we've been tested
37:02and passed by God to be entrusted with
37:04the gospel
37:06by God. Even so, we speak. Now, watch.
37:09Here's the test he wrote down. We speak
37:11not as pleasing men,
37:14but God who tests our hearts.
37:17So, the first thing if we want to have
37:20God's approval is we're not
37:21man-pleasers.
37:22Secondly, neither at any time did we use
37:26flattering words,
37:27as you know,
37:29nor a cloak for covetousness.
37:33So, a cloak is putting on a false
37:35motive, a false speech, a false talk
37:39to get money from the people.
37:43Come on.
37:44Now, watch this. Nor did we seek glory
37:46from men.
37:49We were well pleased to impart to you
37:51not only the gospel, but also our own
37:54lives.
37:56You remember our labor and toil. We
37:57labored night and day. We were not a
37:59burden to any of you. We preached to you
38:01the gospel. Of course, he implied free
38:03of charge.
38:05You are our witness in God also how
38:07devoutly, justly, blamelessly we behaved
38:09ourselves among you who believe. As you
38:11know how we exhorted, comforted, and
38:12charged every one of you as a father
38:14does his own children. Now, what was the
38:16goal of their ministry?
38:18What are we talking about? We're talking
38:20about exposure.
38:22The And okay, things are being exposed,
38:24but now what is God approving? What does
38:27God want? He's bringing down mountains.
38:29What does he want lifted up?
38:31What are the valleys?
38:33He's saying, here's the things that they
38:35were. We were devout, we were just, we
38:38were blameless.
38:40We exhorted, comforted, and charged
38:41every one of you as a father's own
38:43children. Now, what was their goal? That
38:45you would walk worthy of God who calls
38:48you into his own kingdom and glory.
38:51So, their motive was as a father to
38:54children to help teach, train, exhort,
38:57and move them into the glory and the
39:00kingdom of God so they could walk in it.
39:03So, that's a
39:04So, to sum up 1 Thessalonians 2, here's
39:07what they had.
39:08Pleasing God and not man, no flattery,
39:11no cloak for covetousness, not seeking
39:14the glory from man.
39:17Gentle.
39:19Imparting the gospel, laying down their
39:21lives, not a burden to them financially.
39:23Preach the gospel for no charge. They're
39:25devout, just, blameless.
39:28They labored among the people. They
39:29exhorted, comforted, and charged them as
39:31a father would so they could walk worthy
39:33of the kingdom and the glory.
39:35So, that's a true ministry.
39:49They did not seek glory from man.
39:52Part of Anyway, I'm not going to I could
39:53go into that. I'm not going to do that.
39:55We need to be careful when God uses us.
39:59We want to The Bible says, "Let the
40:00redeemed of the Lord say so." The Bible
40:02says, "Tell of his wonders. Tell of his
40:04works." But, we need to be very careful
40:06how we do it
40:08so that the Lord is the one glorified
40:10and not us.
40:12It's very subtle.
40:14I was speaking with another minister
40:16after someone else was exposed.
40:20And we were just talking not in a
40:22condescending way. We were both saying,
40:23"Wow,
40:25did this is a shock to me?"
40:28And then the other minister said to me,
40:30"But did you notice on his TV programs,
40:33all of them
40:34all of them
40:35were about him?"
40:39He gave this word and it came to pass.
40:41He did this. It was all about him.
40:46And we can make it sound like it's for
40:47the glory of God, but it said we
40:50uh
40:50the true ministries
40:52do not seek glory from men.
40:55So, we have to be If God That's a That's
40:57a mountain God's bringing down.
41:00So, in fear and trembling, we should all
41:01be aware of that.
41:03Say, "Okay, God, I don't want to ever
41:04take the glory.
41:06I don't want to take the glory."
41:09Okay, let's look at a couple more. You
41:11ready? What about Judas?
41:14Why did God Jesus knew who Judas was. He
41:17knew from the beginning.
41:19And he yet he was chosen to be on his
41:21team. Well, I There's a number of
41:22reasons. God in his sovereignty
41:25someone had to betray Jesus. Now, God
41:27didn't make Judas do it. Judas chose to
41:29do it.
41:30Judas had the same opportunity of grace
41:32as the other 11 apostles.
41:35He saw the same Jesus, heard his heard
41:37him, touched him, felt him, walked with
41:38him. He had the same opportunity. God in
41:41his foreknowledge knew what Judas would
41:44choose.
41:45>> Yes.
41:46>> Therefore,
41:47he chose him to be on the team
41:49>> That's right.
41:49>> cuz he knew what he would do. God didn't
41:51make Judas do it. Judas chose it.
41:54God's foreknowledge used it.
41:56Now, here's another thing I thought
41:57about.
42:00>> [clears throat]
42:00>> I wonder if the other 11 had
42:02conversations after Judas hanged himself
42:05and he was exposed for who he was.
42:07How I wonder how shocked they were
42:10in the Garden of Gethsemane when they
42:11saw Judas do what he did.
42:14Or were they? Did they look at him and
42:16say, "You know what? I saw some signs."
42:19I wonder what kind of conversations they
42:21had.
42:23And here's what I wondered. The
42:25sovereignty of God, God doesn't waste
42:26anything.
42:28Judas was, I believe, because he was not
42:32really a believer.
42:35He didn't believe what Jesus said. If he
42:38did, he wouldn't have betrayed him.
42:40He had some other agenda.
42:42He didn't believe what Jesus said.
42:45I wonder when Jesus wasn't around
42:49if Judas was dropping criticisms and
42:52cynicism to the rest of them.
42:55Come on, you guys. You really believe
42:57that?
43:00What do you think about this? Yeah, and
43:01we're told he was a thief.
43:04He carried the ministry purse. He's
43:07stealing from the ministry.
43:09So, he had no fear of God.
43:13And um well, I just think that after he
43:16was exposed, the disciples, I believe
43:18this, they looked back and they could
43:20see the little signs that they
43:23overlooked
43:25before.
43:27And I think
43:29that going forward, they all had better
43:31discernment.
43:33Cuz I wonder why I wonder why. Lord, why
43:36do you allow people to get so far
43:39before they get exposed? And I think
43:40there's a multiple reason. I don't
43:42pretend to have the answer, but I think
43:44one of them is
43:46is that God gives the minister time to
43:48repent.
43:50Gives him time to He gave Jezebel time
43:52to repent. She was teaching sexual
43:54immorality and idolatry in the church.
43:56It doesn't get worse than that.
43:59And it said he gave her time to repent.
44:01But I also think that um
44:03when they're exposed, it It all of us
44:05look back and learn from it.
44:08Say, "Okay, I You know, in hindsight,
44:11there's a few things that kind of
44:13when you really believe in someone,
44:14you'll give them a pass.
44:16Oh, no, that can't be that. We must
44:18believe the best. That couldn't be it."
44:22And now, we go forward with better
44:24discernment.
44:26So, it all works for good.
44:28Judas.
44:31Here's another one, Demas.
44:33He's mentioned at least three times in
44:35the
44:36scriptures, in Philemon, in Colossians,
44:38and in 2 Timothy.
44:40Here's what Paul called Demas in
44:41Philemon chapter 1, well, verse 23. Paul
44:45says, "Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in
44:47Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark,
44:49Aristarchus, Demas, Luke,
44:52my fellow laborers."
44:55So, Paul calls Demas his fellow laborer.
44:58Can you imagine how privileged that is?
45:00Paul wrote more than half the books of
45:02the New Testament. He's caught up to
45:04heaven. He gets his gospel directly from
45:06Jesus. He moves in all the gifts. He's
45:09full of the Holy Spirit. He's planting
45:10churches, fighting demons.
45:14You get to be his fellow laborer?
45:16What a privilege to learn and be
45:17mentored by someone who's directly
45:19mentored by Jesus?
45:22He was a fellow laborer with Paul.
45:25Then, Paul mentions at the beginning
45:26Colossians 4:14, "Luke, the beloved
45:29physician, and Demas, greet you."
45:32So, he's working with Paul.
45:33Now, watch. When Paul faced execution in
45:36Rome, he writes 2 Timothy. He said,
45:39"Timothy, be diligent to come to me
45:41quickly, for Demas has forsaken me,
45:44having loved this present world."
45:49How does it happen?
45:51See, the Bible talks about those who've
45:53tasted the powers of the age to come.
45:54They've tasted the good word of God.
45:56They've partaken of the Holy Spirit. I'm
45:59sure Demas had all all that.
46:02And then, they fall away. He said he
46:03forsook me. Why? He tells why. He loved
46:07the present world. Somehow
46:10the new chariots,
46:12the new homes on the hillside,
46:14the pretty girls, whatever it was, the
46:17clubs, he loved it.
46:20And he forsook
46:22and went for the world. So, that What
46:24does that tell us? Some people start
46:27out, they're genuine. They're really
46:30fellow workers. They're really serving.
46:33But there's a change that comes along
46:34the way. That's why the Bible says, "He
46:36that endures to the end
46:39>> Yes.
46:39>> shall be saved."
46:40>> Amen. Till the end.
46:42>> Okay. Want to look at one more? We have
46:44time for one more?
46:45>> Yes.
46:45>> Yes, we do. Chris said we do.
46:49This is a good one. This is King
46:51Solomon. Let's look at King Solomon.
46:53King Solomon started out pleasing God so
46:56much.
46:58I mean, I've learned from him. I said,
46:59"Lord, I want to be like that." He
47:01didn't ask for anything selfish.
47:03He asked God, "Will you please give me
47:05something so I can serve you better?"
47:07And that pleased God so much. We can all
47:10learn from that.
47:12All right, you read about it in 1 Kings
47:14chapter 3 verse 5. God appeared to
47:16Solomon in a dream at Gibeon.
47:19And he said, "Ask me whatever you will."
47:22Come on.
47:23He sees the Lord.
47:26He God gives him a blank check.
47:29Solomon asked for an understanding heart
47:31or a discerning heart to govern.
47:34And he did not ask for long life or
47:35wealth. This pleased God because God was
47:38pleased with Solomon, he gave him
47:40unparalleled wisdom more than any man on
47:43the earth at that time, as well as he
47:46said, "I'll also give you riches and
47:48honor that he did not request."
47:51So, as a young man, he starts out
47:53pleasing God.
47:55I want to suggest that what the wisdom
47:58God gave Solomon was a gift.
48:02It's a gift of wisdom. It's another
48:04kind.
48:05Solomon fell away from God when he was
48:07older primarily by marrying hundreds of
48:09foreign wives who influenced him to turn
48:12his heart toward and to worship other
48:15deities.
48:18He disregarded God's commandments. He
48:20built pagan temples for idols such as
48:22Molech and Chemosh.
48:24And as explained in 1 Kings 11, he did
48:27evil in the sight of the Lord losing his
48:29dedication to God.
48:32Here's what it says. Solomon married 700
48:35princesses and 300 concubines from
48:37nations forbidden by God such as Moab,
48:40Ammon, Edom, and Sidon. These wives
48:43turned his heart away from exclusive
48:45devotion to Yahweh.
48:49He had a sex problem.
48:52He built pagan shrines. He built high
48:54places of worship for his wives to burn
48:56incense. He loved pleasing his wives
48:59more than pleasing God.
49:02Direct disobedience. God had appeared to
49:04Solomon twice to warn him against
49:06following other gods, but Solomon
49:08willfully disobeyed. God appeared to him
49:11twice.
49:14Misplaced priorities. His great power
49:16and wealth likely led to a gradual
49:18spiritual decline where he seemed to
49:20prioritize political alliances for ego
49:25and personal advantage.
49:27And prioritized the pleasures of his
49:29wives over his devotion to God.
49:34Because of this, God said the kingdom
49:36would be torn away from his son,
49:38Rehoboam.
49:39Solomon's son. The kingdom would be torn
49:41away. Yet, because God loved David, he
49:43kept one tribe for Rehoboam, Judah.
49:48To keep his word and his covenant to
49:50David.
49:52This is why it's important to heed the
49:53admonitions of scripture.
49:56What can we learn from Solomon?
50:00Solomon verily very likely heard and was
50:04taught the Psalms by his father David.
50:09Very likely.
50:10And David wrote in the Psalms that the
50:13fear of the Lord is the beginning of
50:15wisdom.
50:17Solomon wrote scripture. He wrote
50:20Ecclesiastes.
50:22He finished the book of Ecclesiastes,
50:24the last two verses.
50:26Ecclesiastes chapter 12 and 13 chapter
50:2912 verse 13 and 14. This is Solomon
50:31writing. Let us hear the conclusion of
50:33the whole matter. Fear God and keep his
50:35commandments for this is man's all. For
50:38God will bring every work into judgment
50:40including every secret thing whether
50:42good or evil.
50:43Solomon wrote that.
50:45Solomon wrote fear God. Solomon wrote
50:48wisdom. He wrote Ecclesiastes. He heard
50:51wisdom from his father, but he didn't
50:53have wisdom.
50:55He wrote scripture. He was anointed with
50:58wisdom, but the wisdom he had was a
51:01gift. He didn't have real wisdom because
51:04the scripture says real wisdom begins
51:07with the fear of God and Solomon didn't
51:09have it.
51:11So he had a gift of word of knowledge,
51:14word of wisdom.
51:16He had gifts of revelatory gifts of
51:18wisdom,
51:19but he didn't have wisdom in his heart.
51:24Which just shows you can have the gifts
51:26and go to hell.
51:30And he said many will come in that day
51:32say we prophesied, we cast out demons,
51:34we did many wonderful works. He'll say
51:36depart from me.
51:37You're workers of lawlessness.
51:40What does it profit a man if he gains a
51:42whole world but loses his soul?
51:45So Solomon was given a gift of wisdom
51:47more any man on the earth, but that was
51:49only a gift. We would call it word of
51:51wisdom.
51:52Real wisdom begins with the fear of God,
51:54and Solomon didn't have it. Now, here's
51:56the question. But, what about his
51:58prophecies?
52:00Well, Ecclesiastes is still true.
52:03>> Yes, it is.
52:04>> See, when the anointing was on Solomon,
52:08the words that he wrote are still true.
52:10>> That's right.
52:11>> They're
52:12Yeah, what he wrote in
52:14Ecclesiastes.
52:16There's a couple parts of other
52:17scriptures, Psalms, a couple part that
52:19are attributed to Solomon.
52:23Parts of it, small parts.
52:25So, God can move through a person like
52:28Balaam and give accurate prophecies.
52:32But, he's so corrupt, God wants to kill
52:33him.
52:35You can write scripture. You can be the
52:37richest man. You can have words of
52:39wisdom. The Queen of Sheba came from
52:41across the earth to hear the wisdom of
52:43Solomon.
52:46But, he was corrupt in God's eyes. So,
52:48what do we learn from all this? Fruit,
52:51fruit, fruit.
52:54Seek the fruit.
52:56We want the gifts, they're important.
52:58Here's what we're admonished to do.
53:00Here's what I wrote down to try to bring
53:02this to a
53:02conclusion.
53:04We are admonished to go on to
53:06perfection. We're to To perfection means
53:09to full union with Jesus Christ. The To
53:12keep our compass accurate.
53:15We must always maintain sincere and pure
53:18devotion to loving, serving, and
53:19pleasing God only, and obeying his word.
53:23Always, now and forever till the Lord
53:25comes back.
53:27And if God anoints us with gifts, great.
53:29And if he doesn't, we're going to have
53:30fruit.
53:34Now, watch what it says in Hebrews
53:35chapter 6.
53:37Leaving the discussion of the elementary
53:39principles of Christ, let us go on to
53:42perfection. That means full maturity in
53:43Christ.
53:45He says, "Not laying again the
53:46foundation of repentance from dead
53:48works, faith toward God, doctrine of
53:49baptism, laying on of hands,
53:50resurrection of the dead, and of eternal
53:52judgment. This we will do if God
53:53permits." Then he goes on, "It is
53:56impossible for those who were once
53:57enlightened, have tasted the heavenly
54:00gift, have become partakers of the Holy
54:02Spirit, they've tasted the good word of
54:04God and the powers of the age to come,
54:06if they fall away to renew them again to
54:08repentance, since they crucify again for
54:11themselves the Son of God, and they put
54:13them to an open shame."
54:16For the earth that drinks in the rain
54:17that often comes on it and bears herbs
54:19useful for those by whom it's
54:21cultivated, that earth that bears fruit
54:23receives blessing from God. But if it
54:26bears thorns and briars, it's rejected
54:28and nearing to being cursed, whose end
54:30is to be burned. So what God's saying is
54:33fruit.
54:34The fruit bear fruit. Bear the fruit of
54:36the Holy Spirit.
54:39Then he goes on to say, the writer of
54:40Hebrews, "But beloved, we're confident
54:42of better things concerning you. Yes,
54:44things that accompany salvation, though
54:46we speak in this manner." He's warning
54:48them, "Go on to perfection." That's what
54:51he's saying. "Because if you fall away,
54:52if you've tasted of this and you fall
54:54away, it's impossible to bring you back
54:56to repentance."
54:58He so his admonition is keep pressing
55:01for full union with Christ.
55:03That's what it's saying.
55:05For God is not unjust to forget your
55:07work and your labor of love which you've
55:08shown toward his name.
55:10In that you have ministered to the
55:12saints, and you do minister. We desire
55:13that each one of you show the same
55:15diligence to the full assurance of hope
55:17to the end that you don't become
55:19sluggish, but imitate those who through
55:21faith and patience inherit the promises.
55:25So to not fall away, he's saying people
55:27have been full of the Holy Spirit. They
55:28tasted the gifts, the powers of the age
55:30to come. And then they walk away from
55:32God.
55:33They go back to the world. He said it's
55:35It's to bring them back to repentance.
55:37He said so his admonition is keep
55:39pressing.
55:40Keep pressing and have faith and
55:43patience and keep pressing.
55:47Jesus must be our first love.
55:51I devoted you he said I I betrothed you
55:54to one husband that I may present you as
55:55a chase virgin to Christ.
55:57I fear less somehow as a serpent
55:59deceived Eve by his craftiness your
56:01minds may be corrupted or led astray
56:03from sincere and pure devotion to
56:04Christ. Keep that it's our anchor that's
56:06our compass.
56:08He that endures to the end shall be
56:09saved. What else can we learn? What can
56:12we learn from the exposure? We can learn
56:15this
56:16except for the grace of God there go I.
56:18So Lord give us all the fear of God.
56:21Lord teach us to never compromise. Give
56:24us clean hands. Give us pure hearts.
56:26Lord help us to never lift ourself up.
56:29May we always hide behind the cross and
56:32give you the glory. May we always hide
56:34behind the cross and give God the glory.
56:37May money never control us. May money
56:40never control us. May we only be led by
56:43the fear of God and the will of God.
56:48Here's what Jesus said.
56:49Look for the fruit. By the way, we
56:52should not overlook when Christians
56:54exalt themselves. That's a bad sign.
56:57Don't look the other way when ministers
56:58live lavish lifestyles.
57:02There's a minister this is documented.
57:04There's a video out. It's a minister
57:06from Louisiana. He boasts that he has
57:08the largest house of any minister in
57:09America 35,000 square feet.
57:13Multi multi multi million dollar
57:17mansion. He said I have the largest he
57:19boasts of it.
57:21It's owned by his ministry. How would
57:23you like your ministry to pay millions
57:25and millions of dollars for the minister
57:27to have a lavish corrupt lifestyle?
57:35>> Don't overlook that. Don't overlook when
57:37ministers are charging for the teaching
57:39of the word of God. Don't overlook that.
57:42Look for the fruit of the Spirit.
57:44Matthew 7, Jesus said, "Beware of false
57:46prophets. They come to you in sheep's
57:48clothing." That means they have an
57:50outward speech and an outward appearance
57:51of righteousness, but inwardly they're
57:53ravenous wolves. That means they're
57:55hungry.
57:57What? For money. He said, "You will know
58:00them by their fruits."
58:03Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes
58:05or figs from thistles? Even so, a good
58:07tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree
58:09bears bad fruit.
58:11Every tree that does not bear good fruit
58:13is cut down and thrown into the fire.
58:16Therefore, by their fruit you shall know
58:18them.
58:19So, Lord, help us to be cultivating the
58:21fruit and looking for the fruit.
58:26>> Amen.
58:26>> I want the gifts.
58:28>> I want them, but
58:28>> I want everybody to have the gifts, but
58:30I want us to be anchored in the fruit.
58:32>> Yes.
58:33There it is.
58:35>> I'm almost done.
58:371 John 3:7, "Little children, let no one
58:39deceive you. He who practices
58:41righteousness is righteous,
58:43just as he is righteous. He who sins the
58:47word practice is implied he who sins is
58:49of the devil, for the devil sinned from
58:51the beginning. For this purpose, the Son
58:53of God was manifested that he might
58:55destroy the works of the devil, that is
58:56sin.
58:58Whoever's been born of God does not sin
59:00or practice sin. For God's seed remains
59:03in him and he cannot sin or practice sin
59:06because he's been born of God. In this,
59:08the children of God and the children of
59:10the devil are manifest. Whoever does not
59:12practice righteousness is not of God,
59:15nor is he
59:16who does not love his brother.
59:20When someone is exposed or judged, we
59:23may see Ananias and Sapphira happen.
59:26I hope not.
59:28But stay low, don't point the finger,
59:31fear God, and don't be haughty. Say,
59:34"Lord, help me be pure."
59:36"Lord, help me be pure."
59:381 Corinthians 10:12, "Therefore, let him
59:40who thinks he stands take heed, lest he
59:43fall."
59:44Matthew 7:2, Jesus said, "For with the
59:47judgment that you judge will be judged.
59:49For the measure you use, it will be
59:50measured back to you." So, we should not
59:53be haughty or say, "Look who got
59:55exposed" or "Look at this." We should
59:57tremble and say, "Lord, I want to be
59:58clean."
1:00:01Proverbs 24:17, "Do not rejoice when
1:00:04your enemy falls. Do not let your heart
1:00:06be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord
1:00:08see it and it displease him,
1:00:12and he turn away his wrath from him."
1:00:14If we gloat when someone's exposed or
1:00:16falls,
1:00:18we
1:00:19gain God's displeasure.
1:00:22Love does not rejoice in iniquity.
1:00:25Yes, it weeps at the sin or the folly of
1:00:27its bitterest enemy.
1:00:30That's what love does. Love rejoices in
1:00:32the truth, in the holiness and the
1:00:34happiness of every child of man.
1:00:38Proverbs 17:5, "Whoever's glad at
1:00:40calamity will not go unpunished."
1:00:42I'm saying this because there's people
1:00:44putting out exposure videos and there's
1:00:47almost an There's really an unhealthy
1:00:49attitude in some of them. And in some of
1:00:51the people that watch them, like this
1:00:53self-righteous gloating, like, "Yeah,
1:00:55look at that. Look at that." Well, who
1:00:57are we without the grace of God?
1:01:03Job was lamenting. He said, "If I
1:01:05rejoiced at the destruction of him who's
1:01:07hated me or lifted up my self when evil
1:01:10found him."
1:01:12In other words, he's saying,
1:01:14"Lord, this attitude is wrong. I hope
1:01:16I've never done that."
1:01:18But what should we do?
1:01:20Matthew 5, Jesus said, "You've heard it
1:01:22said, you shall your neighbor and hate
1:01:23your enemy. I say to you, love your
1:01:25enemies.
1:01:26Bless those who curse you. Do good to
1:01:28those who hate you. Pray for those who
1:01:30spitefully use you and persecute you.
1:01:32That you may be sons of your father in
1:01:34heaven and free makes the sun rise on
1:01:35the evil and on the good. Sends rain on
1:01:38the just and the unjust. This is the
1:01:39heart of God.
1:01:42If someone's falling, we should be as
1:01:43grieved as God is.
1:01:46We should be as grieved as if our own
1:01:47child fell.
1:01:50How would we feel if our own child fell?
1:01:54We would be so sick-hearted.
1:01:57That's how God feels.
1:01:59If we're going to have our heart in
1:02:00union with Christ, we should love
1:02:02righteousness and hate evil, but we
1:02:04should be grieved for those that fall.
1:02:07We should pray for those.
1:02:09Romans 12:21 says, "Don't be overcome by
1:02:12evil,
1:02:13but overcome evil with good.
1:02:15The measure of mercy we sow
1:02:17is the measure of mercy we get.
1:02:20So, God, during this season of exposure,
1:02:22be merciful.
1:02:24Even for people that are being exposed.
1:02:27I pray God there be repentance and
1:02:29restoration. Not necessarily to
1:02:32ministry, but to Christ.
1:02:35In my opinion, some people have
1:02:36disqualified themselves from ministry.
1:02:40But I do want to see them restored to
1:02:42Christ.
1:02:44And God help us all. Help us learn going
1:02:47forward. Help us learn going forward.
1:02:50I've made this mistake. I think we all
1:02:52have. We get too impressed
1:02:55with anointings and giftings.
1:02:58And we forget to be fruit inspectors.
1:03:01And when we're a fruit inspector, I'm
1:03:03checking my own heart first.
1:03:05I'm checking my own heart first.
1:03:09But this is what God's doing right now.
1:03:12Yeah, I say it with fear and trembling.
1:03:13He's bringing down the mountains. He's
1:03:15lifting up the valleys. He's making
1:03:16crooked places straight, he's making
1:03:19rough ways smooth, and pretty soon all
1:03:21flesh is going to see the glory of God.
1:03:24And uh may when he does, may we all have
1:03:27clean hands and pure hearts.
1:03:29>> [snorts]
1:03:29>> Lord, help us all. Let's pray.
1:03:32Lord, help us all.
1:03:34Lord, I pray that if there's anything in
1:03:36us of uh wrong priorities,
1:03:39uh selfish ambition, pride, wrong
1:03:42motives, Lord, if there's anything in us
1:03:45of self-righteousness, of gloating, or
1:03:47pointing the other finger, or being
1:03:49condescending in our heart when someone
1:03:51has fallen,
1:03:52or been exposed, God, forgive us and
1:03:54cleanse us.
1:03:55But we want to be those that have clean
1:03:57hands and pure hearts.
1:03:59Lord, I know I know that I am and I know
1:04:01that we are only what we are by the
1:04:03grace of God.
1:04:04Wash us fresh in your precious blood.
1:04:07And I pray, God, you'd bring a new level
1:04:09of purity in our church.
1:04:11Bring a new level of holiness.
1:04:14Lord, you'd bring a new degree of love
1:04:16and kindness and laying down our lives.
1:04:19Lord, we want to be built into that
1:04:21highway of holiness.
1:04:23We want to be into that We want to be
1:04:25built into that highway where the
1:04:26mountains are down, the valleys are up,
1:04:29the crooked is straight, and the rough
1:04:30is smooth, so that the glory of God can
1:04:33be seen.
1:04:34Have your way in us, Lord.
1:04:36Father, we ask it in Jesus' name.
1:04:39All that agreed said
1:04:40>> Amen.
1:04:41>> Holy, holy, holy holy holy holy holy
1:04:42holy [music and singing] holy holy holy
1:04:43holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy
1:04:44holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy
1:04:45holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy
1:04:46holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy
1:04:47holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy
1:04:48holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy
1:04:49holy holy holy holy holy holy

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