He notices that the wicked are prospering and he knows that he's done everything right he's been living for God
He's been serving God. He's been a good guy, but let's start reading this
It says in verse 2 but as for me my feet were almost gone my steps as well. I slipped
For I was envious at the foolish
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked so he's been living for God
He's been serving God
But then he starts to slip a little bit because he starts to notice a lot of really wicked people around him
Prospering and things are going great for them
He says in verse number four for there are no bands in their debt, but their strength is firm
They're not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued like other men therefore pride compasses them about as a chain
Violence covered them as a garment their eyes stand out with badness
They have more than heart could wish he's saying man
They have everything in life more than anybody could ever want and he said I looked at them and said why are the wicked prospering?
He said in verse 8 they're corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression
They speak loftily that set their mouth against the heavens. He said they're blasphemous
I mean they blaspheme God they take God's name in vain yet. I don't see them be punished
I don't see anything bad happen to them their tongue walking through the earth therefore his people return hither and
Waters of a full cup are rung out to them and they say how does God know and is their knowledge in the most high?
Behold these are the
Godly who prosper in the world they increase in riches
Barely, I've cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands and innocency for all the day long
Have I been plagued and chasing every morning
So he's looking around and he's saying all kinds of bad things are happening to me. I'm plagued every day
I'm chasing every morning
Then I look around at these ungodly wicked people who blaspheme God
Blaspheme the heavens seems like everything's going great for them. They're prospering their fat flesh
They have everything anybody can want and he says it's in vain that I'm even serving God
Yeah, I've washed my hands and innocency. He said what I'm doing is vain
He said I've cleansed my heart in vain. What's the point now?
This is something that we could probably look around and see today
You could look around easily today and find people that are wicked and ungodly people who are successful
Who have money who are healthy who are happy everything's going great for them
And yet we can see a lot of believers in Jesus Christ and people who really serve God with all their heart
That are suffering that are going through bad time and we could probably find ourselves in the same place as ASAP here where we start
To question this and say why is this? Why are they blessed and I'm having all these bad things happen to me
Now part of this is because we live in a day of prosperity preaching
We live in a day where the message is preached across pulpits across America is that if you serve God or if you love God?
Everything's going to go your way
the Joel Osteen gospel
Which is just basically that if you believe God if you come to church and do what's right
Everything's gonna be great and you're gonna have your best life now
You know what Joel Osteen preaches we drive around we see the billboards of the churches showing
You know good-looking people with rings on their fingers and fancy suits saying hey, you know, this is the blessed life
This is the life of living for God and yet we go to
Reality and we see that many of the people that are serving God the most are suffering
Look at the Apostle Paul. He's beaten with rods. He's thrown in jail. He loses everything that he had in the Jews religion
Hey, he wasn't being prospered financially
He wasn't being physically blessed and we sit there and we listen these preachers that tell us that
Everything good is gonna go for you. You know, everything's gonna go good for you when you serve God, but it's just not reality
It's not reality in the Bible. It's not reality in our lives. And so we look at the wicked and they prosper
Another thing that you'll often hear breach that's false
Is first of all, it's false that you're gonna prosper financially everything's gonna go great for you just because you're living for God
That's not true. But the other thing you'll hear preached is that every unsaved person's unhappy, you know
Who's heard that preach before like everybody if they're not saved?
They're unhappy and they have this god-shaped hole in their life and they can't fill it and they're just they're really miserable
And even if they're happy on the outside, they're missed on the inside, you know, that's not really true either
There are a lot of people out there who are wicked who are happy to be wicked they're they're happy
They love it and they're living it up. They're partying. They're enjoying everything that the light that life has to offer
They have a big smile on their face and like you can go smile
You can go so many of some of these richer areas
Sometimes you see people are happy and smiling and they're doing great and they basically have the attitude that these people have like, you know
What does God have it? You know, I don't care about God
You know, you'll knock the door and ask if you know for sure if you died here you could have it
I don't need that. I don't have time for that
But they're having fun in life. They're happy in life
And so ASAP is seeing that reality
maybe he'd had some preachers in his life lie to him and preach this prosperity gospel and maybe preach this thing that all
Unsaved people are happy and miserable and those who are saved everything's going to go great for them
And they're going to be happy all the time. So ASAP starts to slip
He starts to you know have these crazy thoughts these foolish thoughts of
Envying them and maybe thinking maybe he should live a wicked life
That's what he started to think like maybe I should just go be one of them
It says in verse number 15
He kind of checks himself they shouldn't be having these guys bombs
So he says in verse 15 if I say I will speak thus
Behold I should offend against the generation of thy children, so he said wait a minute. I don't want I
Don't want to say this out loud what I'm thinking because he's having these doubts about his life, right?
He doesn't want to say that out loud because he doesn't want to offend others and children
And he doesn't want them to live a wicked life
Maybe I shouldn't be saying this out loud
And he says in verse 16 when I thought to know this it was too painful for me, but watch verse 17
Until I went into the sanctuary of God, so this is where it gets his head straighten out here
Until I went into the sanctuary of God then understood I therein
Surely thou did set them in slippery places verse 18 thou casteth them down into destruction
How are they brought into desolation as in a moment?
They are utterly consumed with terrors as a dream when one awaketh so Oh Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise their image
Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my race so foolish was I ignorant
I was as a beast before he said then I went to church and I went into God's sanctuary
He said then I understood therein
Hey, God has set them in slippery places, and he said their destruction is coming someday in a moment
I mean how long does it take to die just a moment?
He says in a moment they're gonna be brought into desolation in a moment. God's gonna despise them in a moment
They'll be burning in hell
He said how could I envy whatever pleasure that they have in this earth for just a short time when they're gonna spend eternity
in hell I
Mean wouldn't that be silly to envy the Hollywood stars to envy the rock stars to envy the party crowd to envy the people
Who dishonestly gain wealth or dishonestly rise to the top in this world?
Oh, they're smiling, and they're happy, but they're enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season
That's not an enduring happiness, that's not an enduring joy it may endure in this life
It may endure till they're old and gray-headed, but what is your life?
It isn't even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanish it away, and they are going to go to hell
What in the world?
Could you say to God to say well, it's not fair God
How could you look at some wicked person prospering some unsafe person who's because we're talking about people who are just blaspheming God
They don't believe in God. I don't care. Okay. How could you envy them and
Say well, that's not fair. God's not punishing them when God's gonna punish them for all eternity in hell
I mean you tell me that that's not enough punishment. I
Mean I don't care if they live to be 200 years old if they spend eternity in hell
That's a major punishment right there. They're gonna get what's coming to them
So don't ever look at the wicked people in this world and say oh wow, they're getting away with everything
No, if they're not saved
They're not getting away with anything. They're going to hell and they're gonna be punished
And so that was why ASAP said man
I was so foolish to think that way
To start actually ending and you may come to a point in your life because ASAP was a great guy
He was a pretty strong Christian here and you may get to a point in your life
Where you start to think wait a minute
I'm looking at some of my old friends maybe some of the old crowd that I used to run with man
It seems like they're happy seems like everything's going great for them and you start to think that the grass is a little greener on the
Other side of the fence. He says that was a really foolish size a dumb thing
Thank now go if you would to Joe go to Joe chapter 21
Joe check number 21
ASAP said this and I'm gonna point out one more thing about what ASAP said
he
Said for all the day long have I been plagued and
Chastened every morning. He says here. I am being constantly
Chastened but I don't see the wicked being chasing. I don't see them being punished
I don't see them being disciplined by God for all the wicked things. They're doing, you know, I do some little thing
Wrong and then God's all over me chasing me and disciplining me and I see these wicked people just get away with everything
Look at Joe 21 see in the book of job. There's a similar thing going on here
Joe has had all kinds of bad things happen to him
He's in physical pain. He's lost his wealth. He's lost his business
Everybody's turned on him and his friends start coming to him and preaching this Joel Osteen type of prosperity gospel to him
Joe friends come to him and say oh man everybody who does right is gonna be prosperous and
Everybody does wrong bad things are gonna happen. So they're saying okay, Joe. Tell us what your sins are
You bet you must have been into some really bad stuff
And Joe keeps telling no guys. I mean, I'm
No, Joe you must have some wicked saying in your life that you're hiding, you know
We need to go on your hard drive your computer and find you know, figure out what you've been into
We didn't go into the cookies on the web browser, you know the history
We need to go into your room and find out what do you would even hide it
What are you into Joe and he tells them? No, I haven't done anything
I'm just living for God. They say that's impossible. You live for God over these appearance
So his friends are idiots and God tells them later. I'm angry at your friends because they're a bunch of liars
But job answers them in job 21
They're telling him and if you do right everything could be great. You must be living in sin
Well Joe's response to that is in chapter 21 here
It says in chapter 21, let me turn there myself
It says at the beginning of the chapter chapter 21 just so we can see who's talking
As his friend just finished talking in chapter 20 so far than the amethyst
But it says in verse 1 but job answered and said here diligent with my speech and let this be your consolations
Jump down if you would to verse 7
Wherefore which means why why do the wicked live become old ye are mighty in power
He says come on guys, who are you kidding? I can look around and see wicked people that have all kinds of power
They have all kinds of health
Everything's going their way. He said why is that?
He said in verse 8 their seed is established in their sight with them and their offsprings before their eyes
Their houses are safe from fear and watch. Here's the key
Neither is the rod of God upon them
So are these people being chased into discipline by God?
No, he said the rod of God is not a problem. Now ASAP was being chased in every morning
He said the wicked are
He said in verse 10 their bull gender athen failed not their cow caveth and casteth not her calf
They send forth their little ones like a flock and their children dance
They take the timbrel and harp and rejoice at the sound of the organ
They spend their days in wealth and in a moment go down to the grave
He said boy, they live a prosperous life
And you know, they die a really peaceful like a quick he says they go down the moment to the grave
Like it's not a drawn-out painful death. It's like a really smooth
death
Therefore they say unto God
Depart from us, you know, therefore they say to every soul winner that knocks on the door depart from us
Sorry, not interested, you know, oh, we're good. We're okay. We're fine. We're okay. You know for sure you're going to heaven? No, but we're fine
You're a church anywhere. No, we're fine. We're good. We're good to go. You know, it's a depart from us God
We don't care. We're too busy having fun
For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. We don't care. We don't want to know how to go to heaven
We don't really care about God in the Bible
What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what prophets should we have if we pray unto him?
Lo, their good is not in their hand
The counsel of the wicked is far from me. So Job says hey
I'm not saying that that's what they say. The counsel of the wicked is far from me
He said I'm not saying that what they're doing is right. He says in verse 17
How oft is the candle of the wicked put out and how oft cometh their destruction upon them?
God distributed sorrows in his anchor
They are a stubble before the wind and a shaft of the storm carried away
God lieth up his iniquity for his children
He rewarded him and he shall know his eyes shall see his destruction
And he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty
Now
Drinking of the wrath of Almighty that reminds me of Revelation 14 10 and 11
When the Bible talked about those who take the mark of the beast, if any man
worshiped the beast in his image and received his mark and his right hand and his forehand of his hand
The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God
Which is poured out without mixture into the cup visiting nation and he shall be
Tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb and the smoke of their torment
Ascendeth up forever and ever and they have no rest day nor night
He worshiped the beast and his image and whose whoever received the mark of his name
He says look
The counsel of the wicked is far from me because they're gonna drink of the wine of the wrath of God
They're gonna spend eternity in hell. So what?
But we as Christians on the other hand
We're not going to hell. We're going to heaven
the Bible says in John 5 24
verily I say to you he that heareth my word and
Beliebeth on him that sent me have everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation
But his past from death and the life now alone. Am I going to be condemned by God for my sins?
No, I'm not going to come into condemnation
I've been justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
I'm not gonna have to stand before God to be judged for my sins
Like the unbelievers will at that great white throne when they're gonna be judged every man according to his works
Hey, I'm already saved. I've been delivered from that. I've been freed that the unsaved however are gonna spend eternity in hell
But you say okay pastor Anderson. I understand
Those who are unsaved we shouldn't envy them. Okay, because they're gonna get what's coming to them when they go to hell
You know, I get it
But you say what about people that are saved them?
You know, I know some people that are saved
But they're living a wicked life. They're not in church. They're not serving God
What about them? I mean, yeah, you know, it's not fair. I'm sorry God
I'm doing everything and it seems like bad things happen to me. I see them do it pretty good
Now I say go to Hebrews chapter 12 if you would
Because if you remember Joe clearly said, you know the unsaved ungodly don't even believe in the Lord
he said
The rod of correction is not on them
a
Sap said the same thing, you know, I'm chaste and every morning them on the other hand everything goes their way
Look at Hebrews chapter 12
It says in Hebrews chapter 12 verse 5 and you've forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as of the children my son
Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faith when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord
loveth he chaseneth and
Scourge it every son whom he receiveth
You know what the implication there is whom he doesn't love he doesn't chase him and whoever's not his son is not being scourged
You know if you're not a child of God if you're not saved you're not going to be disciplined by God and that's why you
See people that are ungodly unsaved people
Prosper because God doesn't chasen them. God doesn't scourge them. God doesn't have to pray
They're gonna reap what they sow and their children are reap what they've shown us over
But you do see a lot of people do a lot of bad things and you know go down to the grave in a moment
Of course, we know they're getting what's coming to them in hell, but he says here that God loves those who meet chases
He says in verse 7 if you endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons
For what son is he whom the father chaste did not watch this
But if you be without chastisement where of all our partakers then are you bastards and not?
sons so that right there says
That if a Christian if you as a believer
You know could go out and just do everything wicked in this world and nothing bad ever happens to you. He said well, that's impossible
That would mean you're not even safe because he said he disciplines every child
It is impossible for the child of God to go out and live like the devil and not be disciplined for it
Believe me. There are many Christians who do a lot of wicked things
There are a lot of believers in Jesus Christ who fall into sin
Look at David backslid, you know, David committed adultery with Bathsheba David had to ride a hetai killed
David went back into some wickedness there, but he was disciplined for it. He was chasing for it
He suffered severe
consequences in his life for that because he was saved
And see that's the difference between the same dance. Let me give it to you this way
My children when they disobey me, I'm not gonna kick them out of the family
You know, they're still my children. I'm still gonna love the same thing with God. We're God's children. He'll never cast us out
We have eternal life. We have everlasting life. We can never lose our salvation
But when my children I definitely have rules for them and if they disobey those rules
I will discipline
Okay, the Bible says that if I love them I'll discipline them I'll spank them
I'll I'll spank them with the rod and so forth the Bible teaches that but let me ask you this
What about my neighbor children?
If I see the neighbor kids doing something wrong, am I going to go over there and spank the neighbor children?
Well, you know you're acting up and just go what can you imagine me going across the street with my belt
Hey little Johnny
You know, do you think that that would fly
And it's not my responsibility
But who do you think I love more my neighbor kids or my kids? I don't even know the neighbor kids
I love my children. I did I discipline my children. I chased in my church
I don't chase in the neighborhood and God's the same way, you know whom the Lord love it
He chased me and scourges every time
And so before people are saying they could get away with a lot
Let me tell you something after you're saved
You're not getting away with stuff in this world because God can't punish you in the next world
He can't send you to hell or he'd be lying because he already promised you everlasting life. He has to punish you right here
It has to happen if you as a born-again child of God
Commit sin and live in sin and commit wicked sin. You better know you will be punished here on this earth. It will happen
He said it doesn't happen. You must not even be saved because he said if you're saying it will happen
Because that's the only place that God disciplines you he's not going to punish you when you get you know
There's a well, you know, you're not dancing to God. That's it
You can have to answer God for that right now
If you're saying or in the coming years, but it's gonna be on this earth
God will take care of it is there and that out of that out and put some fear of God it does
You know so many people just think you know, well it's a sin but so what you know
I'm just gonna do it anyway
I'm still going to heaven and you know, that's true. You are still going to heaven
But you know, there's a lot of really bad things that can happen to you in this world before you get to heaven
Did you know that I?
Mean look at jokes life, you know, he wasn't being disciplined used being tested
But he had a lot of really bad stuff. Look at David David had his children grow up and rebel against him
He had his wives defiled
he had
You know his children died
He had all these horrible events happen to him because of his one little one night fun time his one little pleasure
His one adult to explain, you know, was it worth it David? I guarantee it wasn't worth it
For suffering, you know pleasure for a moment pain for a lifetime
wasn't worth it and
So we Christians ought to take heed here and understand that if we go out and commit sin
We're gonna be punished by God and you know, sometimes Christians will complain and say oh why are those bad things happening?
You know a lot of us is reaping sin that you've done in your life
You know because God's chasing doesn't always come instantly, you know, a lot of it is you're reaping what you sell, you know
But you know what? How should we react to that because nobody likes to be chasing do they you think that my children are just yes
I'm getting is thinking this me dad dad loves me
Now now later on Sunday, why are you shaking your head son? Yeah later on some day
They're gonna thank me. I thank my parents. I've actually said to them to their face. I thank you for spanking me
Thank you for spending me the hardest that you spanked any of the kids
No, I needed it it's good for me and I look back at that say hey my parents loved me my parents raised me
Right, they spanked me they discipline but the Bible says look down if you would at verse number
11 now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, right? It doesn't seem fun. Does it?
Nevertheless afterward it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised there
But in the long run, you'll be glad that your parents chasing you children. You'll be glad that they spent but listen to this Christian
You'll be glad that God disciplined you someday
You know, you ever live your life and you feel like you keep trying to get ahead you keep and there's everything is going bad
Everything is not going your way, you know, some of that's God's discipline
Some of that's God's chasing and you know what someday you'll be glad for that
Because you needed that to knock you down a little bit so you don't get too high and mighty
Just like my children could get too high and mighty if they're never disciplined when they do wrong cry
Arrogancey haughtiness
God has to humble us through chastening
God has to spank us and put us in our place and it's good for us in the long run
Even though it doesn't seem fun at the time and we look at the unsaved and they're partying having fun and we envy them
That's a foolish stuff. We look at the Christians
You know
Don't know some watered-down
Community church where they just show up for an hour every week and that they live exactly like the world the rest of the week
And boy, it seems like everything's going great for them
And we might envy them
But you know what? You're a fool if you envy them because you ought to be rejoicing that God loves you and cares about you enough to chase you
And the one that he loves the most, he's going to chase you the most
You're probably thinking, man, God really loves me a lot, you know
God, if you love me a little too much, you know, I'm getting a little bit too loved right now, you know, too many spankings
But you see, it's actually good for you, that's why David said in Psalm 23
And you know, everybody knows Psalm 23
He said, yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil for thou art with me, but the verse isn't over there
How do you know he's with you David? Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me
You know, that's how he knew, I mean he said, well, you know, hey, I'm not afraid of anything because I know God's with me
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me
You know, I know God's with me because he's constantly giving me a word
I mean, my parents, my children, they don't wonder whether dad lives with them
They've experienced the law of dad's wrath
But what I'm saying is, you know, when we're chased in by God and we do something bad
And then something bad happens as a result, or we fail in our attempt to do something wrong
You know what, that's just God showing us that he's with us
And instead of having the bad attitude that ASAP had for a little while
Where we're down on the fact that we're being disciplined
And we envy those who go through no discipline
I wonder if my children have ever looked at other people and said like
It'd be great to be in one of these families where it's just a time out
But you know what, that'd be a foolish thought because that kid's going to grow up and be a wicked person
I mean, he's not going to grow up and live for God, period
Because he's not been disciplined, he's not been raised right
And they ought to be thankful that they're in a home where they're disciplined
The rod and the staff is a comfort unto us as believers
Hey, at least it's assurance of salvation, too
I know I'm saved because I can't get away with anything, you know
Everything is disciplined to me
But you know, you look at some people and it seems like they just live a wicked life
And they claim to be saved and nothing bad ever happens
And you know, we don't really know necessarily what's going on in other people's lives
But you know what, you wonder, is that person really even saved?
You know, because they're not being disciplined by God
And that's between them and God
Because he says if you're without chastisement
So that's kind of a self-examination right there, you know
Then you're a bastard and not a son, you know
And that's why he said in 2 Corinthians 13 5
Examine yourselves whether you be in the faith, you know
You know, are you even really saved if you can just live a wicked life
And everything goes great for you
And you don't feel bad about it, nothing bad ever happens
And everything goes great
You know, God says you're not my son
I spanked my sons
And if you're not getting spanked, you're not my son
That's what he's saying
And by the way children, if I ever stopped spanking you
That's when you can start doubting that I'm your dad, okay
So other than that, you can be sure of it
So the bottom line is this
Everybody gets what's coming to them in this life
The scales of justice will be balanced
The unsaved, they're going to be
They may get some punishment in this life
But it's nothing compared to what they're going to experience in eternity, in hell
Don't you dare ever be envious of the rock stars and the Hollywood star
They are going to go to hell
And that is not something to be jealous of, okay
And those that are the lame liberal Christian
They're going to get chased in like madness in this life
If they don't, then they weren't even saved in the first place
And not only that, you know
We're going to rule and reign with Christ Jesus according to our works
You know, we're going to be rewarded according to our works
See, the unsaved, they're going to get zero reward
They're only going to be punished for every bad thing they did
With the sage, it's the opposite
We're not getting punished in eternity for the bad things we did
Because Jesus paid it all
But we will be rewarded for the good things we've done
And you can have all eternity to enjoy the rewards that you earn by serving God
By keeping your life, by living a godly life, by going out and winning souls to Christ
By being faithful to God's house and being faithful in church
And being faithful to God's word and prayer
You're going to be rewarded for all eternity
You'll rule and reign with Christ
The lame old Christian is probably going to be sweeping the floor somewhere, you know
And they're not going to be exalted in the same place
I'm sorry, but it's a biblical doctrine
The thief on the cross and the apostle Paul are not going to be rewarded the same
When they get to heaven
Now hey, thank God they're both going to be in heaven
And that's the main, you know, I'd rather be the worst up in heaven
You know, I'd rather be the guy who's just the garbage man in heaven
You know, than to be the, you know, in the coldest, you know, spot of hell
You might have been the coolest little spot
You're just better off just to be in heaven
But don't envy the temporary prosperity of anybody
It's all temporary
God's going to reward the just and punish the wicked, period
Period
It's a fact, you can't get around it
And those who are the lame old Christians
They're going to get punished in this life
And they're going to miss out on all kinds of rewards for all of eternity
And so how are we going to keep our heads screwed on straight
Go to Psalm 73 and I'll close with this
How do we stay straight on this?
Because look, Psalm 73 records Asaph starting to slip into this mentality
Job's friends definitely had this mentality
And they were trying to spin him around on this
How did Asaph finally get straight on this?
It says in verse 17
Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I therein
You know, stay in church
Because if you get out of church is when your attitude's going to start to go bad
When you get away from God's house is where you're going to start to doubt yourself
And doubt the things that you're doing
And doubt living for God
And start to envy the wicked
Because when you get outside church, you know, you're amongst the world
And all the worldly pleasures are going to become what's important to you
The money, the cars, the clothes, the fun
You know, and just all the hobbies and just fun
And I'm not saying the hobbies are bad
But that's just going to become everything to you
And it's just going to be all about driving your fancy car
And your nice clothes
And your fun weekend
And your trip here
And your game here
And that, you know, you got to get in God's house
Where you get eternity in view, right?
You get out in the world and it's just the here and now
You're just thinking about, hey, what's my Tuesday going to be like?
Is it going to be a good day today?
Am I going to have fun?
Is it going to be pleasurable?
When you get in church, when you get in the Bible
When you spend time reading the word, getting around other Christians
You get the perspective of eternity
The big picture
Hey, this life's a vapor
Heaven and hell
Let's go get people saved
We're going to be ruling and reigning with Christ
You know, it's not about having fancy things right now
And it's all vanity anyway
Solomon had all of it
He said it's all vanity
Brother Garrett and I were out soloing this week
We're in some fancy neighborhoods
And we were really just admiring the houses
Because there were some pretty cool looking houses
They had these big round
Like what was the word you used?
Turrets or?
Yeah, like these round turrets
Looked like a medieval house
With like a big stone round turret
Like a castle
You know, we're looking at these houses
And I looked at these houses
Me and Brother Garrett were kind of just pointing out
Some of the architecture and just enjoying looking at it
I was saying to them, I said, you know, the people who live here
They probably thought that turret was pretty cool for the first week
But do you think that just years later
They're still just standing in awe of that turret every day?
No, because it gets old
I mean, it's cool at first
You know, you have that fancy car
Pretty soon it's just your car
You know
And I told Brother Garrett, I said, hey, we get the best of both worlds
You know, we live in our humble lodgings
That we can afford and pay for, you know
Without having to do everything to get in these fancy houses
And I said, we still get to look at the turret
Just as much as they get to look at it
I told Brother Garrett, I said, I have no desire to own this house
I have no desire to own this turret
I said, I'd rather just walk down the street
Knock every door
Preach the gospel
And just look at it
And just enjoy it
And we just enjoyed it
Like, why do I need to own it?
I looked at it
I thought it was cool
I'm sick of it already
I'm sick of talking about a desert
You know what I mean?
So what?
And I come home to my house
And I'm totally content with my house and where I live
I'm happy with it
I'm sure Brother Garrett's happy with where he lives
But we enjoyed, you know, looking at somebody else's turret
You know
But what good is your turret gonna do you someday?
You know, and he turned
Your turret
Am I pronouncing that right?
Your turret's gonna burn up someday when God destroys this whole world
And I looked at it just as much as you did
By going soul wedding in your neighborhood where every house looks the same
For a giant subdivision
And we saw turret after turret after turret
They were all the same
And we saw it
We came
We saw
We conquered
We like it
But we're tired of it
But you say, you sound like a mad person
You sound like you're being silly
Yeah, but it is silly
Isn't it silly to work your whole life for that turret?
We knocked on a guy's door in the turret neighborhood
And we asked this guy
Do you know for sure he's gonna
I don't have time to talk to you guys
He literally said this, didn't he brother Garrett?
He said, I don't have time
He said, I'm just busy making this house payment
See ya
So he's literally working his life for a turret
Most of you don't even know what that word is
Or how to spell it
I don't know how to spell it
I don't know what it means
But I'm not gonna spend my whole life working for it
I'd rather work for God
Something eternal
Do something with my life that matters
And people today, they just want to have their house
You know, it's all the physical things
But it's not really what matters
And when you get in church
Church is here to remind you of that
And that's why you're here tonight
So that the pastor can remind you
That that house with the turret
You can go see it whenever you want
It's on baseline and whatever
You know, 19th avenue or wherever we were
You can go look at it all day long
And then come soul any with me
And serve God and don't work your life away
For riches that are gone in the moment
And so let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer
Father, we thank you so much for your word, dear God
And thank you for the eternal home that we have in heaven
The riches that we have in heaven
The streets of gold
That's what's really gonna matter, dear God
And thank you for giving us these promises of eternal riches
And help us never to envy the wicked
Help us never to envy the watered-down Christian
Help us to be on fire, zealous, sold out, winning souls, godly Christians
And help us to never get these crazy ideas in our head
Help us to stay and cherish
So we can really keep eternities, values in view
And in Jesus' name I pray, amen