WEBVTT

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 with a word of prayer to bow your hands with me heavenly father we thank you for

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 the staying and for all the salvations that were had this evening pray also

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 that you would be with us for the service this evening that you would just

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 have your hand of protection on us that you would open our ears to the message

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 and that you fill pastor with your spirit these things we pray in Jesus

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 name amen for our next him turn if you with the 125 125 the solid rock 25 125

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 they're on the first

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 please raise your hand and then usher will be glad to bring you we have on the

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 front of our bulletin our Bible memory passage of the week 2nd Timothy chapter

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 1 verse 11 remember if you can memorize this whole chapter then you can quote it

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 to an adult non-family member will receive a prize keep working hard on

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 that memory chapter on the inside you see our service times are listed there

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 Sunday morning at 1030 Sunday evening at 430 and our Wednesday Bible study

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 through Ecclesiastes at 7 o'clock below that is all of our soul winning

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 our organized soul winning statistics we are at 840 for the year not including

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 today so great job with that out we have our visitor

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 call and our online giving information there if you're a

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 first-time visitor you wouldn't mind getting that qr code and filling that

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 out as a record of your visit you'll create that

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 for our upcoming events if you go to the back of your bulletin

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 we have our next event is the osu stillwater

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 soul winning marathon at the osu campus our first ever college marathon so if

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 you want to participate in that you could scan that qr code

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 and sign up so we know how many people are going to be coming it'd be really

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 helpful may 9th is the ladies tea there's a

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 sign-up sheet in the back going to be at one o'clock p.m here at the

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 building on may 9th may 20th through the 24th is the anti israel

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 conference hosted by steadfast baptist church in cedar hill texas

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 june 14th is brother ben naeem preaching both services here on

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 sunday please do join us for that then june 17th through the 20th is the

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 european soul winning conference in germany um kind of going through

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 announcements quickly because we're going to have some baptisms this evening

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 before service so very glad to have our visitors with us this evening

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 so we're going to go ahead and have a word of prayer go through our

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 our weekly prayer list that's there in your bulletin we're going to sing

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 one more song and then we'll have our baptisms for this evening

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 so let's go ahead and have a word of prayer together as a church family

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 glory thank you for the opportunity to be in your house this wednesday night

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 thank you so much for the word of god for your son's sacrifice

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 for all the brethren that are here for our new visitors lord i pray that you

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 just bless this evening that everything would be done for your

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 honor and glory lord we want to lift up selena's

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 grandfather in prayer jonathan who's in the hospital with

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 kidney failure has been for some months lord i pray

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 that you would just heal his body that you perform a miracle

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 and just help him to fully recover lord and if he's not 100 sure that he's

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 going to heaven lord i pray that people would get an opportunity to preach the

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 gospel of jesus christ with him and also lord we want to pray for the

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 other requests that we have here pray for my sister-in-law reagan

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 that she would just bless her during her pregnancy that baby would be healthy

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 we want to lift up the lemons family that you would please again perform a

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 miracle on the baby in the womb that has the

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 heart condition uriah i pray that you just heal that baby's

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 heart completely and that that baby would be very strong upon birth

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 that if the baby needs to go into surgery maybe it would just be very

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 strong and that you just bless the surgeon and all of that going on i

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 pray that you'd also help their family that your spirit would just bless them

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 that you give them grace during a difficult time

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 i also want to pray for the halls pray for brother cameron and his health

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 pray for miss jennifer's mother piper that you just help her

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 with her emotional health lord please just lift up her spirit give her grace

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 help her to sleep well and fully recover from her knee surgery

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 i want to pray for brother eric in the philippines that you continue to

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 film with the holy spirit to do great works for you over there

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 which the door of opportunity would remain open for him

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 that you help him to work hard and just get many people saved

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 and someday bring him back safely to us lord we also want to pray for brother

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 theodore's mother that she would be fully healed of her

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 cancer also we want to pray for all of the church members

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 that we have with unsaved loved ones we just bless those individuals

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 that you would remind us to be bold to preach the gospel that they would have

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 soft hearts to hear lord i want to pray for brother myles health

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 that you please help him i just pray that you bless all the works

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 that we're attempting to do for you and we pray that you get all the glory

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 for it in jesus name we pray amen let's go ahead and go to our third

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 song together for our third song in your white handouts

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 should have one under your seat the seat next to you

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 your white handouts will be psalm 15 psalm number 15

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 one five in your white handouts psalm 15 we'll sing there starting on

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 the first

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 evening at this time we'll go to our baptisms

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 christian have you trusted jesus christ as your savior and i baptize you my

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 brother in the name of the father of the son of the holy ghost buried in the

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 likeness of his death walk in newness of life here for

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 baptism and nila have you trusted in jesus christ as your savior

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 and i baptize you my sister in the name of the father of the son and of the holy

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 ghost buried in likeness of his death praise to

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 law and newness of life a minute this time we'll go ahead and pass the

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 offering plates we'll also get ready for our bible reading

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 of ecclesiastes chapter 5 ecclesiastes chapter number five actually let's go

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 ahead and do another song prior to that song 64 song 64 in

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 your hymnals shall we gather at the river we'll do

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 all four verses there 64 hymns 64 there all four verses

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 starting on the first shall we gather at the river

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 where bright angel feet have drawed if it's crystal tied

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 FOREVER!

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 *tossity*

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 What is more important in this world than the word of God?

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 And it doesn't matter who's preaching it, it doesn't matter who's up here,

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 what matters is that the King James Bible is open, and this right here deserves our respect.

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 It deserves our attention, because you know what?

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 There's things in this book that we learn every single time that we open it,

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 no matter where you're at in life.

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 Notice what it says in verse number 2.

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 It says, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God.

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 For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth. Therefore, let thy words be few."

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 So notice we're going to have a healthy fear of God.

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 We're supposed to keep things in the right perspective.

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 And remember, God's in heaven, we're upon earth, God is almighty, we're dust on this earth.

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 And notice it says, "Let thy words be few."

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 You know, that kind of flies in the face of this teaching that says when you pray,

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 the only legitimate prayer is when you're on your face for 8 hours straight.

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 I mean, right here, the Bible's saying not to be rash with your mouth,

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 and in fact, let your words be few, right?

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 We ought to remember who it is that we're talking to.

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 You know, when you're praying, it should never be this vain repetition, right?

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 How Jesus said the heathen think they're going to be heard for their much speaking.

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 Hey, long prayers are great if in that prayer you're asking things.

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 You're thanking God for things.

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 You're bringing up, you know, things that you desire in your heart.

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 But what would be annoying is if you're just repeating the same thing over and over and over and over and over again.

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 That's vain repetition.

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 And, you know, the Catholics, of course, are the most notorious offenders of this.

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 But I feel like even some Baptist, I've been in some Baptist churches where the prayer was really long and really repetitive.

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 Have you ever, you know, been in one of those churches where when they're praying, they say, Lord, like every other word, it's like he hears you.

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 You know, he got his attention. He knows his name. It's like, and Lord, we thank you, Lord, and we ask you, Lord, and we want you, Lord, and we see you, Lord, and we want, you know, this sermon to be blessed, Lord, and Lord, please hear us, and Lord, this, Lord, this, it's like he knows you said his name, right?

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 And look, we should speak his name reverently, invoke the name of the Lord, call upon the name of the Lord, starting off your prayers like that.

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 But, you know, you don't have to get super repetitive and all that. You know, we should be very intentional with what we pray, right?

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 We should be asking specific things from him. It's the sacrifice of fools that's just aimlessly speaking.

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 Verse 3, "For a dream cometh through the multitude of business, and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words."

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 So the Bible is kind of comparing these two things, talking about a dream.

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 And some people would say maybe this is like a vision of the future, like I have dreams for my life.

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 Other people would say this is more like what you're thinking about, you know, in bed at night.

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 And I think that's probably what it's talking about, saying that a dream comes through the multitude of business.

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 We've all been there where we've had dreams related to things we do throughout the day.

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 Dreams about our job, dreams about church maybe or stuff like that.

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 I don't think necessarily every single dream you ever have is, you know, instigated by whatever business you're doing.

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 Because, you know, if you ever had like the Walmart melatonin, you've probably had some weird dreams that have nothing to do with anything you've ever done.

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 Right, it's like spaghetti monsters, I don't know, the Walmart melatonin, watch out for that stuff.

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 But in general, right, a dream comes through the multitude of business, and notice this, a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

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 You know, you would think that someone who's just speaking the most has the most wisdom, but that is not always the case.

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 You want to see my proof on that? It's called podcasters.

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 You know, the majority of podcasters are just idiots.

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 You know, how about Candace Owens? Like, this woman is a moron. She gets up, she says, you know, space is fake and gay,

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 and just every conspiracy you could possibly think of, you know, the honeybee cult in Utah is responsible for Charlie Kirk's death,

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 and also Egypt, and also Israel, and also Erika Kirk, and also everyone, right? It's just everyone's responsible for his death.

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 You know, people like her, fools. But man, there's a lot of words, right? A lot of words coming out of her mouth.

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 And you know, it's kind of a blessing and a curse that in the day and age that we live in,

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 we have so much access to get good information out there,

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 but also bozos have a lot of access to get bad information out there.

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 You know, which is why we need to make sure that we're getting good content out in this world.

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 You know, I don't believe in this mentality that the old IFB says, that says, "Hey, let's not live stream,"

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 which I don't even know, are we live streaming? It's fixed now? Okay.

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 We almost had an old IFB evening, but that was because of technical difficulties.

00:46:03.490 --> 00:46:05.460
 It's not because of this mentality that many of them have.

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 Well, just like, well, some people might, you know, skip church if we live stream,

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 therefore don't live stream. Hey, that's their problem.

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 You know, that's a hard problem if someone skips church because there's a live stream.

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 But here's the thing, there's lots of people that will never come to church,

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 and we might as well try to get them the Word of God.

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 There's lots of people that live in countries where they'll never have a great church to go to.

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 We might as well get them some good preaching.

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 We ought not to hide from the internet and these things just because there's bad things on there.

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 And you know, God bless people like Pastor Bruce Mejia, who's making a huge impact.

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 I mean, he's got hundreds of thousands of people following him.

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 It's nice when a good man of God is actually putting the truth out there.

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 Because there's so much stupidity and so much lies online, especially in the realm of religion.

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 Why? Because of what verse number one says.

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 It says, "And be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they consider not that they do evil."

00:47:02.540 --> 00:47:06.540
 You know what's annoying about the topic of religion is everyone thinks they're an expert.

00:47:06.540 --> 00:47:09.170
 And it is so annoying.

00:47:09.170 --> 00:47:14.130
 It's just like all the Christian influencers, if you've actually read your Bible cover to cover,

00:47:14.130 --> 00:47:19.100
 not to mention if you've done it 10 times, 12 times, 20 times, 50 times,

00:47:19.100 --> 00:47:21.090
 you're going to immediately be like, "This person's an idiot."

00:47:21.090 --> 00:47:23.080
 They have no idea what they're saying.

00:47:23.080 --> 00:47:27.560
 But yet, these simple people, they hear that and they get sucked in, right?

00:47:27.560 --> 00:47:29.480
 That's why, hey, we need good stuff out there.

00:47:29.480 --> 00:47:31.660
 We need after the tribulation out there.

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 We need marching design out there.

00:47:33.640 --> 00:47:34.630
 We need the preserved Bible.

00:47:34.630 --> 00:47:36.610
 We need the sodomite deception.

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 It's because we want to counter all these things with the truth.

00:47:40.580 --> 00:47:42.780
 So we're not going to be afraid of technology.

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 You know, A.I. isn't the antichrist.

00:47:44.740 --> 00:47:46.910
 A.I. is not the mark of the beast.

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 You know, let's use A.I. for God's glory, if we can.

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 Look at verse number four, it says, "When thou vowest of vow unto God,

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 defer not to pay it, for he hath no pleasure in fools.

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 Pay that which thou hast vowed.

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 Better it is that thou shouldest not vow,

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 than that thou shouldest vow and not pay."

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 So notice, when it comes to not being hasty with your words before God,

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 we can think of that in prayer.

00:48:16.800 --> 00:48:19.760
 We can also think about that when it comes to vows.

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 You know, often times people make really hasty vows.

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 You know, we've probably all heard like war veterans who made some sort of vow in the foxhole, right?

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 Where I'm just going to dedicate my whole life to you if you save me from this situation.

00:48:32.930 --> 00:48:38.300
 Or I've heard of people who are drunk, and while they're drunk, they're making vows to God.

00:48:38.300 --> 00:48:42.260
 That's a scary place to be when you're not even in your right mind.

00:48:42.260 --> 00:48:46.230
 Hey, here's a good reason not to get drunk is you might say things that you regret.

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 Because I've heard of people while they're drunk saying, "God, I swear to you this will be the last time I ever drink."

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 Boy, that's scary for a drunk to say.

00:48:56.460 --> 00:49:01.460
 I wonder how many drunks have died from breaking their vow to God in their drunken stupor.

00:49:01.460 --> 00:49:05.710
 But guess what? You don't get to say, "Oh, it was a mistake. Oh, it was an error."

00:49:05.710 --> 00:49:10.900
 Because notice what it says in verse 6, "Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin.

00:49:10.900 --> 00:49:15.390
 Neither say thou before the angel that it was an error.

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 Wherefore should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thy hands?"

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 So you don't get to say, "Oopsie, didn't mean that. Oh, that was a mistake. That was an error."

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 No, the Bible says it's better that you don't even vow than to vow and not pay.

00:49:31.670 --> 00:49:36.020
 So hey, number one, be very careful about making vows to God.

00:49:36.020 --> 00:49:39.670
 And you know what? I would just avoid it. Let your yay be yay.

00:49:39.670 --> 00:49:42.990
 Why would it be that you have to stand before God and say,

00:49:42.990 --> 00:49:45.960
 "God, I swear I'm going to go soul winning for the rest of my life."

00:49:45.960 --> 00:49:49.250
 Who's requiring you to make that vow? That's stupid.

00:49:49.250 --> 00:49:52.410
 It's foolish because you don't know what a day will bring forth.

00:49:52.410 --> 00:49:57.370
 You're not in control of the destiny of your life completely in that sense.

00:49:57.370 --> 00:49:59.350
 It's just foolish to make a vow like that.

00:49:59.350 --> 00:50:05.300
 When you make foolish vows, you end up getting yourself oftentimes in a no-win situation.

00:50:05.300 --> 00:50:09.370
 What's a Bible story that comes to mind about Jephthah?

00:50:09.370 --> 00:50:13.400
 He makes a vow, "Whatever comes through the gate here after the victory,

00:50:13.400 --> 00:50:16.340
 I'm going to sacrifice it unto the Lord."

00:50:16.340 --> 00:50:20.420
 Of course, what comes through the gate? His daughter.

00:50:20.420 --> 00:50:23.490
 And it's like, well, what should Jephthah have done?

00:50:23.490 --> 00:50:25.720
 He's in a lose-lose situation.

00:50:25.720 --> 00:50:29.000
 No matter what he does, it's a bad outcome.

00:50:29.000 --> 00:50:29.980
 Well, he shouldn't murder his daughter.

00:50:29.980 --> 00:50:31.940
 Absolutely, he shouldn't murder his daughter.

00:50:31.940 --> 00:50:32.920
 Well, he shouldn't break his vow to God.

00:50:32.920 --> 00:50:36.250
 Exactly. He's just screwed. He's just in a bad situation.

00:50:36.250 --> 00:50:39.250
 And you know, when you vow, when you make vows,

00:50:39.250 --> 00:50:41.220
 when you blow off your mouth foolishly,

00:50:41.220 --> 00:50:44.170
 you can often get yourself in a lose-lose situation

00:50:44.170 --> 00:50:48.510
 where there's no good option, no good outcome.

00:50:48.510 --> 00:50:51.440
 Now, of course, I think it was right that he followed through

00:50:51.440 --> 00:50:53.610
 with sacrificing his daughter because of the fact

00:50:53.610 --> 00:50:56.090
 that it's a picture of the gospel, right?

00:50:56.090 --> 00:50:59.030
 Because God gave his only begotten son.

00:50:59.030 --> 00:51:02.720
 And notice in the story how it was his only child, right?

00:51:02.720 --> 00:51:04.680
 So his daughter is his only child,

00:51:04.680 --> 00:51:08.690
 and she was kind of cut off from life in her prime

00:51:08.690 --> 00:51:11.070
 because she had to go upon the mountains

00:51:11.070 --> 00:51:13.340
 and bewail her virginity, right?

00:51:13.340 --> 00:51:16.320
 So she's a young woman, and she's kind of bewailing the fact

00:51:16.320 --> 00:51:19.290
 that she gave, you know, she's going to lose her best years,

00:51:19.290 --> 00:51:22.260
 she's going to lose all the things that she could have had in life.

00:51:22.260 --> 00:51:24.250
 Kind of like how Jesus gave his life, right?

00:51:24.250 --> 00:51:27.370
 Jesus gave his life in the prime of his life,

00:51:27.370 --> 00:51:30.330
 and he never had children, he never had a wife or anything like that.

00:51:30.330 --> 00:51:32.310
 So there's a lot of beautiful pictures in that story,

00:51:32.310 --> 00:51:35.670
 but I say all that to say this, don't make stupid vows, right?

00:51:35.670 --> 00:51:39.120
 Don't find yourself in one of these positions.

00:51:39.120 --> 00:51:43.070
 And notice again, it says, "Wherefore should God be angry at thy voice

00:51:43.070 --> 00:51:46.550
 and destroy the work of thine hands?"

00:51:46.550 --> 00:51:49.650
 You know, the number one important thing in your life

00:51:49.650 --> 00:51:51.610
 is that God is pleased with you.

00:51:51.610 --> 00:51:57.060
 Because it doesn't matter how much money you have, strength, wisdom, intellect,

00:51:57.060 --> 00:52:01.160
 if God is angry at you, he could destroy the work of your hands.

00:52:01.160 --> 00:52:03.430
 And oftentimes, what does it take?

00:52:03.430 --> 00:52:05.870
 It takes the things that we say.

00:52:05.870 --> 00:52:08.920
 You know, something coming out of your mouth for God to be angry at you

00:52:08.920 --> 00:52:10.880
 and destroy the works of your hands.

00:52:10.880 --> 00:52:13.420
 You know, we ought to fear God.

00:52:13.420 --> 00:52:15.340
 And of course, that's the conclusion of this whole book,

00:52:15.340 --> 00:52:17.450
 is that the whole duty of man is what?

00:52:17.450 --> 00:52:19.400
 To fear God.

00:52:19.400 --> 00:52:22.880
 You know, we need to push back against the modern,

00:52:22.880 --> 00:52:25.840
 new evangelical, love everything movement

00:52:25.840 --> 00:52:27.810
 that says that we shouldn't fear God.

00:52:27.810 --> 00:52:30.270
 Because you know what most Christians today teach?

00:52:30.270 --> 00:52:32.170
 That you should not fear God.

00:52:32.170 --> 00:52:34.080
 Even though there's an entire book of the Bible

00:52:34.080 --> 00:52:36.340
 where it says here's the whole duty of man

00:52:36.340 --> 00:52:39.570
 to fear God and keep his commandments,

00:52:39.570 --> 00:52:42.520
 we need to bring back the fear of God in America.

00:52:42.520 --> 00:52:44.770
 We need to bring back action.

00:52:44.770 --> 00:52:46.710
 When I say fear, here's what I mean.

00:52:46.710 --> 00:52:47.730
 Being scared of him.

00:52:47.730 --> 00:52:50.160
 Being terrified of him.

00:52:50.160 --> 00:52:54.700
 Thinking in your mind, hey, if I do this, God will mess me up.

00:52:54.700 --> 00:52:55.830
 Because you know what?

00:52:55.830 --> 00:52:58.760
 By the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil.

00:52:58.760 --> 00:53:02.140
 You want to know why some people don't even care

00:53:02.140 --> 00:53:04.110
 if they go and cheat on their wife?

00:53:04.110 --> 00:53:06.520
 Why some women don't even care

00:53:06.520 --> 00:53:08.480
 if they go commit adultery on their husband?

00:53:08.480 --> 00:53:09.460
 It's because they have no fear of God.

00:53:09.460 --> 00:53:12.910
 But you know, if you're a Christian, you should be terrified

00:53:12.910 --> 00:53:15.170
 that if you hear the truth of God's word,

00:53:15.170 --> 00:53:17.150
 if you know what the Bible says on these things,

00:53:17.150 --> 00:53:19.120
 if you go outside of marriage,

00:53:19.120 --> 00:53:21.370
 you should be scared that God would kill you.

00:53:21.370 --> 00:53:23.150
 You should be.

00:53:23.150 --> 00:53:25.130
 You know, God killed people who brought in

00:53:25.130 --> 00:53:27.120
 the strange fire into the house of the Lord

00:53:27.120 --> 00:53:29.100
 that were drinking alcohol in the house of God.

00:53:29.100 --> 00:53:30.090
 You know what?

00:53:30.090 --> 00:53:32.070
 I am terrified to drink alcohol.

00:53:32.070 --> 00:53:34.520
 I would be afraid that God would kill me.

00:53:34.520 --> 00:53:35.490
 I'm serious.

00:53:35.490 --> 00:53:36.470
 Now look, here's the thing.

00:53:36.470 --> 00:53:37.440
 Why?

00:53:37.440 --> 00:53:39.500
 Because of whom much is given,

00:53:39.500 --> 00:53:41.900
 to him much shall be required, right?

00:53:41.900 --> 00:53:43.890
 So I don't think that, you know,

00:53:43.890 --> 00:53:45.880
 some Christian who's never read the Bible much,

00:53:45.880 --> 00:53:47.860
 they haven't really heard good preaching,

00:53:47.860 --> 00:53:48.860
 they don't know these things.

00:53:48.860 --> 00:53:50.850
 Look, God's still going to punish that person

00:53:50.850 --> 00:53:51.840
 and chastise that person,

00:53:51.840 --> 00:53:53.830
 but someone who knows the Bible really well

00:53:53.830 --> 00:53:56.810
 and just says, "Forget you, God, I don't care what you say,"

00:53:56.810 --> 00:53:58.930
 that person's going to get messed up.

00:53:58.930 --> 00:54:01.370
 Case in point, Roger Jimenez.

00:54:01.370 --> 00:54:02.350
 I'm not going to stop bringing it up

00:54:02.350 --> 00:54:04.310
 because I want us to fear God.

00:54:04.310 --> 00:54:06.430
 And when you lose the fear of God,

00:54:06.430 --> 00:54:09.370
 you are going down a path of destruction.

00:54:09.370 --> 00:54:10.880
 Because let me tell you

00:54:10.880 --> 00:54:12.820
 how someone could get up behind a pulpit

00:54:12.820 --> 00:54:16.460
 three times a week for years

00:54:16.460 --> 00:54:18.370
 while being addicted to pornography,

00:54:18.370 --> 00:54:21.030
 while not kicking people out of church

00:54:21.030 --> 00:54:22.990
 that are slanderers and railers,

00:54:22.990 --> 00:54:25.330
 here's how someone could do that.

00:54:25.330 --> 00:54:27.020
 No fear of God.

00:54:27.020 --> 00:54:28.030
 We need to fear God.

00:54:28.030 --> 00:54:31.560
 And we need to remember that every single thing

00:54:31.560 --> 00:54:34.520
 that we have in life that we're succeeding in,

00:54:34.520 --> 00:54:35.500
 it is by God's grace.

00:54:35.500 --> 00:54:37.690
 It is by God's power.

00:54:37.690 --> 00:54:39.740
 It is by God's spirit.

00:54:39.740 --> 00:54:41.790
 You know, it's not by the flesh.

00:54:41.790 --> 00:54:42.900
 It's not by might.

00:54:42.900 --> 00:54:43.880
 And you know what?

00:54:43.880 --> 00:54:45.850
 Preachers sometimes could be in danger of this

00:54:45.850 --> 00:54:47.820
 because preachers can kind of learn

00:54:47.820 --> 00:54:51.500
 to do God's work in the flesh, right?

00:54:51.500 --> 00:54:52.520
 Some preachers,

00:54:52.520 --> 00:54:54.480
 they may have really good speaking ability

00:54:54.480 --> 00:54:56.440
 from a natural carnal perspective.

00:54:56.440 --> 00:54:57.750
 And you know what?

00:54:57.750 --> 00:54:58.730
 That's a dangerous place to be

00:54:58.730 --> 00:54:59.710
 if you lose the fear of God

00:54:59.710 --> 00:55:00.700
 because you think,

00:55:00.700 --> 00:55:04.060
 man, I'm still preaching good sermons, right?

00:55:04.060 --> 00:55:06.040
 Man, I'm still administering well.

00:55:06.040 --> 00:55:08.020
 Our numbers are still up.

00:55:08.020 --> 00:55:09.010
 The money is still up.

00:55:09.010 --> 00:55:10.990
 But you know, you end up being like Samson

00:55:10.990 --> 00:55:12.970
 where you try to shake yourself again,

00:55:12.970 --> 00:55:14.260
 but then you realize one day

00:55:14.260 --> 00:55:16.200
 that the spirit of the Lord has departed from you.

00:55:16.200 --> 00:55:18.720
 And so I don't care how successful you get.

00:55:18.720 --> 00:55:21.960
 I don't care how big a preacher's church ever gets.

00:55:21.960 --> 00:55:23.940
 I don't care how much money you ever make.

00:55:23.940 --> 00:55:25.930
 I don't care how popular you are.

00:55:25.930 --> 00:55:28.900
 You need to every single day get on your face

00:55:28.900 --> 00:55:29.890
 and beg God for mercy.

00:55:29.890 --> 00:55:32.480
 You need to beg God for power.

00:55:32.480 --> 00:55:35.720
 You need to beg God for help from the spirit of God

00:55:35.720 --> 00:55:38.690
 to serve God and to do the things that we do.

00:55:38.690 --> 00:55:40.660
 Because man, if God gets angry at you,

00:55:40.660 --> 00:55:43.130
 he can destroy the work of your hands.

00:55:43.130 --> 00:55:45.150
 It doesn't matter how long you've built something.

00:55:45.150 --> 00:55:47.120
 It doesn't matter how long you've been on the top.

00:55:47.120 --> 00:55:49.620
 If God wants to destroy you, he will.

00:55:49.620 --> 00:55:52.170
 And so we need to fear God.

00:55:52.170 --> 00:55:53.980
 It says in verse number seven,

00:55:53.980 --> 00:55:56.940
 "For in the multitude of dreams and many words,

00:55:56.940 --> 00:55:59.900
 there are also divers' vanities."

00:55:59.900 --> 00:56:00.960
 There it is.

00:56:00.960 --> 00:56:02.880
 "But fear thou God."

00:56:02.880 --> 00:56:05.100
 See, that's a good reason not to vow.

00:56:05.100 --> 00:56:06.030
 It's because you fear God.

00:56:06.030 --> 00:56:07.550
 Because you know what?

00:56:07.550 --> 00:56:11.500
 I don't trust myself enough to make a swear to the Lord saying,

00:56:11.500 --> 00:56:14.470
 "I will always do this," or "I will never do this,"

00:56:14.470 --> 00:56:16.670
 because I know my flesh.

00:56:16.670 --> 00:56:19.620
 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good things.

00:56:19.620 --> 00:56:20.610
 You know, I fear God,

00:56:20.610 --> 00:56:22.680
 so why would I want to make a vow like that?

00:56:22.680 --> 00:56:25.150
 Go, if you would, to Matthew chapter number five.

00:56:25.150 --> 00:56:27.940
 Matthew chapter number five.

00:56:27.940 --> 00:56:30.900
 Jesus, of course, taught on this in the Beatitudes.

00:56:30.900 --> 00:56:37.810
 Matthew chapter number five.

00:56:37.810 --> 00:56:40.610
 Verse number 33.

00:57:02.170 --> 00:57:06.370
 So there's one type of swear where you're swearing to God, right?

00:57:06.370 --> 00:57:08.360
 You're saying, "God, I swear I'm going to do this."

00:57:08.360 --> 00:57:11.340
 "God, I make a vow unto you that I will do this."

00:57:11.340 --> 00:57:15.310
 There's also swear where you're, like, swearing on some sort of object,

00:57:15.310 --> 00:57:17.300
 or you're invoking the power of something else.

00:57:17.300 --> 00:57:19.280
 You've probably heard this on the playground,

00:57:19.280 --> 00:57:22.370
 like, "I swear by my mama," or something like that.

00:57:22.370 --> 00:57:24.330
 "I swear by my dead granny."

00:57:24.330 --> 00:57:26.650
 Don't say stuff like that, okay?

00:57:26.650 --> 00:57:28.600
 That's not appropriate, that's not a right thing to say.

00:57:28.600 --> 00:57:31.750
 Don't swear by heaven, don't swear by the throne,

00:57:31.750 --> 00:57:35.070
 don't swear by Jerusalem, don't swear by America,

00:57:35.070 --> 00:57:38.000
 don't swear by Oklahoma, don't swear by any of these things.

00:57:38.000 --> 00:57:40.000
 Notice what it says in verse number 36,

00:57:40.000 --> 00:57:42.160
 "Neither shalt thou swear by thy head,

00:57:42.160 --> 00:57:45.360
 because thou canst not make one hair white or black."

00:57:45.360 --> 00:57:47.320
 Notice you can't swear these things

00:57:47.320 --> 00:57:49.540
 because you're not really in control, right?

00:57:49.540 --> 00:57:52.140
 You can't affect these things, but what should we do?

00:57:52.140 --> 00:57:56.590
 "But let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay,

00:57:56.590 --> 00:58:01.010
 for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."

00:58:01.010 --> 00:58:04.260
 So hey, when it comes to will you do this?

00:58:04.260 --> 00:58:05.240
 Are you going to do this?

00:58:05.240 --> 00:58:07.210
 Yes or no is sufficient.

00:58:07.210 --> 00:58:08.800
 Now here's the thing.

00:58:08.800 --> 00:58:11.730
 Just because let's say that you say yes or no,

00:58:11.730 --> 00:58:15.000
 you haven't sworn, you shouldn't look at that as an excuse

00:58:15.000 --> 00:58:17.970
 or a way to get off the hook for what you said to do.

00:58:17.970 --> 00:58:19.940
 We should be people of our word.

00:58:19.940 --> 00:58:23.040
 That's something else that needs to come back in America today.

00:58:23.040 --> 00:58:26.010
 When someone says, "I will do this," actually do it.

00:58:26.010 --> 00:58:30.360
 And especially if you vow, especially if you swear.

00:58:30.360 --> 00:58:31.320
 I mean, we just sang the song.

00:58:31.320 --> 00:58:34.320
 "He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not."

00:58:34.320 --> 00:58:38.620
 Meaning if you do make a vow, if you do swear, if you do promise,

00:58:38.620 --> 00:58:42.630
 even if it puts you back, even if it's at your own personal detriment,

00:58:42.630 --> 00:58:45.570
 you better fulfill what you said because that's the right thing to do.

00:58:45.570 --> 00:58:48.390
 It's especially the right thing to do when you vow.

00:58:48.390 --> 00:58:51.330
 But you know what, even when you don't vow, if you just say yes,

00:58:51.330 --> 00:58:54.460
 if you just say no, be someone that can be counted on.

00:58:54.460 --> 00:58:57.050
 Be someone that is faithful.

00:58:57.050 --> 00:59:00.340
 That's who God wants to use today is people that are faithful.

00:59:00.340 --> 00:59:02.340
 Paul thanked Jesus Christ.

00:59:02.340 --> 00:59:04.310
 Why was it that Paul was put into the ministry?

00:59:04.310 --> 00:59:06.280
 Because he said that he was found faithful, right?

00:59:06.280 --> 00:59:09.760
 So God's looking for faithful people today.

00:59:09.760 --> 00:59:10.740
 What does that mean?

00:59:10.740 --> 00:59:13.690
 When you say yes and you say you're going to do something, you actually do it.

00:59:13.690 --> 00:59:17.460
 And when you say you're not going to do something, you don't do it, right?

00:59:17.460 --> 00:59:19.390
 Hey, you know, you did make some vows when you got married.

00:59:19.390 --> 00:59:22.910
 You said you're going to be forever only to this one person,

00:59:22.910 --> 00:59:24.870
 so long as you both shall live.

00:59:24.870 --> 00:59:26.060
 Fulfill that vow.

00:59:26.060 --> 00:59:27.280
 Keep your vow.

00:59:27.280 --> 00:59:29.350
 You know, husband, you said you would love your wife.

00:59:29.350 --> 00:59:32.820
 You said you'd actually love her, not be her roommate,

00:59:32.820 --> 00:59:36.940
 not just tolerate her, not crap talk about her to your family.

00:59:36.940 --> 00:59:38.890
 You said that you would love her.

00:59:38.890 --> 00:59:42.830
 You know, the Bible says to love your wives as Christ loved the church

00:59:42.830 --> 00:59:43.810
 and gave himself for it.

00:59:43.810 --> 00:59:45.780
 You better fulfill that vow.

00:59:45.780 --> 00:59:49.220
 Ladies, if you got married in a church that fears God,

00:59:49.220 --> 00:59:53.250
 you said that you would love, cherish, and obey your husband.

00:59:53.250 --> 00:59:55.790
 And you know what? You better fulfill that vow.

00:59:55.790 --> 00:59:57.960
 And even if you didn't promise that, the Bible tells you to do it anyways,

00:59:57.960 --> 01:00:00.150
 so you better obey your husband.

01:00:00.150 --> 01:00:03.050
 But you know, we need to get back to this today.

01:00:03.050 --> 01:00:08.590
 Go to Ecclesiastes chapter number five.

01:00:08.590 --> 01:00:10.520
 Now let's look at verse number eight.

01:00:10.520 --> 01:00:12.950
 The Bible says, he's kind of shifting gears here.

01:00:12.950 --> 01:00:14.900
 He says, "If thou seest the oppression of the poor

01:00:14.900 --> 01:00:19.210
 and violent perverting of judgment and justice in the province,

01:00:19.210 --> 01:00:21.390
 marvel not at the matter,

01:00:21.390 --> 01:00:23.680
 for he that is higher than the highest regardeth,

01:00:23.680 --> 01:00:25.770
 and there be higher than they."

01:00:25.770 --> 01:00:27.900
 What's he saying?

01:00:27.900 --> 01:00:30.860
 When you see just how messed up some things in this world can be,

01:00:30.860 --> 01:00:32.840
 when you see people being oppressed,

01:00:32.840 --> 01:00:34.820
 when you see judgment being perverted,

01:00:34.820 --> 01:00:37.020
 he's saying, "Marvel not at the matter."

01:00:37.020 --> 01:00:40.090
 Now, I don't think he's saying, "Don't be upset by it."

01:00:40.090 --> 01:00:43.040
 I think he's saying, "Don't be shocked that this is happening.

01:00:43.040 --> 01:00:46.190
 Don't be surprised that we live in a fallen world."

01:00:46.190 --> 01:00:48.170
 But here's the thing, we don't need to get black-filled

01:00:48.170 --> 01:00:52.250
 because of the fact that the highest of the highest sees,

01:00:52.250 --> 01:00:55.210
 and he is going to recompense, he is going to repay.

01:00:55.210 --> 01:00:57.180
 And you know, today I saw something on the news

01:00:57.180 --> 01:00:59.160
 that was the perfect example of this.

01:00:59.160 --> 01:01:03.570
 Everyone's probably heard about the fraud that's going on in Minnesota

01:01:03.570 --> 01:01:06.770
 with the Somalians, how they're setting up these fake daycares.

01:01:06.770 --> 01:01:08.820
 You know, the Learing Center,

01:01:08.820 --> 01:01:12.010
 where they're getting millions and millions of taxpayer dollars

01:01:12.010 --> 01:01:14.980
 to start these daycares, but then there's no kids in them,

01:01:14.980 --> 01:01:18.980
 no one's enrolled, they're just stealing money from the taxpayer, right?

01:01:18.980 --> 01:01:22.280
 And the governor of Minnesota is that loser Tim Walz, right?

01:01:22.280 --> 01:01:24.190
 And Tim Walz, he hasn't done anything about it.

01:01:24.190 --> 01:01:26.370
 The guy is just corrupt as all get out.

01:01:26.370 --> 01:01:28.610
 But today he passed the law.

01:01:28.610 --> 01:01:31.740
 He's ready to make Minnesota a better place.

01:01:31.740 --> 01:01:32.720
 You know what law he passed today?

01:01:32.720 --> 01:01:42.230
 He passed a law that would allow seniors in assisted living facilities drink alcohol.

01:01:42.230 --> 01:01:43.160
 Make America great again.

01:01:43.160 --> 01:01:45.410
 I mean, that's really going to help Minnesota.

01:01:45.410 --> 01:01:48.450
 That's really going to help our country.

01:01:48.450 --> 01:01:54.400
 Hey, you know, there's fraud, there's abuse, there's lying, there's murder, there's all this evil going on.

01:01:54.400 --> 01:01:58.370
 But hey, at least the adults, you know, seniors can get drunk in the nursing home.

01:01:58.370 --> 01:02:02.860
 You know what? It's wicked as hell. It is perversion.

01:02:02.860 --> 01:02:07.810
 It is oppression because these old people are often what? Being filled with drugs.

01:02:07.810 --> 01:02:15.250
 Like these old people are at the end of their lives and they usually have a list this long of the drugs they're taking every single day.

01:02:15.250 --> 01:02:18.220
 And you mix that with alcohol, you know what it's going to do? It's going to kill people.

01:02:18.220 --> 01:02:20.690
 It is literally going to kill people.

01:02:20.690 --> 01:02:27.930
 There are seniors that are going to go to the grave earlier than they would have because of Tim Walz's wicked law that he passed into effect.

01:02:27.930 --> 01:02:32.350
 And he shares it all over X like it's some great news. It's so exciting.

01:02:32.350 --> 01:02:35.310
 You know what? That guy's wicked as hell. I hope that guy dies.

01:02:35.310 --> 01:02:45.060
 Evil piece of trash. You know, I'm praying for your demise because there's all these people are already a group of people that is very easily taken advantage of.

01:02:45.060 --> 01:02:51.950
 And you know, we've all seen the videos. We've all heard the horror stories of staff abusing these elderly folks.

01:02:51.950 --> 01:02:57.540
 You don't think some of these wicked staff might find it funny to get some old people drunk and to mess with them.

01:02:57.540 --> 01:03:02.450
 I guarantee you this stuff is going to happen. And you know who's responsible for it? Tim Walz.

01:03:02.450 --> 01:03:07.660
 But here's the thing. There's a governor higher than Tim Walz. His name is Jesus Christ.

01:03:07.660 --> 01:03:12.820
 And he sees and he hears and he knows and he's going to recompense that wickedness.

01:03:12.820 --> 01:03:18.270
 So, you know, I read this verse today and I'm like, wow, that explains what I saw today in Minnesota.

01:03:18.270 --> 01:03:23.370
 I'm seeing violent perverting of judgment. If you would keep your place there, go to Proverbs 31.

01:03:23.370 --> 01:03:30.820
 You know, what's funny is the Bible actually describes what happens to you when you drink alcohol and it says that you pervert judgment.

01:03:30.820 --> 01:03:35.810
 I mean, it just fits like a glove tonight. Notice what it says in verse number four of Proverbs 31.

01:03:35.810 --> 01:03:45.430
 It is not for kings, O Lemuel. It is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes strong drink.

01:03:45.430 --> 01:03:53.130
 Why? Lest they drink and forget the law and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

01:03:53.130 --> 01:03:56.850
 You know, a drunk person, they are perverted in their judgment.

01:03:56.850 --> 01:04:01.220
 And they won't be considering people that are afflicted and making right judgment.

01:04:01.220 --> 01:04:03.200
 No, they pervert the judgment of the afflicted.

01:04:03.200 --> 01:04:07.160
 It's not a coincidence that these wicked politicians love alcohol.

01:04:07.160 --> 01:04:09.450
 Why is it that they have such perverted judgment?

01:04:09.450 --> 01:04:11.790
 Because they're a bunch of drunks, that's why.

01:04:11.790 --> 01:04:15.870
 Because they drink this poison that perverts their judgment and they love to have it so.

01:04:15.870 --> 01:04:17.950
 They love to be perverted in their mind.

01:04:17.950 --> 01:04:23.490
 It says give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those that have heavy hearts.

01:04:23.490 --> 01:04:27.630
 Let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more.

01:04:27.630 --> 01:04:29.670
 Basically saying hey alcohol is for losers.

01:04:29.670 --> 01:04:32.680
 It's for those who are poor and miserable and have nothing to live for.

01:04:32.680 --> 01:04:35.630
 Let those people drink but it's not for kings.

01:04:35.630 --> 01:04:37.630
 It's not for princes.

01:04:37.630 --> 01:04:41.170
 You know I believe that any form of alcohol consumption is a sin.

01:04:41.170 --> 01:04:45.150
 Go back to Ecclesiastes chapter number five.

01:04:45.150 --> 01:04:52.660
 Now he's going to shift gears here kind of just the vanity of life he says in verse nine.

01:04:52.660 --> 01:04:59.110
 Moreover the prophet of the earth is for all the king himself is served by the field.

01:04:59.110 --> 01:05:02.170
 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver.

01:05:02.170 --> 01:05:06.160
 Nor he that loveth abundance with increase.

01:05:06.160 --> 01:05:08.250
 This is also vanity.

01:05:08.250 --> 01:05:11.440
 So he's getting back to his lamentation of all the vanity under the sun.

01:05:11.440 --> 01:05:14.390
 And he's noticing hey someone that loves silver.

01:05:14.390 --> 01:05:16.390
 Hey here's something that really sucks for you to hear.

01:05:16.390 --> 01:05:18.760
 You'll never be satisfied with silver.

01:05:18.760 --> 01:05:19.730
 Boy that's a vain thing.

01:05:19.730 --> 01:05:21.670
 Imagine like the one thing you love in life.

01:05:21.670 --> 01:05:22.830
 You'll never be satisfied with it.

01:05:22.830 --> 01:05:24.070
 You'll never be happy.

01:05:24.070 --> 01:05:26.990
 You know this is why we should not love money.

01:05:26.990 --> 01:05:28.440
 There's nothing wrong with money.

01:05:28.440 --> 01:05:30.380
 But there is something wrong with the love of money.

01:05:30.380 --> 01:05:31.770
 And you know what?

01:05:31.770 --> 01:05:35.800
 It is shooting yourself in the foot to live a life that loves money.

01:05:35.800 --> 01:05:36.780
 That loves silver.

01:05:36.780 --> 01:05:38.760
 Because the Bible says you'll never be satisfied with silver.

01:05:38.760 --> 01:05:41.720
 And really you can just apply this to covetousness in general.

01:05:41.720 --> 01:05:45.120
 Someone who is covetous they are not satisfied.

01:05:45.120 --> 01:05:47.360
 They will never be happy.

01:05:47.360 --> 01:05:48.650
 Right?

01:05:48.650 --> 01:05:49.620
 So it does not matter how much money you make.

01:05:49.620 --> 01:05:51.570
 You'll never achieve happiness.

01:05:51.570 --> 01:05:53.600
 It does not matter what kind of house you live in.

01:05:53.600 --> 01:05:55.610
 You'll never like the house you live in.

01:05:55.610 --> 01:05:58.560
 It does not matter how good of a spouse you have.

01:05:58.560 --> 01:06:00.530
 You'll never be happy with your spouse.

01:06:00.530 --> 01:06:02.790
 And when you go to someone else you won't be happy with them.

01:06:02.790 --> 01:06:04.760
 And when you go to someone else you won't be happy with them.

01:06:04.760 --> 01:06:09.890
 You know we need to learn to be content in all things that we have to be content.

01:06:09.890 --> 01:06:11.850
 Nor he that loveth abundance with increase.

01:06:11.850 --> 01:06:14.360
 This is also vanity.

01:06:14.360 --> 01:06:15.340
 Right?

01:06:15.340 --> 01:06:16.330
 So some people they love money.

01:06:16.330 --> 01:06:18.290
 Some people they love just the accumulation of more stuff.

01:06:18.290 --> 01:06:19.580
 Right?

01:06:19.580 --> 01:06:20.540
 Some people their whole life is shopping.

01:06:20.540 --> 01:06:24.650
 Shopping is just their whole life and buying something new.

01:06:24.650 --> 01:06:26.620
 And the excitement and the dopamine hit of buying something new.

01:06:26.620 --> 01:06:27.600
 But here's the thing.

01:06:27.600 --> 01:06:29.570
 You never are actually satisfied.

01:06:29.570 --> 01:06:32.980
 There is no woman who's ever gone shopping and said I'm done for the rest of my life.

01:06:32.980 --> 01:06:34.310
 I'm happy now.

01:06:34.310 --> 01:06:35.290
 I'm content.

01:06:35.290 --> 01:06:36.270
 No they want to go next Friday.

01:06:36.270 --> 01:06:37.260
 They want to go Friday after that.

01:06:37.260 --> 01:06:38.240
 You'll never be happy.

01:06:38.240 --> 01:06:41.440
 But contrasted, look at verse 12.

01:06:41.440 --> 01:06:44.370
 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet.

01:06:44.370 --> 01:06:46.480
 Whether he eat little or much.

01:06:46.480 --> 01:06:50.770
 But the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

01:06:50.770 --> 01:06:56.270
 You know, oftentimes people envy the rich and wish that you had that lifestyle.

01:06:56.270 --> 01:07:02.220
 But you know, in some ways, being poor or being middle class is its own type of wealth.

01:07:02.220 --> 01:07:05.290
 Because the sleep of a laboring man is sweet.

01:07:05.290 --> 01:07:07.530
 You know, here's some currency, being able to sleep.

01:07:07.530 --> 01:07:12.170
 If you lost the ability to sleep, you would immediately recognize that.

01:07:12.170 --> 01:07:15.140
 And you would immediately long for the ability to sleep.

01:07:15.140 --> 01:07:19.110
 And even if you've ever gone through like seasons of life where it's hard to sleep.

01:07:19.110 --> 01:07:23.080
 Maybe had some sort of health issue or some just major tragedy in your life.

01:07:23.080 --> 01:07:26.260
 When you're not sleeping, I don't know about you, when I'm sleep deprived.

01:07:26.260 --> 01:07:30.200
 I'm just like, that is what I'm seeking in life is to get some dang sleep.

01:07:30.200 --> 01:07:32.440
 Well, you'd say, oh, I want to be rich. I want to have all these things.

01:07:32.440 --> 01:07:35.840
 Yeah, but what about if you could just never sleep?

01:07:35.840 --> 01:07:39.090
 What if you couldn't have the riches of a good night's sleep?

01:07:39.090 --> 01:07:40.080
 Why is it that the rich can't sleep?

01:07:40.080 --> 01:07:43.220
 It says that their abundance suffers them not to sleep.

01:07:43.220 --> 01:07:45.440
 It's like, how does that make any sense? I don't know.

01:07:45.440 --> 01:07:49.650
 But some people that just have so much stuff that it's constantly on their mind and they never sleep.

01:07:49.650 --> 01:07:53.200
 Sounds terrible. Sounds like hell. I don't want that.

01:07:53.200 --> 01:07:56.330
 You know, the sleep of a laboring man is sweet.

01:07:56.330 --> 01:07:58.280
 Notice whether he eat little or much.

01:07:58.280 --> 01:08:00.670
 The rich, they're never in the little phase.

01:08:00.670 --> 01:08:02.650
 Like the rich, they're always eating much.

01:08:02.650 --> 01:08:04.630
 They're always having a good meal.

01:08:04.630 --> 01:08:06.610
 They're always having quality food.

01:08:06.610 --> 01:08:08.590
 But yet still sometimes they can't sleep.

01:08:08.590 --> 01:08:10.920
 Whereas the poor, sometimes he's eating good.

01:08:10.920 --> 01:08:13.840
 Sometimes he's not eating at all, but at least he's sleeping, right?

01:08:13.840 --> 01:08:16.310
 So don't take those things for granted.

01:08:16.310 --> 01:08:19.910
 It says in verse number 11, when goods increase,

01:08:19.910 --> 01:08:24.350
 when goods increase, they are increased that eat them.

01:08:24.350 --> 01:08:29.530
 And what good is there to the owners thereof, save the beholding of them with their eyes.

01:08:29.530 --> 01:08:33.700
 So for many people, the more riches they get, the more bills they have.

01:08:33.700 --> 01:08:37.940
 The more riches you get, the more expenses that you have.

01:08:37.940 --> 01:08:41.920
 And you know, like even just having a family is kind of like a microcosm of this.

01:08:41.920 --> 01:08:43.910
 I don't think anyone in here is rich by any means.

01:08:43.910 --> 01:08:48.890
 But you know, most of us, we're working our job, and you know, there's raises,

01:08:48.890 --> 01:08:50.880
 there's cost of living raises.

01:08:50.880 --> 01:08:53.860
 Most of us, if you compare what you were making five years ago,

01:08:53.860 --> 01:08:56.230
 you're probably making a little bit more now.

01:08:56.230 --> 01:08:58.180
 Or when you compare what you were making ten years ago,

01:08:58.180 --> 01:09:00.180
 you're probably making more than you were ten years ago.

01:09:00.180 --> 01:09:02.620
 But do you think that your expenses have stayed the same?

01:09:02.620 --> 01:09:03.750
 No.

01:09:03.750 --> 01:09:06.700
 It's like to me, I feel like, you know, I make a little bit more money every year of my life,

01:09:06.700 --> 01:09:09.870
 but the expenses keep going up big time as well, right?

01:09:09.870 --> 01:09:13.070
 Whether that's, you know, Biden and Trump's economy,

01:09:13.070 --> 01:09:15.160
 or whether that's my daughter's bellies,

01:09:15.160 --> 01:09:17.140
 or whether that's my vehicle breaking down,

01:09:17.140 --> 01:09:20.100
 or whatever that is, you know, things just get more expensive.

01:09:20.100 --> 01:09:23.070
 And it's like, this is on a much greater scale for the rich.

01:09:23.070 --> 01:09:25.260
 And it can just be really stressful for them.

01:09:25.260 --> 01:09:28.210
 They get more money, but they have more people that increase,

01:09:28.210 --> 01:09:30.190
 that need to spend that money.

01:09:30.190 --> 01:09:32.620
 And they got people coming after them, right?

01:09:32.620 --> 01:09:34.580
 They got people who are wanting to take advantage of them,

01:09:34.580 --> 01:09:36.530
 take their money, steal from them.

01:09:36.530 --> 01:09:41.640
 It says in verse 13, "There is a sore evil, which I have seen unto the sun,

01:09:41.640 --> 01:09:46.920
 namely," notice this, "riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt."

01:09:46.920 --> 01:09:49.410
 Some people are just chasing money their whole life.

01:09:49.410 --> 01:09:53.350
 Other people, they get tons of riches, but those riches end up hurting them.

01:09:53.350 --> 01:09:55.850
 And think about, again, like I said, people coming after them.

01:09:55.850 --> 01:09:59.790
 You know, there's people that have riches, and now they're a target.

01:09:59.790 --> 01:10:02.260
 Now they're a victim of some sort of violent crime.

01:10:02.260 --> 01:10:06.260
 It's like, oh, you heaped up all these riches to your own hurt.

01:10:06.260 --> 01:10:09.560
 Oh, you heaped up all these riches, and now you have no real friends,

01:10:09.560 --> 01:10:12.540
 only people trying to slither into your bank account.

01:10:12.540 --> 01:10:14.530
 Oh, you have all these riches, and now you can't date anyone

01:10:14.530 --> 01:10:17.510
 because you don't know if anyone's sincere or anyone actually likes you.

01:10:17.510 --> 01:10:20.490
 Right, so there's people that they have money, but they don't have happiness.

01:10:20.490 --> 01:10:22.480
 They have riches, but they don't have happiness.

01:10:22.480 --> 01:10:27.130
 Go, if you would, to 1 Timothy 6, 1 Timothy chapter number 6,

01:10:27.130 --> 01:10:37.870
 1 Timothy chapter number 6, verse 8, the Bible says,

01:10:37.870 --> 01:10:43.230
 "And having food and raiment, let us be there with content."

01:10:43.230 --> 01:10:47.290
 What's the line of contentment in our life when we have food and clothing?

01:10:47.290 --> 01:10:50.570
 Now, let's be honest, we all have more than that in America.

01:10:50.570 --> 01:10:51.790
 We should be thankful for that.

01:10:51.790 --> 01:10:54.920
 But you know what, if that's all you had, you should be thankful.

01:10:54.920 --> 01:10:57.010
 You should be content, you should be happy.

01:10:57.010 --> 01:11:01.550
 Notice it says, "But they that will be rich," meaning they want to be rich,

01:11:01.550 --> 01:11:07.940
 "they fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,

01:11:07.940 --> 01:11:12.070
 which drown men in destruction and perdition."

01:11:12.070 --> 01:11:16.430
 So notice the desire to be rich, the Bible likens that unto what?

01:11:16.430 --> 01:11:18.490
 A snare, which is a trap.

01:11:18.490 --> 01:11:20.920
 Now, you know, living in Idaho and being around hunting,

01:11:20.920 --> 01:11:23.860
 there was people that they wouldn't go hunting, they would go trapping.

01:11:23.860 --> 01:11:27.480
 You had to get your own, you know, separate permit for trapping.

01:11:27.480 --> 01:11:31.450
 And they would set up these traps in the wilderness for mountain lions,

01:11:31.450 --> 01:11:33.430
 for bears or whatever.

01:11:33.430 --> 01:11:35.420
 And how is it that they trap these animals?

01:11:35.420 --> 01:11:38.400
 They put something that looks alluring in the trap.

01:11:38.400 --> 01:11:39.540
 Oh, it smells good.

01:11:39.540 --> 01:11:40.520
 It's a big piece of meat.

01:11:40.520 --> 01:11:41.500
 Boy, that looks really good.

01:11:41.500 --> 01:11:44.460
 But, you know, as soon as that mountain lion steps in,

01:11:44.460 --> 01:11:46.550
 now it's destruction and perdition, right?

01:11:46.550 --> 01:11:49.770
 Now it's pain, now it's agony, now it's death.

01:11:49.770 --> 01:11:52.740
 This is what it is also to desire to be rich.

01:11:52.740 --> 01:11:56.230
 Riches in and of themselves, not sinful.

01:11:56.230 --> 01:11:58.210
 God has blessed rich people before.

01:11:58.210 --> 01:12:01.190
 If you get rich by diligent, hard work, not cutting corners,

01:12:01.190 --> 01:12:04.160
 you know, putting God first, and you get riches,

01:12:04.160 --> 01:12:05.160
 there's nothing wrong with that.

01:12:05.160 --> 01:12:08.170
 But usually what happens is people desire to be rich,

01:12:08.170 --> 01:12:09.120
 and so they walk into the trap.

01:12:09.120 --> 01:12:11.370
 They walk into the trap of sin,

01:12:11.370 --> 01:12:15.510
 which leads them down a path of destruction, misery, perdition.

01:12:15.510 --> 01:12:17.090
 Let's keep reading.

01:12:17.090 --> 01:12:20.200
 It says, "For the love of money is the root of all evil,

01:12:20.200 --> 01:12:24.580
 "which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith

01:12:24.580 --> 01:12:28.750
 "and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

01:12:28.750 --> 01:12:31.760
 "But thou, O man of God," notice, "flee these things

01:12:31.760 --> 01:12:38.860
 "and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness."

01:12:38.860 --> 01:12:44.750
 Right, so righteousness should be the goal and the focus of our life, not money.

01:12:44.750 --> 01:12:46.680
 You know, if you wake up every day and your first thought is,

01:12:46.680 --> 01:12:47.660
 "How can I make a bunch of money?"

01:12:47.660 --> 01:12:48.740
 Like, you are far from God.

01:12:48.740 --> 01:12:50.720
 You're on the wrong path in life.

01:12:50.720 --> 01:12:54.670
 You need to be seeking after righteousness, faith, charity,

01:12:54.670 --> 01:12:57.750
 soul winning, being in the house of God, reading the Bible.

01:12:57.750 --> 01:13:00.730
 And hey, if you put him first and he blesses you, great.

01:13:00.730 --> 01:13:04.720
 But don't be one that seeks to be rich because that's how you destroy your life.

01:13:04.720 --> 01:13:07.070
 Go back to Ecclesiastes chapter number five.

01:13:07.070 --> 01:13:09.840
 Ecclesiastes chapter number five.

01:13:09.840 --> 01:13:13.300
 Then it says in verse number 14, he says,

01:13:13.300 --> 01:13:18.630
 "But those riches perish by evil travail.

01:13:18.630 --> 01:13:23.460
 And he begeteth a son, and there's nothing in his hand."

01:13:23.460 --> 01:13:26.420
 So notice just the vanity here of riches.

01:13:26.420 --> 01:13:29.440
 If you desire silver, you won't be satisfied.

01:13:29.440 --> 01:13:31.480
 If you desire increase, you won't be satisfied.

01:13:31.480 --> 01:13:34.450
 Then if you get it, there could be all these dangers that come to you.

01:13:34.450 --> 01:13:37.430
 There could be all this evil that befalls you, even if you do get it.

01:13:37.430 --> 01:13:41.400
 Then if you get it, you could just lose it all by some sort of evil travail,

01:13:41.400 --> 01:13:43.760
 and you could have just worked your whole life chasing money,

01:13:43.760 --> 01:13:46.740
 and you could have had it for a moment, and it could just all be taken from you,

01:13:46.740 --> 01:13:49.720
 and you've got nothing to give to your kids, nothing to pass on to them.

01:13:49.720 --> 01:13:51.700
 Whereas like, at least if you're serving God,

01:13:51.700 --> 01:13:54.680
 there's always that spiritual heritage that you could pass down.

01:13:54.680 --> 01:13:58.820
 There's always those spiritual blessings that you've modeled and showed in your life

01:13:58.820 --> 01:14:02.880
 that your kids could follow in that footpath and be blessed by God.

01:14:02.880 --> 01:14:06.340
 But you know, if you're just one that just is obsessed with money

01:14:06.340 --> 01:14:10.290
 and obsessed with becoming rich, that's what your kids are going to see as the model,

01:14:10.290 --> 01:14:13.440
 and they're going to go down the same destructive path as you.

01:14:13.440 --> 01:14:16.640
 They have nothing to give to their children.

01:14:16.640 --> 01:14:19.180
 It makes me think honestly of my grandfather, believe it or not,

01:14:19.180 --> 01:14:23.130
 because my grandfather was a man of riches, had a lot of money,

01:14:23.130 --> 01:14:27.150
 and his father, even more so, his father started a grocery store

01:14:27.150 --> 01:14:30.120
 in Southern California called Lucky's Food Company

01:14:30.120 --> 01:14:32.100
 that ended up being merged with Whole Foods.

01:14:32.100 --> 01:14:34.080
 So like, this guy was crazy rich.

01:14:34.080 --> 01:14:36.060
 You know how much I solve it? Zero.

01:14:36.060 --> 01:14:38.250
 You know how much my father solved it? Zero.

01:14:38.250 --> 01:14:41.610
 Because riches just have a way of flying away.

01:14:41.610 --> 01:14:44.690
 And it's like, you know, oh, I'm going to get my family set up for life.

01:14:44.690 --> 01:14:46.660
 I'm going to make all this money. I'm going to be super rich.

01:14:46.660 --> 01:14:47.650
 You don't even know if that's true.

01:14:47.650 --> 01:14:51.940
 Even if you are successful, even if you make it, that's not a guarantee.

01:14:51.940 --> 01:14:54.870
 And let's be honest, most people don't become rich.

01:14:54.870 --> 01:14:58.990
 And usually the people that are desiring to be rich, especially as a Christian,

01:14:58.990 --> 01:15:01.330
 usually God's going to be hindering you.

01:15:01.330 --> 01:15:03.250
 God doesn't want you to destroy your life.

01:15:03.250 --> 01:15:05.560
 Maybe that's why I didn't get passed down to me.

01:15:05.560 --> 01:15:07.530
 Because God didn't want me to have it. Praise God for that.

01:15:07.530 --> 01:15:10.120
 I'm very content with where I am.

01:15:10.120 --> 01:15:14.690
 Ecclesiastes 5, look at verse number, let's see here, verse number 15.

01:15:14.690 --> 01:15:19.530
 "And he came forth of his mother's womb, as he came forth of his mother's womb,

01:15:19.530 --> 01:15:24.780
 naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor,

01:15:24.780 --> 01:15:29.920
 which he may carry away in his hands." See, Job recognized this, he had riches,

01:15:29.920 --> 01:15:34.870
 he had everything, and he realized, hey, naked came I out of my mother's womb,

01:15:34.870 --> 01:15:38.990
 naked shall I return, thither the Lord is given, the Lord's taken away,

01:15:38.990 --> 01:15:41.940
 blessed be the name of the Lord. That's the right attitude to have.

01:15:41.940 --> 01:15:47.650
 Verse 16, "And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came,

01:15:47.650 --> 01:15:53.050
 so shall he go. And what profit hath he that hath labored for the wind?"

01:15:53.050 --> 01:15:56.070
 At the end of it all, all the money someone could chase,

01:15:56.070 --> 01:15:59.090
 what profit does it really have at the end?

01:15:59.090 --> 01:16:01.260
 Is anyone really on their deathbed thinking,

01:16:01.260 --> 01:16:05.500
 "Man, I wish I had more stocks. I wish I had sold more cars.

01:16:05.500 --> 01:16:08.460
 I wish I had made more money. I wish I had flown more airplanes.

01:16:08.460 --> 01:16:11.430
 I wish I had started more businesses. I wish I had done all these things."

01:16:11.430 --> 01:16:13.630
 No one's thinking that on their deathbed.

01:16:13.630 --> 01:16:16.590
 The boomers are really thinking, "Why didn't I have any kids?

01:16:16.590 --> 01:16:19.540
 Why am I in the nursing home, and why is Tim Walz feeding me alcohol?

01:16:19.540 --> 01:16:22.860
 Why is Tim Walz getting me drunk in the nursing home?"

01:16:22.860 --> 01:16:24.850
 That's really what they're thinking nowadays in Minnesota.

01:16:24.850 --> 01:16:27.820
 But they're not thinking, "Man, I wish I had worked more.

01:16:27.820 --> 01:16:29.800
 I wish I had more money. I wish I had these things."

01:16:29.800 --> 01:16:32.200
 Nope, it's just the wind. It's vanity.

01:16:32.200 --> 01:16:36.530
 Notice this, verse 17, "All his days also he eateth in darkness,

01:16:36.530 --> 01:16:41.040
 and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness."

01:16:41.040 --> 01:16:43.960
 Oh yeah, being rich would be so great. Oh, but you don't get to sleep at all.

01:16:43.960 --> 01:16:47.190
 You have no sleep. Oh, being rich would be so great.

01:16:47.190 --> 01:16:51.150
 But you're miserable, and you're sad, and all your days you're eating in darkness,

01:16:51.150 --> 01:16:53.140
 and you have misery with your sickness.

01:16:53.140 --> 01:16:55.120
 Look, a lot of rich people are completely miserable.

01:16:55.120 --> 01:16:58.480
 A lot of rich people would give all their money away to be happy,

01:16:58.480 --> 01:17:02.880
 to have someone in their life that's real, to have health, right?

01:17:02.880 --> 01:17:03.840
 Riches are not everything.

01:17:03.840 --> 01:17:06.500
 And notice what it says in verse 18.

01:17:06.500 --> 01:17:11.050
 "Behold, that which I have seen, it is good and comely for one to eat,

01:17:11.050 --> 01:17:16.290
 and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he hath taken under the sun,

01:17:16.290 --> 01:17:21.240
 all the days of his life, which God giveth him, for it is his portion."

01:17:21.240 --> 01:17:25.330
 So some people, they have riches, they have everything, but they don't get to enjoy it.

01:17:25.330 --> 01:17:27.410
 What's being blessed?

01:17:27.410 --> 01:17:30.350
 Whatever amount you have, being able to actually enjoy the fruit of your labor,

01:17:30.350 --> 01:17:32.670
 that's a great blessing of God.

01:17:32.670 --> 01:17:36.830
 That's a great blessing that not even the rich often can buy with money,

01:17:36.830 --> 01:17:39.800
 is having a wife that loves you, having peace in your home,

01:17:39.800 --> 01:17:42.770
 having children that are there around your table.

01:17:42.770 --> 01:17:44.760
 These are the blessings of God.

01:17:44.760 --> 01:17:48.770
 When you're, even if you're poor, you could choose to have a feast.

01:17:48.770 --> 01:17:50.770
 You could choose to have gladness.

01:17:50.770 --> 01:17:54.070
 Go to Proverbs chapter 15, Proverbs chapter number 15.

01:17:54.070 --> 01:17:59.380
 I don't think it's saying, well, some rich people, they're eating in sorrow,

01:17:59.380 --> 01:18:02.330
 and other rich people, they're getting to enjoy those things.

01:18:02.330 --> 01:18:03.320
 We actually have a choice.

01:18:03.320 --> 01:18:06.900
 Look what it says in Proverbs chapter 15, verse 15.

01:18:06.900 --> 01:18:09.830
 It says, "All the days of the afflicted are evil,

01:18:09.830 --> 01:18:14.170
 but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast."

01:18:14.170 --> 01:18:15.510
 Right?

01:18:15.510 --> 01:18:17.430
 So, you know, you could actually choose to be happy.

01:18:17.430 --> 01:18:20.820
 You could actually choose to be content.

01:18:20.820 --> 01:18:22.810
 You could actually choose to be thankful

01:18:22.810 --> 01:18:24.800
 to God for the things that you have.

01:18:24.800 --> 01:18:26.790
 And there could be people in big mansions

01:18:26.790 --> 01:18:29.770
 with billions of dollars that hate their meals,

01:18:29.770 --> 01:18:31.760
 and they hate their sleep, and they hate their wife,

01:18:31.760 --> 01:18:33.750
 and they hate their life.

01:18:33.750 --> 01:18:35.740
 And there could be people living in Oklahoma

01:18:35.740 --> 01:18:38.050
 in a trailer or something, living in an apartment,

01:18:38.050 --> 01:18:41.020
 living in a small house, not have much means,

01:18:41.020 --> 01:18:42.990
 not have the greatest food, not have all the riches,

01:18:42.990 --> 01:18:47.410
 but every single day could be a continual feast.

01:18:47.410 --> 01:18:49.480
 You know, being a Christian, it's awesome.

01:18:49.480 --> 01:18:52.840
 You can kind of just supersede the rules of this world,

01:18:52.840 --> 01:18:54.830
 where it's like the rules of this world, it's like,

01:18:54.830 --> 01:18:55.820
 you've got to have money to be happy.

01:18:55.820 --> 01:18:57.800
 You have to have money to enjoy these things.

01:18:57.800 --> 01:19:01.770
 You have to have access to be special or something like that.

01:19:01.770 --> 01:19:03.760
 But you could just totally bypass all that by being a Christian

01:19:03.760 --> 01:19:06.000
 and having the Holy Spirit of God inside of you.

01:19:06.000 --> 01:19:08.980
 You could bypass all of that by keeping God's commandments,

01:19:08.980 --> 01:19:11.960
 by going to church, by being around good people,

01:19:11.960 --> 01:19:13.940
 having fellowship with like-minded believers.

01:19:13.940 --> 01:19:16.920
 I mean, if you have one friend in this world,

01:19:16.920 --> 01:19:17.910
 you're doing better than a lot of rich people.

01:19:17.910 --> 01:19:20.860
 If you have a spouse that loves you,

01:19:20.860 --> 01:19:23.110
 you're doing better than a lot of rich people.

01:19:23.110 --> 01:19:26.640
 If you have a spouse that is not defecated on your bed,

01:19:26.640 --> 01:19:29.670
 you're doing better than Johnny Depp, literally.

01:19:29.670 --> 01:19:31.890
 How would you like to be married to Amber Heard?

01:19:31.890 --> 01:19:32.860
 Some guy, "Oh, she's so beautiful.

01:19:32.860 --> 01:19:35.240
 I would just love to be married to Amber Heard."

01:19:35.240 --> 01:19:36.610
 No, thank you.

01:19:36.610 --> 01:19:37.530
 No, thanks, I'm good.

01:19:37.530 --> 01:19:40.150
 It's just like, you don't want that, right?

01:19:40.150 --> 01:19:43.080
 Oh, man, if I could only have as much money as Elon Musk.

01:19:43.080 --> 01:19:46.230
 Bro has like a bunch of satanic ex-wives.

01:19:46.230 --> 01:19:50.170
 One of his kids is named like X59ER127.3.

01:19:50.170 --> 01:19:52.670
 It's like, you don't want that life.

01:19:52.670 --> 01:19:56.620
 He says, you know, he sleeps at his office, works 24 hours oftentimes.

01:19:56.620 --> 01:19:57.610
 I mean, he's hated.

01:19:57.610 --> 01:19:59.580
 He's got to have bodyguards with him everywhere he goes.

01:19:59.580 --> 01:20:00.990
 I'm good.

01:20:00.990 --> 01:20:02.900
 I'd rather my life than Elon Musk's life.

01:20:02.900 --> 01:20:07.560
 You are a fool if you would rather have the lives of these people.

01:20:07.560 --> 01:20:10.530
 No, no, no, you could have a continual feast every single day,

01:20:10.530 --> 01:20:13.500
 serving God, singing the hymns, reading the Bible,

01:20:13.500 --> 01:20:17.450
 reminding yourself that you're saved, going to church, going soul winning.

01:20:17.450 --> 01:20:19.890
 You know, those are the true riches in life.

01:20:19.890 --> 01:20:22.110
 You work hard and you have a good night's sleep.

01:20:22.110 --> 01:20:24.100
 And hey, whether you eat much or whether you eat little,

01:20:24.100 --> 01:20:26.250
 you enjoy that night's sleep, right?

01:20:26.250 --> 01:20:28.220
 You enjoy the wife of your youth.

01:20:28.220 --> 01:20:30.190
 You enjoy living with your children.

01:20:30.190 --> 01:20:33.250
 Even if it's not in riches, you could choose to be happy.

01:20:33.250 --> 01:20:35.930
 Go to Ecclesiastes chapter number five.

01:20:35.930 --> 01:20:40.180
 Ecclesiastes chapter number five.

01:20:40.180 --> 01:20:42.150
 Notice verse 19, kind of going back to the rich here.

01:20:42.150 --> 01:20:47.400
 It says, "Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth,

01:20:47.400 --> 01:20:52.440
 and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion,

01:20:52.440 --> 01:20:55.450
 peace in his labor, this is the gift of God.

01:20:55.450 --> 01:20:57.930
 For he shall not much remember the days of his life,

01:20:57.930 --> 01:21:02.250
 because God answereth him in the joy of his heart."

01:21:02.250 --> 01:21:05.180
 Last place we'll go to is Acts chapter number 20.

01:21:05.180 --> 01:21:07.180
 Acts chapter number 20.

01:21:07.180 --> 01:21:12.610
 He's saying, hey, you know, if you are rich and you get to enjoy those riches,

01:21:12.610 --> 01:21:16.130
 I mean, that's really a gift from God right there.

01:21:16.130 --> 01:21:20.080
 You know, having material blessings and having people not try to kill you for them,

01:21:20.080 --> 01:21:23.050
 not steal them, you know, having a family,

01:21:23.050 --> 01:21:26.020
 not having these type of issues, man, that's really, really great.

01:21:26.020 --> 01:21:28.000
 Look at Acts chapter number 20, verse 24.

01:21:28.000 --> 01:21:30.670
 I like what the Apostle Paul said here.

01:21:30.670 --> 01:21:34.610
 He said, "But none of these things move me, neither count on my life dear unto myself."

01:21:34.610 --> 01:21:39.780
 This is what I want to focus on so that I might finish my course with joy

01:21:39.780 --> 01:21:46.180
 and the ministry which I have received the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

01:21:46.180 --> 01:21:48.140
 At the end of Ecclesiastes 5, he's saying,

01:21:48.140 --> 01:21:53.220
 "Man, if you have riches and joy with those riches, that's really a gift from God."

01:21:53.220 --> 01:21:56.390
 If you have riches and you get to enjoy those things,

01:21:56.390 --> 01:22:00.340
 well then that's not the sore evil, the sore travail that he's seeing with all the other rich people.

01:22:00.340 --> 01:22:03.360
 Man, you get to be rich and you get to enjoy it.

01:22:03.360 --> 01:22:10.270
 And notice the desire of the Apostle Paul of how he wanted to end his life was that he would finish the work with joy.

01:22:10.270 --> 01:22:13.460
 Now here's the thing, you read Ecclesiastes chapter 5 and you're like,

01:22:13.460 --> 01:22:18.520
 "Oh man, that must be nice to be rich and to get to enjoy those riches."

01:22:18.520 --> 01:22:22.640
 I mean, isn't that what people want, to have money and things and to get to enjoy those things?

01:22:22.640 --> 01:22:27.120
 But let me tell you tonight, I am rich and I do get to enjoy my life and so are you.

01:22:27.120 --> 01:22:30.090
 You are that rich person. You are that person who has the great gift from God,

01:22:30.090 --> 01:22:35.040
 where you actually are very rich and you get to enjoy those things. Why?

01:22:35.040 --> 01:22:38.640
 Because we're saved. Because we have eternal life.

01:22:38.640 --> 01:22:42.730
 I mean, I am so rich, I am literally going to walk on streets of gold someday. And so are you.

01:22:42.730 --> 01:22:49.270
 I am so rich, I'm going to be living in my father's mansions that he has prepared for me.

01:22:49.270 --> 01:22:54.410
 I am so rich that I actually do get to enjoy a family. And I do get to enjoy good food.

01:22:54.410 --> 01:23:00.370
 And I do get to enjoy living in Oklahoma, living in the United States, having a car, having air conditioning,

01:23:00.370 --> 01:23:06.030
 having a building, having a bed, having these things. Hey, I am rich tonight. You are rich tonight.

01:23:06.030 --> 01:23:10.490
 And you know what? You'd be a fool to look at people who Americans consider rich and think like,

01:23:10.490 --> 01:23:15.460
 "Oh, that's riches. That's what I want." No, no, no. You know, we have a great gift from God tonight.

01:23:15.460 --> 01:23:20.430
 We are that person at the end of Ecclesiastes where we are rich and we have the power to enjoy those things.

01:23:20.430 --> 01:23:24.810
 Let us be thankful in our life. Let us not take things for granted.

01:23:24.810 --> 01:23:31.730
 Let us not become envious at the wicked, at the foolish, people who if you actually traded lives with them, you would hate your life.

01:23:31.730 --> 01:23:37.530
 You are rich beyond your wildest imaginations. And you know what? Someday that's going to become a bigger reality to you.

01:23:37.530 --> 01:23:42.500
 Like I said, when you're walking on streets of gold. But you know what? Right now, don't sit here and desire to be rich.

01:23:42.500 --> 01:23:46.470
 Don't get the love of money infected in your heart. It will destroy you.

01:23:46.470 --> 01:23:49.460
 Why don't you just enjoy being rich spiritually right now?

01:23:49.460 --> 01:23:53.490
 Let's pray, Lord. Thank you so much for your word. And thank you for making us rich spiritually in Christ.

01:23:53.490 --> 01:23:59.030
 The Bible teaches us that in all things we are enriched by him. And we thank you for that.

01:23:59.030 --> 01:24:02.010
 I pray that no one in here would be infected with the love of money.

01:24:02.010 --> 01:24:04.980
 That you'd help us to be content with such things as we have.

01:24:04.980 --> 01:24:08.960
 And we love you and thank you for all that you do. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

01:24:08.960 --> 01:24:23.270
 Last hymn this evening. Turn if you would to number 135 in your hymnal.

01:24:23.270 --> 01:24:31.580
 Hymn number 135. 135. I know I am saved.

01:24:31.580 --> 01:24:35.010
 We'll sing this twice through.

01:24:35.010 --> 01:24:39.550
 135. I know I am saved.

01:24:39.550 --> 01:24:41.990
 Sing it twice.

01:24:41.990 --> 01:24:54.370
 135 there on that first and only verse.

01:24:54.370 --> 01:26:07.830
 ♫ I know I'm like this ♫