You
Hey, man, welcome to first works Baptist Church, we're gonna get started with song number
245 song number 245 is you find your seats
And if you are able to let's all stand up together for our first song the old account was settled long ago song number
245
Let's all stand together for our first song
See it on that first verse
There was a time on earth
When in the book of him and all the cow was standing for sins yet unforgiveness
My name was at the top with many things below
I went on to the keeper and said oh long ago long ago
long ago
Yes, the old account was settled long ago
And the record's weird today for he washed my sins away when the old account was set up long ago
The old account was large and growing every day
For I was always sinning and never tried to pay
But when I looked ahead and saw such pain and woe I said I would settle I settle long ago long ago
Long ago
Yes, the old account was set up long ago
And the record's clear today for he washed my sins away when the old account was settled long ago
When in that happy home my saber's home above I'll sing redemption story
And praise him for his love. I'll now forget that book with pages wide as snow
Because I came and said oh, I said oh long ago long ago
long ago
And the record's clear today though he washed my sins away when the old account was settled long ago
Oh
Sinner trust the Lord be cleansed of all your sin for thus he hath provided
for you to enter in and if you
live a
Hundred years below up there. You'll not regret it. You said oh long ago long ago
long ago
Yes, the old account was settled long ago
Oh record's clear today for he washed my sins away when the old account was settled long ago
Amen, wonderful scene. Let's start our service with a word of prayer. Dear God only father
We thank you so much with your God for just allowing us to be here this morning. Lord God
I pray that you please just bless every aspect of a service with God
I pray that you please just bless the singing unto you and Lord
I pray that you please just bless people that couldn't make it to church today. Look God
I know some people are sick. I pray that you please just heal their bodies and
Lord most importantly I pray that you would also just be with our pastor
Please fill in with your Holy Spirit guide him through the scriptures
Oh God bring to remembrance of the things that he has studied Lord God as well
I pray now that you please just bless her service now in Jesus name. Amen. You may be seated song number
410 faith is a victory song number
410 there in your hymnals is our second song
We will see it on that first verse in camps along the hills of light you Christian soldiers rise seen on that verse in
Camped along the hills of light ye Christian soldiers rise
And press the battle air the night
Going skies
Against the bow and bales below let all our strength be heard
Faith is a victory
We know
That over comes a world
Faith is a victory
Faith is a victory Oh
Glorious victory that overcomes the world
His banner over us is love our sword the Word of God
We tread the road the stains of
Triumph rod
By faith they like all whirlwinds with
Every field the faith by which they conquer death
It's still our shining shield
Faith is a victory
Faith
Is a victory Oh
Glorious victory that overcomes the world
On every hand the full we find drawn up in dread array
Let tense of ease be left behind and onward to the fray
Salvation's helmet on each end with truth o'er the bow
The earth shall tremble need or fear
and
echo with a shout
Faith is a victory
Faith is a victory Oh
Oh
glorious victory
that
overcomes the world
to him that
Overcomes the full right Raymond shall be give
Before the angels he shall know his name confessed in him
Then onward from the hills of life our hearts will love a flame
will
Tranquish the host of night
in Jesus
conquering name
Faith is a victory
Faith is a victory Oh
Glorious victory that overcomes the world
All
Right great singing. Thank you for being here this morning. Welcome to first works Baptist Church
Just a few announcements here before we sing our next song which will be song number
363 if you want to get that ready in your songbooks
363 wonderful words of life if you did not get a bulletin going to raise your hand and one of the ushers can get one
For you some important information on there
Of course our Sunday morning service is at 1030 Sunday evening at 5 p.m. And then we have our Thursday night Bible study at 7 o'clock
We are currently studying the book of Matthew
So I hope to see you on Thursday evening
And then you see the the sowing times and teams and the list of expecting mothers
Congratulations to brother Leon and miss Lorena on the birth of their baby girl. Joy, Lucene
Yakovian she is 7 pounds 10 ounces and 21 inches
And so if you would like to be a blessing and send him a meal or send him a gift card
Please make sure you contact my wife and she can she's organizing that and so if you can just shoot her a text
She can give you information about that. So congratulations to them and then you see the important reminders there at the bottom
Oh, and by the way, we have
someone else expecting I
almost forgot
Brother Eric, can you do a little?
Ah
Would you say brother Jose Ms. Janelle, oh hey man
Congratulations number six, right
Boy or girl I'm not gonna ask
We'll see
All right. Congratulations to you too. And then some of the upcoming church events here
We have of course miss Tanya leaves baby shower on Sunday, May 28th
That's next week next Sunday, and that'll be after the service
We have the Monday soul winning on the 29th meeting at the building at 1130
If you have any questions see brother Ulysses
The end of school picnic is on Tuesday May 30th at 1230 and that will be at eucalyptus park
If you have any questions about that
You can see brother Ulysses and then the ladies prayer breakfast on Saturday, June 3rd
And miss Janelle's the one who heads that up so you can talk to her about information about that
And then you see the regular reminders there at the bottom
Please make sure you silence your phones during the preaching so as to not be a distraction during the service and that is it
Let's go ahead and sing our next song
363 wonderful words of life
Hey man song number 363 wonderful words of life song number 363
seen on that first verse
Sing them over again to me
wonderful words of mine
Let me more of their beauty see
Wonderful words of life
Words of life and beauty
Teach me faith and duty
Beautiful words wonderful words wonderful words of life
Christ the blessed one gives to all
Wonderful words of life
Sinnerless to the love being called wonderful words of life
Also freely given wooing us to heaven
Beautiful words
wonderful words
Wonderful words of life
Beautiful words wonderful words wonderful words of life
Sweetly echo the gospel call wonderful words of life
Offered pardon and peace to all wonderful words of life
Jesus only Savior
Saint divine forever
Beautiful words wonderful words wonderful words of life
Amen wonderful singing at this time our ushers will be receiving the offering and please turn your Bibles to Psalm chapter 37
You
Psalm 37 this morning
Psalm 37 the Bible reads
Fret not thyself because of evildoers neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb
Trust in the Lord and do good. So shall thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed
Delight thyself also in the Lord and you shall give thee the desires of thine heart
Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and you shall bring it to pass
You shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy judgment is the noon day
Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him fret not thyself because of him who
Prosperth in his way because the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass
Cease from anger and forsake wrath fret not thyself in any wise to do evil for evildoers shall be cut off
But those that wait upon the Lord they shall inherit the earth
Forget a little while and the wicked shall not be yay
They shall diligently consider his place and it shall not be
But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace
The wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth upon him with his teeth
The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming
The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow to cast down the poor and needy and to slay such as be of
upright conversation their sword shall enter into their own heart and their bows shall be broken a
Little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked
Where the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholdeth the righteous
The Lord knoweth the days of the upright and their inheritance shall be forever
They shall not be ashamed in the evil time and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied
But the wicked shall perish and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs
They shall consume it is smoke. They shall consume away
The wicked borroweth and payeth not again
But the righteous showeth mercy and giveth for such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth and they that be cursed of him
Shall be cut off
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way
Though we fall he should not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand
I've been young and now I'm old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread
He is ever merciful and lendeth. His seed is blessed
Depart from evil and do good and dwell forevermore for the Lord loveth judgment forsaketh not his Saints
They preserve forever, but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off
The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell therein forever
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgment
The law of his God and this is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide
The wicked watch at the righteous and seeketh to slay him
The Lord will not leave him in his hand nor condemn him when he is judged
Wait on the Lord and keep his way and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land
When the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it
I've seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay tree
Yet he passed away and lo he was not yea I saw him but he could not be found
Mark the perfect man behold the upright at the end of that man is peace
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together
The end of the wicked shall be to cut up shall be cut off
But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord he is their strength in the time of trouble
The Lord shall help them and deliver them
He should deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in them. Let's pray to the Lord God
Thank you for this opportunity to assemble here in your house
Just ask that you would meet with us here now this morning and please
Bless pastor me here with the Holy Spirit as he preaches your word and Jesus name. We pray. Amen
man
All right. We're in Psalm 37 this morning. Look down at your Bibles at verse number 7
It says rest on the Lord and wait patiently for him fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way
Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass and the time I started this morning
It's ten reasons the wicked prosper ten reasons the wicked prosper
Why is it that evil people succeed in this world?
I mean if you've been alive for any length of time
You obviously see that there's some pretty wicked people in this world
So Britain some people who are very evil have nefarious intentions and they seem to be prospering
Succeeding going forward in their life. And if you're a Christian you obviously frustrated with these things, you know
Anything like me I think to myself how is it that these people are permitted to continue to go forward continue to live
Continue to succeed and prosper in this world, even though they're really wicked and we see here in Psalm 37
That David obviously felt the same way and expressed those same thoughts here in this particular Psalm
And in fact in verse number one, he starts off by saying fret not thyself because of evildoers
Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. What does it mean to fret? It means you're overly anxious
You're kind of worrying about it. You're kind of just frustrated about it and
David here saying don't fret don't worry about the evildoers of this world
He goes on to say in verse number seven the latter end fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way
It says because of the man who bringeth the wicked devices to pass and then he says in verse number the 34
Excuse me verse number I
Lost my passage here verse number 34 says wait on the Lord and keep his way
He shall exalt thee to inherit the land when the wicked are cut off thou shall see it
I have seen verse 35 the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay tree. He's obviously
Expressing the fact that in his personal life in his experience
He's seen a lot of wicked people just kind of go forward without any hindrances
Just kind of succeed in this world and he's essentially telling the reader here
We need to make sure we don't fret about these things. Don't be overly anxious about them
Don't worry about your wicked boss who's constantly prospering your neighbor who's not saved
He's not a Christian but yet seems to be succeeding in this world that one individual who just blasphemes the Lord
Is not a Christian just seems to kind of mock the things of God yet seems to be succeeding
Or how about just the wicked rulers of this world right who are just constantly succeeding
They don't seem to be hindered threat not thyself because of evildoers the Bible says now
We're gonna come back to Psalm 37 and go with me through what the Ecclesiastes chapter number 8
Ecclesiastes chapter number 8 this morning. I'm gonna give you 10 reasons
Why the wicked prosper and I want to help us today as Christians as a church to have the right mindset
Regarding the evil people of this world. Okay, we obviously don't want to justify who they are or make excuses
We're gonna look at 10 biblical reasons why they succeed why they're doing well
And what does the Bible have to say about it? Look at the Ecclesiastes chapter 8 and verse number 14
It says here verse number 14. There is a vanity which is done upon the earth that there be just men
Unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked now, what does that mean?
He said me, you know, I've seen a lot of good people
Righteous people well-meaning people suffer the consequences that the wicked would suffer, right?
You see a really righteous person maybe someone who loves the Lord is going to church
but then their life is cut short or
They're hindered in some way and it's just like wow, isn't that recompense designated for the wicked?
Why is it that the righteous is suffering in that manner, right and then he says there be wicked men to whom it happeneth
According to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. So you see you hear the frustration in the voice of
Solomon here who's the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes? He's like, I don't get it
You know, there's people in this world who are righteous good well-meaning people. They love the Lord. They're good individuals
They're just men, but then they kind of suffer the consequences of the wicked and then you have really wicked people who are just evil
They're wicked and yet they seem to be enjoying the
Recompenses of the righteous and he says this is vanity. This is so frustrating. This is the way the world works
Why is that now when I give you these ten reasons, I'm actually talking about two categories of people
Okay
When I say the wicked obviously I could be referring to either wicked people as in just plainly unsaved individuals
Who are still redeemable?
But yet they live wicked lives they live sinful
Lifestyles, they're not doing things that are pleasing unto the Lord because they're not even saved, but they're still redeemable
or I'm referring to people who are not redeemable right what the Bible would refer to as reprobates and
So I want to talk about those categories, but I'm gonna I'm gonna hit on the first category
Which is just simply the person who is redeemable, but it's just living a wicked lifestyle. This is referring to your neighbor
You know that neighbor who's a drunkard maybe he's like committing adultery
He's just kind of a cheat. He's a liar yet. He seems to be succeeding God
Why are you allowing this person to prosper in his way yet?
You are, you know a god-fearing person a churchgoing individual you work hard
You love your family, but you don't seem to be making steps forward like this person is why is that?
Let me give you a couple reasons. We're gonna look at the Ecclesiastes chapter 9 if you would
Ecclesiastes chapter 9 and
Again, you know we need to make sure we have the right attitude towards unsafe people
towards the reprobates
Towards the wicked of this world. We need to make sure we align our thinking with what the Bible says
Okay, so reason number one why the wicked prosper? Let me say this is that they are reaping the benefits of being God's creation
the reason the wicked are allowed to prosper the unsaved who are living a sinful lifestyle is
Simply because they're simply reaping the benefits of being a human being. Okay. So what do you mean by that?
Well, you know, there's a default setting that God has for just all human beings
Okay, there's this default setting that every human that God has in this world for all human beings whether they're Christian whether they're unsaved
It doesn't matter who they are
They will reap certain benefits that other parts of creation do not I mean, you know
Even if you're the most wicked person in this world, you still have it better than the dog
You have it better than the animal you have it better than some, you know gazelle and in Africa
Who's being constantly hunted by lions? I mean we are the greatest of all of God's creation
Human beings are the greatest of all God's creation and the reality is this is that we
Before salvation have inherited this default setting of just being blessed because we're human beings
Okay, we're born into this world with certain blessings and it's not necessarily because God's favoring that wicked person
It's not because he just loves that individual more than God's people or he loves that reprobate more than God's people
It's just that they're human. So they obviously inherit blessings that come with being a human being. Okay
The certain blessings that come with being God's greatest creation and you know, I think of it this way
You think of the fact that or
I'll give you this example when I edit certain videos. I use a program called Premiere Pro that comes from an Adobe suite and
This is where I edit all the videos all the shorts
Documentaries whatever it is that we make I do it on that
But when you first open the program if you first download it and you open it
It comes with a certain interface. That's just the default interface. Okay?
In other words, the tools are in a specific area all of the the grade the color grading is in a certain area
But you have the choice to essentially click on a specific button and change that interface if you want
Right change it around put screens in different places
Well, that's basically the way God's blessing us. Okay, when we first are downloaded into this world, so to speak
I'm not saying we're in the matrix or anything like that, right?
Don't take this illustration too far. Okay
You know, we're downloaded we're born into this world
We essentially inherit this interface with just the default settings already there and I'm sure you know
The Adobe company has your best interest in mind in a sense of this is the most effective way to edit certain videos having this
particular interface, right
But you know, there's certain people that are not happy with that and in light of that
They begin to switch things around to kind of you know
Fit their agenda, you know make a God in their own image
Right, they turn the truth of God into a lie
And then at that point they leave the default settings and they become a reprobate or whatever maybe okay
But then there's individuals who actually look at that default setting and say, you know, I'm gonna edit according to this
This is this is good in my sight. I like it
And so what I'm saying is, you know this world
When you see wicked people prosper and they succeed and they seem to be doing well
It's not because God particularly loves that individual more than you not because he's favoring them more than you
It's just because there are human being and they get to enjoy certain things that all human beings do look at Ecclesiastes 9 and verse number
1 it says for all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this
That the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God
No, man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them all things come alike to all
There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked
To the good and to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrifices to him that sacrifices
Not as it is good
So as a sinner and he that swereth as he that fearth and oath
There is an evil among all things that are done under the Sun that there is one event even unto all the Bible says
What does it say? You know certain things just happens to everyone. For example, there's a default setting called death
And
Just because a righteous person dies doesn't mean God
Doesn't like that individual. It's just part of the default setting of being a human being right? There's default settings of sicknesses
There's a default setting of just being a sinner
You know
Struggling with sin having that temptation whatever it may be and so the evil happens to everyone
But you know what the good happens to everyone as well
Okay
That's why it says in verse 2 all things come alike to all and then in verse 3 it tells us
That there is an evil among all things that are done under the Sun
Look at Matthew chapter 5 if you would Matthew chapter number 5. So reason number 1 why is it that the wicked prosper?
Well, don't confuse prospering with just the default setting
Just because wicked people are allowed to prolong their days and they live long days and maybe they succeed at their jobs or you know
They have a family and they seem to be happy and all these things don't mistake that for God favoring them more than you
It's simply them enjoying that default setting of being God's creation. They're reaping the benefits of just being a human being. Okay
Look at Matthew 5 44 Matthew chapter 5 verse 44 says but I say unto you love your enemies
Bless them that curse you
Do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you
that ye may be the children of your father which is in heaven for he maketh his son to rise on the evil and on the
good and
Sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. What is he saying?
You know just being a human being you get to enjoy the Sun you get to enjoy
The wicked person people of this of this world get to enjoy the vitamin D as much as you do
Right, they can they get to enjoy the beautiful day in Southern California
The 70 degrees
the beautiful weather
The beautiful Sun they get to enjoy the beach here in Southern California
I mean, we don't know about those other people in other parts of the country. Okay, but oh hi Arizona's. How are you doing?
Hey, I'm just kidding, you know
You know we get to enjoy all those things, but you know what the we can do, too
And
It's not like why isn't God just designated all these great things for God's people
What's because we're all human beings and in general God has that default setting for us to enjoy
Everything whether you're saved or unsaved go to Acts chapter 17 if you would act chapter 17. So reason number one is
They're simply enjoying or benefiting reaping the benefits of being God's creation
They get to be a part of that default setting
So don't frighten yourself because of evildoers just because they get to enjoy the things that a human being does
You know, they get to eat certain foods and enjoy certain enjoy certain luxuries of this world
It's not because God's blessing is on them
It's simply because of the fact that they are human beings Acts chapter 17 verse 24 says
God that made the world and all things are in
Seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands
Neither is worship with men's hands as though he needed anything
See he giveth to all life breath and all things and has made of one blood all nations of men
For to dwell on all the face of the earth and that determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitations
So he says here that God essentially determined where you're gonna be born
What family you're gonna be a part of well part of the country or the world you're gonna be in
The looks that you're gonna have, you know, this is why that you know
The the thing created cannot say to him that created a why has thou made me thus
Don't complain about your features
Don't complain about the color of your skin
How light you are how dark you are how tall you are how short you are. This is the way God made you
Amen, he created you with these bounds. And so and it says in verse 27
Why that they should seek the Lord if happily they may feel after him and find him
Though he be not far from every one of us
So essentially what God is saying here is that God has situated every human being doesn't matter if you're in the jungles of the Amazon
Doesn't matter if you're in Africa those doesn't matter if you're in the most pagan part of the world
He still set you in your bounds and those boundaries that habitation is still conducive to you seeking after the Lord
If you're born in America
You have the habitation and the boundary of God's blessing on this country enough for you to go and seek after the truth
Right, there's plenty of churches the Bibles everywhere. There's preaching everywhere. He said what about the people who don't live in a Christian nation though?
You know
What if they live in a communist country or some Southeast Asian country were you know idols idolatry is rampant
Well, you know, that's a good reason to seek after the God of the Bible
It's like this place is so wicked. I
Have it so bad here. There's so many idols. I
Need God to deliver me from all this and make no mistake about it
Just because no one's has heard the name of Jesus
Which I don't necessarily believe that in different parts of the world everyone has within them the innate belief that God exists
Okay, it's called the light that God gives to them. Okay, and
So he says there that he does that in order for them to seek the Lord
So these default settings that God places us in are
Meant are built there for the intention of us seeking after the Lord
Thereafter in light of those things now go to go back to Ecclesiastes if you would Ecclesiastes chapter
9
Ecclesiastes chapter number 9. So reason number one. Why does God prosper the wicked?
The number one number one reason is because of the default settings
It's not because he specifically wants to bless that individual or favoring their wicked deeds
or their wicked devices or is for their
Intentions or their motives. It's just because they're a human being. Okay
Number two and he is here's a really deep reason why the wicked prosper
Very deep, okay people simply get lucky
That's basically what it is why do the wicked prosper well, I'll be honest with you it's just by chance sometimes
Sometimes
Wicked people succeed in this world only because they just got lucky. You're like, whoa. Whoa. Whoa. What do you mean luck?
I don't believe in luck my friends. Well, you know what the Bible teaches chance and
I hate to I hate to break the news to you, but that means they just got lucky is what it is
by chance
It's not because they're a great person. It's not because they're righteous. It's not because they're just it's just because they got lucky
Look at Ecclesiastes 9 11
It says here in Ecclesiastes 9 11 I returned and saw under the Sun that the race is not to the Swift wait what I
Thought the people who win the race are people who are fast Swift means fast
Nor the battle to the strong
neither yet bred to the wise
Nor yet riches to men of understanding nor yet favor to men of skill
Listen to this but time and chance happeneth to them all
Now along with that default setting that we talked about in the first place
There's certain rules that this world operates under right certain biblical principles
this world operates under in other words if you want to win the race, you gotta be fast if
You want to make money if you want to succeed you got to work hard
Okay, if you want to make bread you got to be a little wise
If
You want riches you have to be a man of understanding
If you want your boss to favor you you should be a man of skill right this is in general true
especially according to the Bible however if you do all these things and
Your wicked co-worker succeeds and gets the promotion
It's not because you lack
Wisdom it's not because you lack understanding and it's not because you don't have skill. It's just that time and chance happeneth to them all
Why is this person allowed to succeed and prosper he might have just gotten lucky
Why does this person have so much money?
He might have just inherited it from a family member something. He just got lucky
Just by chance and that's an important point
Because of the fact that you know we obviously don't want any gay biblical principles. You need to work and by the way don't depend on chance either
So don't take this verse and say hey
You know maybe time and chance shall happen unto me and therefore I could be lazy and learn no skill and get no
Understanding and not be wise and not be swift no in general the default setting of those biblical principles
Is that you should learn those things and adopt those skills and those virtues however if success doesn't come to you
Immediately because of those things and it comes to a person who is a wicked individual lives a wicked lifestyle
Don't just throw out the baby with the bathwater and say well. I guess the Bible's not true
You know people have a tendency to do that
they
Institute certain biblical principles in her life, and then things do not turn out the way they thought it should
And they're like oh, I guess it's not true then
But to say it's not true is to say that the Bible is not true, and we know that the Bible is true
Because it's God's Word and just because it didn't immediately happen to you
Does it mean it's not true and folks?
I know what I'm talking about even Bible believing Christians people who claim to believe the Word of God
People who claim to have faith in God's Word once they apply it if they don't get immediate success
It's just like oh, I don't believe this then does it didn't work cuz they didn't work for me
Well first of all we should do right in spite of the fact if it works or not
Let me just say that right. It's right to do right regardless if it works or not
It's right to exercise righteousness
Regardless of how it turns out for you. It's right to do that which is right in the sight of the Lord
Regardless of the outcome why because it's always right to do right in the eyes of God
That's why now thankfully
You
Know you will have a favorable outcome
But you know what God doesn't work on your timetable though
You know God's not a drive-thru
He's not a Starbucks employee
He's not a restaurant where you just like okay. I ordered my meal a little bit ago or whatever
Hey, you didn't make this drink exactly how I wanted it. You know
Sorry, it doesn't work that way
There's a couple orders on the menu
But God expects you to get all of them, and he'll get it to you when he gets it to you
Now here's a great example of how this works in Belize
This the restaurants in Belize are just way different than here
Okay here if the food's not ready by like five minutes. I'm like angry. You know. I mean. It's just like what are they?
Killing the cow back there here
Well in Belize. I think they are they are actually killing the cow
because
I'm exaggerating here what like over an hour maybe like an hour and a half
Maybe like an hour and 45 minutes
Was it more than that?
Hike it was about an hour and 45
It was like an hour and 45 minutes before it came out so we like we order the food
And then you see like employees come out, and then they're like turning on the lights
And you know they're just getting all the food ready, and it's just like man
This is taking forever, but you know they operate differently over there, okay, and the food is obviously fresher, so it's better or whatever
and so
But just microwave it for me. I'm just okay. I'll take them. I'm hungry now, okay
You know that's the way God operates
It's like you're gonna get fed. You're gonna get the fulfillment, but you know you got to go according to the cooks timing though
You can't rush to cook
Okay, don't rush to cook don't rush him because of the fact that he's gonna give it to you when he gives it to you
Understand you're like well. I need patience. Well don't ask for patience because he'll make you wait longer
Waiting longer will teach you patience
But the point that I'm trying to make here is
The fact that just because something doesn't work out for you because you've obeyed God doesn't mean it doesn't work
You know just because you know your husband
Didn't turn out the way you would want him to when you submit to him doesn't mean submitting doesn't work or that it's not right
To do it's still right to do
Just because loving your wife as Christ also loved the church
Doesn't work immediately because your wife
You know whatever doesn't respect your whatever doesn't mean you shouldn't do it because it's still right to do and it will yield the results
Later on my friends like oh, man
But I know this couple and they seem to be really happy and they're not Christians
And they're not instituting these principles here, and you know what's up with that well
You know what are you saying you saying the Bible is not true
And look you can look at a couple and they look like they got everything together
But you don't know what happens behind closed doors
You don't know what kind of blows they're throwing and elbows and pans are flying although. You don't know
But folks even if that were true that they were
Succeeding and they have a happy marriage because you see it on Instagram or something
You see how happy they are with all their selfies or something
Doesn't matter because we're still Christians and the Bible says that this system works
but if it doesn't work and
That couple does succeed that employee does succeed in spite of the fact that they have no skill understanding or wisdom
They just got it by chance
They just got it by time and chance don't get mad
Don't get don't fret don't worry don't grow anxious have the maturity to
to assess that situation and say I just got lucky because I'm way more qualified than him or
You know I'm serving God here. I know this is what I deserve, but you know what he does it
But it's okay because time and chance happens to them all
It says in verse number 12 for man also knoweth not his time
As the fishes that are taken in an evil net and as the birds that are caught in the snare
So are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them
You know that their car breaks down, too
You know that they also have health issues as well. You know that people steal from them, too
You know they get their stuff broken into as well. Just as well as you do why because it happens to everyone
okay, and you know if you
You're living in a godly life you serve the Lord, but you know you're having these financial woes and not because you're being
Disobedient rebellious towards the Lord, maybe it's just time and chance happens to them all so why am I having these health issues?
Oh because you live in a sin-ridden world
That corrupts and screws everything up
Including your body right
It's like why did this evil day come upon me well because along with the fact that you get the blessings of being a human
Being there's also curses that come upon a human being for being a human being
right
Sicknesses there's death. There's sorrow. There's anguish
There's grief that comes upon people time and chance happeneth to them all and you know
I think a great example of this would be my father-in-law
Okay, my father-in-law was a pastor a great servant of the Lord did great works for God
Saw a lot of people saved started churches and and pastored a great church preached hard
I mean was it was it was and is a great man of God raised a godly family and and and eight wonderful children
One of them is the best one out of the eight though obviously hope she's watching something around here
You know he just did everything right and then all of a sudden
He gets this AVM where his the nerves in his brain were essentially tied in a knot. That's how he was born and
Then it ruptured when in his 50s and
He nearly dies and now he can no longer pastor. He could barely even function. He can't walk he interacts with his family
But you know he's not necessarily the same person that he was you know back in 2013 when that happened to him and
It's not because he did anything wrong. It's not because he's a he abuses drugs
He wasn't doing Muay Thai kickboxing got a hit to the head, and then he got an aneurysm or something
He was literally born with it
He was born with the AVM, and it's not because he's wicked. It's not because he was even because he did everything right
He did everything right. I mean he sent missionaries all across the world had a great vision for the next generation
I mean he trained me he trained many others, and he did everything right and this happened to him
And it's just like why I'll tell you why cuz time and chance happened to them all that's why
It's not because he's a wicked person and you think about why couldn't that happen to some you know prosperity gospel preacher
Why can't that happen to some repenting your sins preacher so non-denom
Lame preacher who is not even getting people saying he's leading people astray
You know he's tolerating all kinds of sin. He's preaching false doctrine. He's just a wicked person
How come the AVM couldn't be on him rather than on?
Pastors Pizito, I'll tell you why cuz time and chance happened to them all and it's not because God is favoring that wicked person
It's just that that guy just got lucky and unfortunately my father-in-law was not lucky at the time. That's what he was born with
What I'm trying to get across here go to Luke 13 of Luke 13 is the fact that the reason you know
Good things happen to bad people
is
Because of the fact that there's a default setting where everyone's blessed
They receive the rain they receive the Sun they're allowed to breathe and enjoy the luxuries of this world
Not because God favors them specifically, but just because they're humans, but also because they're just they just get lucky sometimes. That's just it
Man, why does this person get all those great genetics?
You know all these great physical features and strength and why them?
Honestly, they just got lucky because they can't do anything about that. They just have great genetics
I
Look at Luke 13 verse number 1
It says there were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices
And Jesus answering said unto them suppose he that these Galileans were sinners above all Galileans because they suffered such things
I tell you nay, but except you repent he shall likewise perish
He's like you would look at these group of people who died in such a horrible way and say oh, man
Maybe these people were the worst types of sinners. It's like
No, in fact, you're lucky. It didn't happen to you because it can happen to anybody
Because it doesn't mean that there are sinners above the rest. It doesn't mean they're super wicked
It just time and chance happens to them all that's how life is
Okay
What's another reason why
The wicked prosper go to Genesis chapter 30 Genesis chapter 30. Let me just cover this point briefly
So reason number one is because of the default settings they're reaping the benefits of just being God's creation
Number two is that they got lucky
Number three is that they obey biblical principles whether knowingly or unknowingly
Some people just succeed in this world because they read a book
By some secular dude
who read these principles from the Bible or they got these principles from another person who knew the Bible and
Maybe they're not wicked. Maybe they're not necessarily doing anything nefarious or dishonest
They're unsaved and they're succeeding without Christ per se
But it's only because they're executing biblical principles. That's what it is because
The world runs on biblical principles
biblical principles that run this world
You know the Bible says be not deceived God is not mottled whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap
So some people reap the benefits of being a hard worker
Because the Bible says that if you work hard God will bless you for it. He will allow your hand to prosper in that
Well, that's that's essentially a principle that applies to everyone not just Christians
Okay
So they succeed because they obey biblical principles whether knowingly or unknowingly
Reason number four that's reason number three reason number four why the wicked prosper
Here's a big one. Okay
The wicked prosper because they inherit the fallout of God blessing the righteous
So don't give them too much credit
Man they're doing so well, it's probably because first of all, they live in America
In America, you know to a certain extent is blessed by God because there's Christians here. There's churches here
So they're only inheriting the fallout of God's blessing on us
God's blessing on the righteous God's blessing on churches, you know churches and Christians are the most hated in America, but people are dumb
They need to realize the reason God hasn't destroyed America is because of churches
It's because of Christians. We're withholding the judgment of God back from this country. So stop persecuting us
It's like we're the reason you're even enjoying the luxuries that you get to enjoy in America
It's not because of your president for sure not because of your president
It's not because of your mayor your governor whatever magistrates you want to accredit for God's blessing it's because of Christians
Because God doesn't favor mayors. He doesn't favor governors. He doesn't favor presidents for sure
You know, he favors God's people and when he blesses God's people the blessing abounds so abundantly
That he just pours over and you know what people get to glean from the corners of the field of those blessings
The poor of this world the unsaved of this world who are completely in debt to God because of their sin
Get to glean the corners of the field of God's blessing us. You see God bless us was with the field
We have the blessing of a vineyard. We have the blessing of a field
We have the blessing of all these fruits
But you know what every once in a while when you're gleaning all the fruits and you're collecting all those resources
a little bit of those blessings just fall in the corners of the field and
So the poor of this world referring to the unsaved they get to enjoy some of that stuff, too
Now, let me give you an example of this. Okay, look at Genesis chapter 30 verse 25 and
It came to pass when Rachel had born Joseph that Jacob said unto Laban
Send me a way that I may go into my own place into my country
Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served thee and let me go
Thou knowest my service which I have done which I have done thee and Laban sent it to him
I praise him if I found favor in thine eyes tarry in other words stay
For I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for thy sake
So Laban's like do me a favor. Just can you stay a little longer like for like a couple more seasons
Okay, because you know Laban is kind of
He's doing this guy dirty a little bit, okay
Cuz you know, he's worried. He's laboring. He's he's laboring for both of his daughters, you know, he
Laban's trying to give away his daughters and
Rachel and Leah and he ends up giving them to Jacob deceitfully, of course
And then Jacob's just like, you know, I've served you long enough. I need to get going
I need to start my own life get my own house
Start my own thing and so I need to get going and then Laban's like well
Can you just please like stay just a little longer?
And he says I've learned by experience that God is actually blessing me for your sake
I'm he didn't say he's blessing Laban for Laban's sake or people for Laban's labor or his godliness. It's like for Jacob's sake
So what does that mean? It means that Laban is
experiencing the fallout of
God blessing Jacob
Okay, and we see this with Joseph as well
Go to Genesis chapter 39, you see Christianity my friends is the Midas touch of this world
That's basically what it is
Christian by the way Christianity not Catholicism
Christianity not Mormonism
Christianity not Jehovah's Witnesses
Christianity not Pentecostalism we're talking about
Christianity
biblical Christianity
With the right salvation the right doctrine, you know our God is what we're talking about here
Buddhism has not blessed this country
Hinduism has not blessed this country
You want to look at the results of a country that is that how blessed they are because of Hinduism go to India
all the starving people as
That delicious cow walks right in front of them
Who they can easily slay and make a double quarter pounder or a double double four by four whatever it is, right?
But no because they believe because Buddhism teaches them that that's their ancestors. They're unwilling to kill it. And so people starve. Oh
Great job Buddhism
Great job Hinduism, you know go to Southeast Asia. See how God's blessing those countries because of the religion
I mean and it's not like it's not like they're not instituting and practicing the religion. They have idols on every corner
they pray to false gods every single day and
Have have they been blessed because of it? No
They have a corrupt government
They're starving. They're malnourished. I mean just go there and you see what I'm talking about. Okay?
But look at America
Like oh man, what are you a nationalist?
No
I'm a I'm a Christian is what I am and I believe that Christianity has the Midas touch in this world that whatever nation
You know, it touches it actually improves that society increasingly
No matter what you Institute God's laws you establish churches you win souls to Christ
God blesses that nation. That's just the way it works. It turns to gold
whatever nation
Christianity touches turns to gold now obviously after a while
It becomes ripe of rate silver, right?
Because then the individuals in that world begin to reject biblical principles reject Jesus Christ, you know
Like Israel, for example at one at one time
It was like gold right and it would bless the nations around them
But then it rejected Jesus Christ and therefore became a reprobate nation
We can point to many nations who at one point were maybe a Christian nation because of the Midas touch
the Christian Midas touch the Jesus touch and
Then later on generations thereafter another generation arose that knew not the Lord and then it became perverse wicked
Rejecting the God of the Bible and now they are cursed look at Genesis 39 verse number one
Says Joseph was brought down to Egypt and Potiphar an officer of Pharaoh captain of the garden in Egyptian
bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites which had brought him down thither and the Lord was with Joseph and he was a
Prosperous man and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian and his master saw that the Lord was with him and that
The Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand and Joseph found grace in his sight and served him
And he made him overseer over his house
And all that he had put it put excuse me
All that he had he put into his hand and it came to pass from that time
He made him overseer in his house and over all that he had that the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Joseph's sake
And the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had into the house and in the field
So obviously Potiphar is an Egyptian
He's a pagan
That's not saved
Because Joseph is working for him. He gets to inherit the Midas touch
His house is being blessed. His resources are being blessed not because he's done anything righteous
Not because God is favoring him but because God favors Joseph and
Potter forgets to enjoy the fallout of that blessing. You know what by the way, this is a principle that you know
Your business wherever you work at should succeed because of you
God should favor your job because of you
your boss should favor you because you are a Christian and
From what it looks like from what it sounds like it's not very hard to succeed in the in the world today
Because there's so many lazy people out there who don't want to work, you know
They're too busy playing Call of Duty and doing other
Nonsensical things that they don't have the desire to work
So it's not very hard to actually get a job succeed and work and get your boss's favor. How much more
When God's favor is on you, he's blessing you and then he begins to bless that job because of you
That's the way it works. It works at a job. It works even in a home my friends
This is why if you're in a situation where you married someone who's not a believer
God says you can still possibly save your spouse because of you
You can sanctify your kids your kids are holy because of you doesn't mean they're saved yet
It means they have a better chance of getting saved because they have a believer in the home
It works in a home. It works at a job. It works in a country as well
Okay, the Bible says in Psalm 33, you don't have to turn there verse 12 blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord
And the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance Psalm 144 verse 15 says
Happy is that people that in such that is that is in such a case. Ye happy
Is that people whose God is the Lord and so over and over again go to Genesis chapter 26 if you would Genesis chapter 26
Why do the wicked prosper Oh because they're piggybacking off of our blessing
That's what it is
They're essentially piggybacking off of the blessing that we get
Okay, why is this nation prospering more than any other nation because of Christianity?
Because there's churches
why is it that as wicked as this nation has gotten as
Many babies has has been aborted as much as Sodom has just been promoted
Over and over. Why is it that God has not yet destroyed America? I'll tell you why it's because of Christians
We're literally the ones who are holding back the judgment of God upon this nation
And people don't realize it they're never gonna realize it until it's too late, right
There might be people who recognize that God has blessed in this country because of Christianity
But others tried to debunk it and say it's not that it's for other reasons or whatever
But we know what the Bible says and the Bible is true that they're essentially experiencing the fallout
Look at Genesis 26 verse number one
it says there was a famine in the land beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham and
Isaac went into Abimelech king of the Philistines into Gerar and the Lord appeared into him and said go not down into Egypt
dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of
Sojourn in this land and I will be with thee and I will bless thee for unto thee and unto thy seed
I will give all these countries and I will perform the oath which I swear unto Abraham thy father and
I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven and will give unto thy seed all these countries
And then thy seed listen to this shall all the nations of the earth be blessed
How is a nation truly blessed when it has Christians evangelizing that nation?
Because that seed obviously is Christ and if we are Christ if we belong to Christ then guess what?
We're part of that promise and the reason nations are blessed
According to this verse is because Christians are in that particular country preaching the gospel getting people saved
Showing them the right way, man
you
Go to Ezekiel 33
Ezekiel 33 we're giving reasons why God prospers the wicked and
I think that's one of the greatest reasons is because Christianity has a Midas touch and that
Ripple effect that it has on this world on individuals and countries is felt. Okay
But here is probably the number one reason why God blesses the wicked or should I say why they are prospering in this world?
Should I say?
Why is that it's because of the fact that God wants him to be saved
and
This is an attitude that we need to have and we need to recognize and not be confused about is the fact that the reason
Why these people are prospering going forward it might be because God wants him to be saved
Okay, not might is he does want him to be saved
Look at Ezekiel 33
Hmm
Ezekiel chapter 33 and verse 11 says say unto them as I live sayeth the Lord God
I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked
But that the wicked should turn from his way and live turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why we die Oh house of
Israel now the Bible teaches us that the goodness and forbearance of God shall lead you to repentance
so when the world is
Succeeding and prospering and enjoying financial success the possessions of this world
God hopes that that person in light of that would seek after God now obviously that's not necessarily the case all the time, right?
Sometimes that causes them to trust in themselves. They trust in their riches
But there are people in this world they get saved and not because they're going through a difficult time
Alright, not because they're going through a hard time not because they're experiencing trials and tribulations in their life
They just recognize, you know, what God's been good to me. And so in light of that they are open to the gospel
I've knocked on plenty of doors where people get saved and it's not because they're out there. They're wits end
It's not because they had a death in the family. It's not because they're sick. It's not because they're suffering
It's because they feel like well God's been good to me. I believe in God. I
Want to know the truth and in light of that, you know
I want to get saved believe it or not and that that is God's intention
So God would want people in this world who are enjoying the riches of this world to give him credit for that
And say you know what by the grace of God. I have not experienced suffering like others have in fact
God has been good to me and
In light of that they get saved. It doesn't happen all the time, but it does happen. Okay, he wants them to be saved
It's not slack concerning his promises as some in count for slackness
But as long suffering toward us and not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance
Now obviously, you know that works but you know suffering works better though. Obviously, we know that right
It's often suffering that gets people's attention
Okay near death experiences. I
Mean, that's what got my attention
You know when I went out swimming that the night before I got saved went on to the into the ocean in the middle of
The night and you know, we we were like, let's see how far we can go
And
Why because
We want to see how far but like what's gonna what's gonna stop us? Oh, yeah, that's right. We get tired
So how are we gonna make it back and then I realized that when I turn around the lights were really dim
You know in the distance and I'm just like and then I was really tired and I'm like, I'm gonna drown out here
I should have gone to church tonight because someone invited me to church
I was like, I'm gonna die and then you know
I I try to do what what kids do what we do as kids in the pool
You go all the way under and you push yourself off the floor, you know
But then I went under and I just kept doing this and just kept doing it was just like there's no floor
And then the water just got colder and colder and then I just went back up and I swallowed some water and I'm just like
and I call out to my friends and I couldn't hear them they couldn't hear me and
Finally, I just like swam back and I ended up somewhere. That was not where we initially started
Crawling on the beach. My lungs are just on fire
And I were laying there thinking like this is the stupidest thing I've ever done
I'm going to church tomorrow
Like I could have died and now all these things run into my mind like my mom would have gotten like a notice
Like we we need you to come identify this body or something
Like I was like I could have died and that moved me to go and seek the living waters. Amen
So then I went to church and then that's where I got saved and I remember thinking to myself Lord
Thank you for sparing my life so that I can get saved
you know, I was very grateful but it took that experience to kind of move me to go seek the truth and
You know, sometimes that's why you know, that's why it's easy to witness the gang bangers
We go to like South Central and Compton. Those are some really receptive people now
There might be people in here who don't agree with that or something. You know, you're like, I don't know about that
You know, I've run into some pretty close gang bangers or okay, whatever but the gay members I run into though
You know, they pretty receptive. I've run into guys who are like
Bloods and Crips and they're all flamed out
They're just they got the colors on and man they readily receive the gospel
You know why because they're always near a near-death experience
You probably just had to drive by that day or something. Who knows and so they get saved now obviously again
There's people who even in light of those near-death experiences still don't get saved. Right? They harden their hearts and you know or
There's individuals
Who aren't around those near-death experiences?
And then they don't die and
Then they think that that like qualifies them to have God's favor or something like that. You know, I knocked on doors
It was just like are you 100% sure that if you die today you go to heaven? They're like, oh, yeah
Yeah, I know God. I
was I almost died and God saved me from and that's just like
He saved you so that you can hear what I'm telling you right now
But they view that as like their their ticket to heaven or something. It's like you're gonna have a rude awakening
When you actually die and you lift up your eyes in hell
You know the the the evil of this world that comes upon an individual
It's all meant to kind of push you towards the truth
and even as a Christian if you have evil coming upon you it's to kind of get your attention and
And to help you to get right with God and if you are right with God and you have evil coming upon you
It's just to make you more godly
okay, and
so
That's one of the reasons go back to Ecclesiastes if you would
chapter number eight
So now that we got just the regular unsaved people out of the way, it's pretty pretty clear, right?
That that's why God blesses them. So don't envy
the unsaved wicked people of this world
Who are not necessarily reprobates? They're just regular sinners. Don't envy them. Don't fret yourself
Because they're succeeding there's a reason why they're succeeding
Okay, and make sure you bring these principles into mind when you see it happen so that you don't feel defrauded
By God or something. It's just like oh God
How come you're not blessing me and they're getting blessed and they're enjoying all these things and they get to do X Y & Z
Why not me? Well, just go over these principles here. You'll see why okay
But then there's that second group of people
And these are what's known as the reprobates
People who are beyond the hope of salvation
because there are people in this world that can't be saved because they don't want to be saved and
Here's what's funny. It's just like how can you say the camera everyone can be safe?
Well, what about the people who don't want to be saved they be saved. Well, no, okay, then that's who we're talking about
We're talking about people who don't want to be safe
We're not just putting the label reprobate on just every Tom Dick and Harry of this world
Talk about people who literally don't want salvation at all. I
Mean just it's what the Bible refers to as haters of God
Like there can't there's not people like that in this world
I mean, I had literally someone comment on one of my videos or something and said I am a proud hater of God
so they like
You know capitalized G
Punctuation and they're all sinned
You know, they're just that's what they do
So
Don't tell me I don't exist because they do and
You know what? These people also succeed and they also prosper. I
know by personal experience
Because we have enemies enemies of our church who hate our church. They hate my ever-loving guts
They wish the worst upon me. They wish the worst upon our church. They rejoice over the fact that our churches attacked
They rejoice over the violence that has been placed upon our church they rejoice over those things they hate us
These are the reprobates of this world. So we live in a real world folks. This is not a movie
Okay, this is a real world
so get your head out of the sand and
And start realizing that these people actually exist and you know what the Bible actually says that they exist
Now, why do they succeed? Well number one is simply because we have a corrupt justice system
So
It's not because you know God's blessing them obviously it's because literally we just have a corrupt justice system
This is why pedophiles go in jail and they come right out. It's like a revolving door for pedophiles
Okay
Why are pedophiles just allowed to live in this world and continue to molest and violate the innocent is because we have a corrupt justice system
Look what it says in Ecclesiastes 8 verse number 9
It says all this have I seen and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the Sun
That there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt and so I saw the wicked buried
Who have come and gone from the place of the holy and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done
This is also vanity
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily
Therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil
You know because wicked people are not punished immediately
Therefore it emboldens them to continue to do evil because they're not suffering the consequences of their actions
He says though a sinner do evil and hundred times and his days be prolonged yet surely
I know that it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him
So don't fret because of our corrupt justice system
It's frustrating for sure
When the government just favors wicked people wicked individuals and reprobates and those who hate the Lord
It's frustrating
When judges favor the wicked over the righteous, that's a little frustrating
That can get you a little anxious that can get you a little stressed sometimes, but the Bible says here. Don't worry
It shall be well with them that fear God
Which fear before him and you know what if that person prolongs his days and continues to go forward and
Succeeds and oppresses the righteous
It's not gonna last forever
okay, and
So we have to realize that the reason evil people because that's a question that I've asked myself like why God
Why?
Why do you allow these people to just continue to go forward now?
Let me say this is that not everyone is allowed to continue to go forward
And I can share other stories of you of people who you know were destroyed in a horrific way
Okay, but you know that's not every single story though, and there are instances where the enemies of God do have victory over God's people
They do have victory over them, and she's like wow it was because not because God's not powerful enough
It's not because not it's not because God's not favoring us. It's not because we don't have God's blessing
It's because we have a corrupt justice system and every human being in this world is an autonomous person
Who can make their own decisions, and you know judges can make a decision based upon their wicked intent
They can favor their wicked if they want because it's their decision
But here's another reason why the reprobates of this world are allowed to prosper. They're simply a tool
That's why
the Bible says in
Proverbs 16 verse number 4 the Lord hath made all things for himself yea, even the wicked for the day of
Evil the Bible says
So according to the Bible wicked people exist in this world reprobates exist in this world
deceiving and being deceived because of the fact that God allows them to in order to be used as a tool to
recruit people who hate the Lord to
Now a lot of people don't understand that but it's true
Because there's certain people in this world who don't want the truth
Not only do they not want the truth they mock the truth
But you know they need a church, too
They need somewhere to congregate to
Believe it or not. That's why the Jehovah's Witnesses exist. That's why the Mormons exist
That's why these false religions exist it exists for people who don't want the actual truth
And look isn't it interesting that when a really famous person claims to have found God
They become like a Jehovah's Witness
Mean let me give you an example Prince
Prince himself blouses himself
Prince mr.. Doves cry himself
Mr.. Weeping and wailing he gnashes his teeth himself you know this guy
when he was seeking after God cuz you know he was exposing all of the nefarious agenda of Hollywood and the
Illuminati and all this stuff, but you know it's just like oh man Prince is looking for the truth
They killed him cuz he was looking for the truth. No. No he became a Jehovah's Witness
Like an open Jehovah's Witness
Like when they had a Jehovah's Witness conference. They were like boasting of the fact that he was like up there
Sitting just among everyone else being a Jehovah's Witness
and
So you know God's not gonna allow him to find Christianity
Why because he lived most of his life mocking Christianity?
practicing wickedness
rejecting the truth
mocking Jesus Christ and
So you know what God does and believe it look people don't like this, but it's fact and God does this he's like okay?
I'll give you this instead and make you think that you found the truth
God is vengeful my friends
Yes, God is loving. He's caring. He's merciful. He's gracious, but he's also vengeful
Did you know the Bible says that he will mock the wicked?
You will laugh at their calamity
Why would God do that because these people are constantly laughing and mocking God, and they think they can do it without
Reprecussions it doesn't work that way
So you know what someone needs to deceive Prince and by the way Michael Jackson was also a Jehovah's Witness
Isn't that interesting?
Both of those guys were Jehovah's Witnesses, and he was a Jehovah's Witness for like a long time. He was open about it, too
But isn't interesting
That you know these guys become Jehovah's Witnesses. You know there needs to be an institution
They can maintain that deception for people who hate the truth, and that's why those institutions are allowed to exist
That's why Mormonism is allowed to exist
that's why Buddhism and Hinduism are allowed to exist because believe it or not there's people in this world who actually hate the truth and
so they need a
Continue to be deceived according to the Bible
God allows that to you now obviously there's people in this world don't don't misunderstand what I'm saying there's people in this world who are
Lost sincere people who are lost in those religions who can still be saved
Buddhists who can still be saved Hindus they can still be saved
You know Jehovah's Witnesses. They're very hard to win for sure
You know there's well-meaning people that can still be saved from those religions
We're talking about the people who just hate the truth, and that's why they're a part of that religion
okay, and
And so
The reprobates are allowed to continue because they're simply a tool he's made the wicked even for the day of evil
What's another reason let me give you let me just breeze through these last couple of reasons here
Go with me if you would to go back to Psalm
Actually go to Psalm 73 and then we're gonna go to Psalm 37
And one of the reasons the reprobates of this world are allowed to exist is because it gives us something to hope for
Because
When you read the Bible and you hear preaching you're just saying I just want justice pastor I
Want justice I want God to carry out his execution his righteousness, but did you know you you might not live long enough to see it
That's a hard truth. That's a hard pill even for me to swallow
Because I want justice, too
There's wrongs that have been done to us in our church, and you know I want justice people want justice
But you know what I might die and just never see justice this side of eternity
So you like what are you gonna? Do well? I just know that one day it will come upon them. I have faith I
Have that hope set before me
Knowing that one day it'll come so it increases my faith
It allows me to just put it in the hands of God and say you know what?
Maybe America can't be saved
Because it's so corrupt
there's so many wicked people here and
They're not being punished and I might die in this state where I never see execute justice executed
But I know one day it will come upon them
And I have faith because God said that he would do it
Now here's another reason reason number nine
Why God why the wicked are allowed to prosper?
It's because God is allowing them to treasure up wrath
Which kind of goes with the other point of the fact that they're a tool?
You know the Bible says that people treasure up wrath against the day of wrath because you wonder to yourself
Why are serial killers just allowed to just live?
People who molest children, maybe they're never caught
You know just really wicked people who violate the innocent. What's up with that? How come God? Why does God allow evil in this world?
You know a lot of people ask that right?
Well people have to understand when you look at it from the biblical perspective
There's certain people the longer they live if they're evil
The more points that are racking up on the day of judgment
So the more severe the punishment will be when it's instituted
So it's just like he's not gonna take him out of the picture yet
He's gonna allow them to be as wicked as they are because he has all of eternity
To punish that person person for their violation of the innocent. So they're treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath
Okay, and here's the last point here of why the wicked prosper
Let me say this it's because their success is actually a facade. It's not even real
So just remember that all those other points are true, but at the end of the day, it's fake
They're not really succeeding and sometimes we as Christians can get caught up in this social media world
Where we only determine if a person succeeds based upon their posts
Right based upon their picture based upon that one lift
Based upon that one place they went to it's just like wow, but you know, it's a facade. It's fake. It's not real
So before you go and envy and fret at the wicked
Because of their so-called success
Just remember it's just a it's just perceived successful in your eyes
But it's not really successful
Before you go and envy the Hollywood elite
You know
When they're at the what did what do they call the Metagala or what the the gala or whatever that wicked thing where they all?
Get together. Wow, they're so rich and famous and they're having so much fun
Let me say this is that those people are miserable
They're miserable
Now they're not going to display their misery. Although some of them do
They're not gonna tell you how miserable they are
So look before you start complaining about your marriage and saying how come we're not like, you know
The Hollywood they look so happy and they're traveling the world. Well, first of all
They're not happy
You know be thankful that your wife is not, you know dropping a turd on your bedsheets
Like Johnny Depp
I
Mean that's something to be grateful for you should look at your wife and say thank you for never doing that
Cuz there's people in this world that do that
Why because it's a facade
it's not a real happy marriage and
Wives, you can thank your husband too, you know
Folks there's people in this world that are struggling with stuff like that
It's not like they can't even think about having a happy marriage they just get there they're struggling thinking about can I have clean sheets
Can I have a sanitary bed
Can we use the million-dollar toilet instead of the bed
Can you use the bidet?
Instead of the bed
So
You know it really puts things into perspective right it's all facade
Johnny Depp is not a happy person
That's why he's constantly drinking and doing recreational drugs and all these things because he's got a like
Smoke the pain away in the smell away
It's all a facade it's all it's fake
Don't
Look at their success and think oh man. What a great life. That's a horrible life
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is
I'm not gonna say it a stalled ox. I'm not gonna say I know what you're thinking Marcos and
Hatred are with although that would apply a stall turd and hatred. They're with yes
It's true
Look at Psalm 73
Asaph here complaining a little bit says truly God is good to Israel
Even to such as are of a clean heart
But as for me
My feet were almost gone my steps edible and I slipped for I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the
Wicked there are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm
We're not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued like other men therefore pride
Compassionate them about as a chain violence covered them as a garment their eyes stand out with fatness
They have more than the heart could wish they're corrupt. They speak wickedly concerning oppression. They speak loftily
They set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walketh through the earth
Therefore his people return hither and waters of a full cup are rung out to them and they say how doth God know
And is there knowledge in the Most High?
Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the world they increase in riches
Barely, I have cleansed my heart in vain. I wash my hands in innocency for all the day long
Have I been plagued and chasing every morning if I say I will speak thus behold
I should offend against the generation of thy children
When I thought to know this it was too painful for me listen to this verse 17
Until I went into the sanctuary of God then understood I their end
So he's complaining about all these things and he's just like but then I went to church
And I heard about the turd and I'm like, you know, I got a pretty good at home
And I heard about all the problems that these Hollywood elites have
Yeah, I mean I have a bidet
But at least my wife and my spouse used the actual restroom when needed I understood their end. I
Understood that this is not something that should envy or fret about because in actuality it's all facade
It's fake. They don't really know love
They don't really know commitment. They don't really know the love of God folks
Not only do we have the opportunity of having great marriages and godly children. We get to have God
Get that the Bible we get to have communion with the creator of the universe
We get to have the peace of God the passive understanding we get to have joy
We get to have all these wonderful virtues that God allows us as his people to have
I mean, there's so much that we get to be grateful for
and
So don't envy or fret about the wicked of this world
Even if they seem to succeed
Even if they beat us
Even if they win against us
They tap us dry they shame us before the world they embarrass us it's okay
because we understand their end and
So those are the ten reasons why the wicked prosper and it doesn't mean we can't prosper
This is just kind of like a public service announcement
To remind us all
The wicked will prosper in this world
Don't freak out when they do
These are the reasons why let's pray father we thank you so much for your word
Help us as your people Lord to keep a right biblical mindset and I know myself personally. I do fret and
I struggle sometimes with the
Prosperity of the wicked and why is it that good things happen to bad people and I pray that you'd help me Lord to renew
My mind daily and to recognize the principles that we discussed this morning help us as your people
To have faith in the Word of God to believe the Bible and
And to recognize that at the end of the day it shall go well with them that fear God we love you
We thank you pray the scenes in Jesus name. Amen
Amen song number 212 as our last song Oh, happy day song number 212
There in your hymnals song number two hundred and twelve
See it on that first verse. Oh
Oh
Happy day that makes my choice. I'll be my savior
And my God well made this quo
We are rejoice and tell us
raptures all abroad
My sin away
And every joy
See every day
Happy day
Happy day when Jesus was my sins away. Oh
Happy, but that seals my vows to him who man
Rits all my love
Let cheerful and
Thumbs fill his house
well to the
Sacred shrine I move
Happy day when Jesus was my sins away
To watch and pray and every joy
Happy day
Happy day when Jesus was my sins away
His on the great
Transactions done I am my Lord and he is mine
He drew me and I followed on
Charmed to come fast the voice divine
Happy day
Happy day when Jesus was my sins away
He taught me how
to watch and pray
and every joy
See every day
Happy day
Happy day when Jesus was my sins away
Now rest my long
Divided heart fix on this blissful center
Or evermore my lord
Happy day when Jesus was my sins away
He taught me how to watch and pray and every joy
See every day
Happy day
Happy day when Jesus was my sins away
Amen wonderful singing you are dismissed
You