WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:01.500 was not in vain. 00:01.500 --> 00:03.700 But even after that we have suffered before, 00:03.700 --> 00:06.840 and were shamefully entreated, as you know, at Philippi, 00:06.840 --> 00:10.100 we were bold in our God to speak unto you, the gospel of God, 00:10.100 --> 00:11.700 with much contention. 00:11.700 --> 00:13.340 For our exhortation was not of deceit, 00:13.340 --> 00:15.620 nor of uncleanness, nor in guile. 00:15.620 --> 00:17.740 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust 00:17.740 --> 00:20.860 with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, 00:20.860 --> 00:23.700 but God, which trieth our hearts. 00:23.700 --> 00:26.740 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as you know, 00:26.740 --> 00:29.580 nor a cloak of covetousness God has witnessed, 00:29.600 --> 00:33.480 nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, 00:33.480 --> 00:36.960 when we might have been burdensome as the apostles of Christ. 00:36.960 --> 00:40.960 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherished her children. 00:40.960 --> 00:43.000 So being affectionately desirous of you, 00:43.000 --> 00:44.960 we were willing to have imparted unto you, 00:44.960 --> 00:48.360 not of the gospel of God only, but also of our own souls, 00:48.360 --> 00:50.840 because you were dear unto us. 00:50.840 --> 00:53.040 For you remember, brethren, our labor and travail 00:53.040 --> 00:55.040 for laboring night and day, because we would not be 00:55.040 --> 00:58.880 chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. 00:58.900 --> 01:03.700 Year witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably 01:03.700 --> 01:06.980 we have behaved ourselves among you that believe. 01:06.980 --> 01:09.860 As you know, how we exhorted and comforted and charged 01:09.860 --> 01:12.340 every one of you as a father doth his children, 01:12.340 --> 01:14.660 that you would walk worthy of God, who hath called you 01:14.660 --> 01:16.260 unto his kingdom in glory. 01:16.260 --> 01:19.420 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, 01:19.420 --> 01:22.780 because when you received the word of God which ye heard of us, 01:22.780 --> 01:25.660 you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, 01:25.660 --> 01:28.780 the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you, 01:28.780 --> 01:29.820 that believe. 01:29.820 --> 01:32.460 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God, 01:32.460 --> 01:34.940 which is in Judea, or in Christ Jesus, 01:34.940 --> 01:37.740 for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, 01:37.740 --> 01:41.340 even as they have of the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus 01:41.340 --> 01:43.580 and their own prophets, and have persecuted us, 01:43.580 --> 01:46.380 and that they please not God, and are contrary to all men, 01:46.380 --> 01:49.340 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, 01:49.340 --> 01:52.300 to fill up their sins always, for the wrath has come upon them 01:52.300 --> 01:53.580 to the uttermost. 01:53.580 --> 01:57.100 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, 01:57.340 --> 02:00.940 endeavor the more abundantly to see your face with great desire. 02:00.940 --> 02:04.620 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I, Paul, once again, 02:04.620 --> 02:05.980 but Satan hindered us. 02:05.980 --> 02:08.940 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing, 02:08.940 --> 02:12.220 are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ that is coming, 02:12.220 --> 02:14.700 for ye are our glory and joy. 02:14.700 --> 02:17.180 Let's pray. God, just thank you for this time we have tonight, Lord, 02:17.180 --> 02:18.780 to hear the preaching of your word. 02:18.780 --> 02:20.220 Just please bless this service, Lord. 02:20.220 --> 02:22.300 Please bless the pastor, fill him with your spirit. 02:22.300 --> 02:24.300 Give him boldness, Lord, as he preached your word unto us, Lord. 02:24.300 --> 02:25.660 We pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen. 02:28.060 --> 02:31.100 Okay, we're in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 this evening. 02:31.100 --> 02:32.940 Look down at your Bibles in verse number 3. 02:32.940 --> 02:36.300 It says, For our exhortation was not of deceit, 02:36.300 --> 02:39.020 nor of uncleanness, nor in guile. 02:39.020 --> 02:42.780 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, 02:42.780 --> 02:47.100 even so we speak not as pleasing men, but God which trieth our hearts. 02:47.100 --> 02:53.340 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, 02:53.340 --> 02:56.380 nor a cloak of covetousness. 02:56.380 --> 02:57.420 God is witness. 02:57.420 --> 03:01.260 And the title of my sermon this evening is, Beware of the Flatterer. 03:01.260 --> 03:03.660 Beware of the Flatterer. 03:03.660 --> 03:04.460 What is flattery? 03:04.460 --> 03:10.300 Well, flattery is essentially referring to excessive and insincere praise 03:10.300 --> 03:12.540 that is given with an ulterior motive. 03:12.540 --> 03:15.820 And obviously most of the time it has the connotation 03:15.820 --> 03:19.020 that it's someone who is essentially praising you. 03:19.580 --> 03:22.220 They are giving you excessive compliments 03:22.220 --> 03:24.060 because they're trying to get something from you. 03:24.700 --> 03:29.580 And the idea here is that flattery is often associated with deception. 03:29.580 --> 03:32.460 So whatever compliment they're giving you, it's actually not true about you. 03:32.460 --> 03:33.180 Okay? 03:33.180 --> 03:36.540 Whatever praise they're giving you, they don't really believe it. 03:36.540 --> 03:40.860 They're saying it in order to deter detection from their true motives. 03:40.860 --> 03:42.380 What is it that they want from you? 03:42.380 --> 03:44.140 They're trying to take advantage of you. 03:44.140 --> 03:47.100 They want you to believe a specific lie. 03:47.100 --> 03:50.700 Therefore, they will flatter you in order to get it. 03:50.700 --> 03:54.540 And it's important for us as Christians to beware of this particular tactic 03:54.540 --> 03:58.060 and method of individuals who will seek to flatter us 03:58.060 --> 03:59.180 in order to get something from us. 03:59.180 --> 04:01.020 Psalm chapter 12, you don't have to turn there. 04:01.020 --> 04:01.980 And verse number three says, 04:01.980 --> 04:05.500 The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips 04:05.500 --> 04:07.980 and the tongue that speaketh proud things. 04:07.980 --> 04:10.300 Obviously God wants us to be honest. 04:10.300 --> 04:12.380 He wants us to be people of truth. 04:12.380 --> 04:18.300 He wants us to be people who love to be sincere and truthful and honest. 04:18.300 --> 04:22.060 And he abhors when people are seeking to deceive others, right? 04:22.060 --> 04:24.860 And that's exactly what a flatterer does. 04:24.860 --> 04:30.860 Let me start off by saying that flatterers in general will target simple people. 04:30.860 --> 04:31.360 Okay? 04:31.980 --> 04:35.660 Now simple in the Bible is referring to someone who's without understanding. 04:35.660 --> 04:37.980 It could also be referring to someone who's just stupid, 04:37.980 --> 04:41.100 someone who is dumb, someone who is without understanding, 04:41.100 --> 04:44.220 someone who is just spiritually immature. 04:44.220 --> 04:47.660 And believe it or not, flatterers like to target simple people 04:47.660 --> 04:51.180 because of the fact that the simple believeth every word, right? 04:51.180 --> 04:52.300 And is punished. 04:52.300 --> 04:55.580 So they will often target those who are unstable, 04:55.580 --> 05:00.300 those who are babes in Christ because of the fact that they don't necessarily have 05:00.300 --> 05:02.060 a strong foundation. 05:02.060 --> 05:04.540 They don't necessarily have a whole lot of discernment. 05:05.740 --> 05:08.460 And let me just say this is that, you know, when I first got saved, 05:08.460 --> 05:12.540 I didn't really know about, you know, this whole thing of flattery. 05:12.540 --> 05:14.700 Wasn't necessarily something that was on my radar. 05:15.260 --> 05:17.820 And in fact, you know, the church that I went to, 05:17.820 --> 05:20.300 they didn't really talk about flattery a whole lot. 05:20.300 --> 05:23.180 And I feel like they probably didn't even know much about it. 05:23.180 --> 05:27.260 They didn't really train their congregation on how to detect flattery, 05:27.260 --> 05:29.820 how to detect that type of deception. 05:29.820 --> 05:33.180 And so I feel like, you know, in the early years of my Christian life, 05:33.180 --> 05:37.420 I was very much susceptible to flattery and that type of deception. 05:37.420 --> 05:39.340 And in the old IFP, it kind of runs rampant. 05:39.340 --> 05:40.540 I'll just be honest with you. 05:40.540 --> 05:41.040 Okay? 05:41.440 --> 05:45.520 And I remember specifically, you know, and obviously when we're talking about 05:45.520 --> 05:47.600 flattery here, there's all types of degrees. 05:47.600 --> 05:51.760 There's, you know, just extreme flattery because these people are just evil and 05:51.760 --> 05:52.400 wicked. 05:52.400 --> 05:53.440 They're false prophets. 05:53.440 --> 05:56.960 But sometimes it's just flattery from an individual who just, you know, 05:56.960 --> 05:58.160 is trying to get you to do something. 05:58.160 --> 06:02.080 It's not necessarily bad, but they're just being insincere in their praise 06:02.080 --> 06:04.720 towards you because they want you to do something for them. 06:04.720 --> 06:05.440 Okay? 06:05.440 --> 06:07.120 Obviously, that's dishonest. 06:07.120 --> 06:08.080 It's wrong. 06:08.080 --> 06:11.600 But some people just do it, not necessarily because they're false 06:11.600 --> 06:12.720 prophets or reprobates. 06:12.720 --> 06:14.720 It's just they have a lack of character. 06:14.720 --> 06:18.800 They're using this as a tool to get something from someone. 06:18.800 --> 06:23.680 And I remember being at my old church and my old church, we used to have 06:23.680 --> 06:25.280 what's called bus ministry. 06:25.280 --> 06:27.280 We'd pick up kids for church and all this. 06:27.280 --> 06:31.360 And so kids would stay at church for just, you know, hours on end. 06:31.360 --> 06:34.320 And it was great, you know, bring up a Sunday school class. 06:34.320 --> 06:36.160 You bring them to church services. 06:36.160 --> 06:39.280 You keep them all afternoon for the afternoon program. 06:39.280 --> 06:40.560 And then you feed them. 06:40.560 --> 06:42.080 They go to night church. 06:42.080 --> 06:44.160 And so, you know, the attendances are up. 06:44.160 --> 06:45.280 Everything's going great. 06:45.280 --> 06:47.040 But then someone has to take them home. 06:47.040 --> 06:47.540 Right? 06:48.480 --> 06:51.840 And so, you know, sometimes it's just like, oh, you know, the buses bring 06:51.840 --> 06:53.360 them in, but you got to take them home. 06:53.920 --> 06:57.600 And so we're talking about 300, 400 kids. 06:57.600 --> 07:01.120 There's a lot of kids that come to these bus ministries. 07:01.120 --> 07:03.520 And obviously not all 400 stay. 07:03.600 --> 07:08.800 But let's just say out of those 400, you have about 150 to 100 kids that 07:08.800 --> 07:10.640 stay back for night church. 07:10.640 --> 07:11.920 These kids need rides. 07:11.920 --> 07:16.400 And so I remember there was a guy who was kind of in charge of, you know, 07:16.400 --> 07:19.600 the bus ministry and he would always come up to me. 07:19.600 --> 07:20.100 Okay. 07:20.400 --> 07:23.200 And, you know, night church, you're kind of just ready to go. 07:23.920 --> 07:25.440 It's been a long day. 07:25.440 --> 07:27.920 You've been serving at your church. 07:27.920 --> 07:30.400 And so I'm just like, I'm ready to finish off the day. 07:30.400 --> 07:31.920 And this guy would always come up to me. 07:31.920 --> 07:37.520 He's just like, brother, how's it going? 07:37.520 --> 07:40.080 You know, and initially it's just like, man, this guy's really nice. 07:41.120 --> 07:42.880 He really cares. 07:42.880 --> 07:47.120 This guy really does love me, you know, because he acted like he was really 07:47.120 --> 07:49.520 interested in how my day went. 07:50.080 --> 07:53.360 And he's just like, brother, how's it going? 07:53.360 --> 07:57.120 You know, how's, yeah, how's bus ministry, how's Bible college going? 07:57.120 --> 08:00.000 You know, and I'm thinking to myself, oh, you know, and he was older. 08:00.000 --> 08:04.320 He was very, you know, popular, so to speak, like people knew about this guy. 08:04.960 --> 08:08.960 He was very well known for his hard work starting ministries. 08:08.960 --> 08:12.960 And so it kind of meant something that this guy was just, you know, 08:12.960 --> 08:17.360 recognizing you in a church of a thousand and wanted to come talk to you. 08:17.360 --> 08:20.720 And so you would do this for a couple of minutes and just kind of talk about 08:20.720 --> 08:23.680 Bible college, ask me about how things are going. 08:23.680 --> 08:26.000 And I'm just, you know, telling them how everything's going. 08:26.000 --> 08:28.080 And then he's like, hey, can you do me a favor? 08:28.080 --> 08:31.760 You know, I got like 10 kids that I need to take home. 08:31.760 --> 08:32.880 Can you take those? 08:32.880 --> 08:35.200 And I'm thinking to myself, like 10 kids. 08:35.200 --> 08:38.080 So that means I got to go take five first, then come back. 08:38.080 --> 08:40.400 And I'm like, oh, yeah, sure. 08:40.400 --> 08:40.800 Why not? 08:40.800 --> 08:42.160 You know, I'll do it. 08:42.160 --> 08:44.960 So this happened, like for a really long time. 08:44.960 --> 08:45.460 Okay. 08:47.040 --> 08:52.240 And it got to a point that after a while, you know, after the Sunday evening service, 08:52.880 --> 08:55.200 I'd see him and I'm just like, I got to get away from this guy 08:55.200 --> 08:56.320 because I know what he's going to do. 08:57.040 --> 09:00.880 You know, because I just, I just knew that he was going to come ask for a favor. 09:00.880 --> 09:05.840 And after a while, I kind of knew like, I don't think he really cares how my classes 09:05.840 --> 09:07.040 are going at Bible college. 09:08.160 --> 09:12.160 I don't think he actually really cares how my day went. 09:12.160 --> 09:15.920 And here's and it wasn't like, oh, I read this in the Bible 09:15.920 --> 09:18.320 and I understood what the Bible said about flattery. 09:18.320 --> 09:19.840 It was just kind of discerning. 09:20.400 --> 09:21.040 Right. 09:21.040 --> 09:23.200 It was kind of like just common sense after a while. 09:23.680 --> 09:27.920 And here's the thing that I really detected when he came to me 09:27.920 --> 09:29.680 is that there was nothing behind the eyes. 09:30.720 --> 09:35.360 Whenever, whenever I would talk to him, you know, whenever I would give my responses to him, 09:35.360 --> 09:38.000 he just kind of like, he was just like looking through me. 09:38.000 --> 09:40.400 And it's almost as if he was just waiting for me to finish 09:41.120 --> 09:42.800 whatever it is that I was saying. 09:42.800 --> 09:44.720 And what I should have, I should have like tested him. 09:44.720 --> 09:45.120 You know what I mean? 09:45.120 --> 09:46.080 Like what did I just say? 09:47.440 --> 09:49.600 Because I'll be honest with you, he probably wouldn't be able to repeat 09:50.240 --> 09:52.960 everything that I told him because he was, he was probably just flatter me 09:52.960 --> 09:53.600 the entire time. 09:53.600 --> 09:54.080 He was. 09:54.880 --> 09:57.040 So I remember, you know, there'd be times when he would come up 09:57.760 --> 10:00.400 and I'm like, man, I got to get out of here before so and so comes, you know, 10:00.400 --> 10:04.400 because I know he's going to ask me and I got things to do, whatever. 10:04.400 --> 10:06.640 And obviously I have no problem with taking people home, 10:07.280 --> 10:10.080 but I have a slight problem with taking 20 kids home, you know? 10:10.640 --> 10:12.400 And so that's, that's a lot. 10:12.400 --> 10:15.920 So after a while I would see him like way over there and he's just like, 10:17.200 --> 10:20.720 brother, and I was just like trying to duck and dodge him, 10:20.720 --> 10:22.800 like trying to avoid him as much as possible. 10:22.800 --> 10:27.200 But obviously looking back, I realized like, oh man, this guy was a major flatterer. 10:27.200 --> 10:28.720 I don't think he was a false prophet. 10:28.720 --> 10:31.040 I don't think he was like a reprobate or anything like that. 10:32.240 --> 10:36.000 I just think he used flattery as a weapon to get what he wanted. 10:36.000 --> 10:36.880 You understand? 10:36.880 --> 10:37.520 And you know what? 10:37.520 --> 10:41.040 You need to be aware of people like this in your personal lives, 10:41.040 --> 10:43.920 at your job, within your family. 10:43.920 --> 10:47.840 And yes, even at church, there can be a tendency for people 10:47.840 --> 10:51.440 to weaponize flattery in order to get something from you. 10:51.440 --> 10:56.160 And this is why it's important that we as God's people are just sincere, right? 10:56.880 --> 10:58.320 Now don't misunderstand me. 10:58.320 --> 11:00.160 You know, sometimes you hear something like this is like, 11:00.160 --> 11:05.280 oh, flattery is excessive and insincere praise that I'm just going to be a jerk. 11:06.080 --> 11:09.600 That way no one really confuses me from being a flatterer, you know? 11:09.600 --> 11:11.200 I'm just going to be an absolute jerk. 11:11.200 --> 11:13.040 I'm just going to sling insults or whatever. 11:13.040 --> 11:14.800 Don't go the opposite extreme. 11:14.800 --> 11:16.160 Just be real, right? 11:17.280 --> 11:18.480 Just be a real person. 11:18.960 --> 11:23.920 And if someone does a good job, praise that person, be a blessing to that person, 11:23.920 --> 11:28.640 but don't have this excessive and insincere praise that just sounds fake. 11:28.640 --> 11:29.440 Okay? 11:29.440 --> 11:32.000 And again, this is a thing in churches. 11:32.000 --> 11:33.600 The Bible tells us you don't have to turn there. 11:33.600 --> 11:35.920 Well, actually go to Romans chapter 16, if you would. 11:35.920 --> 11:40.000 Romans chapter 16, second Peter chapter 2 verse 14 says, 11:40.000 --> 11:45.520 having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls. 11:46.080 --> 11:49.120 And hard they have exercise with covetous practices, 11:49.120 --> 11:50.720 cursed children. 11:50.720 --> 11:54.080 Obviously in context, this is referring to the false prophet 11:54.080 --> 11:57.760 who is seeking to destabilize someone who's already unstable. 11:57.760 --> 12:01.520 And the way they do it is by flattering them, 12:01.520 --> 12:04.320 telling them things that they would want to hear, 12:04.320 --> 12:07.920 being insincere in their praise and in their compliments 12:07.920 --> 12:13.520 in order to deter their attention from what they truly want from this individual. 12:13.520 --> 12:18.240 And so it's important for us as Christians to grow in our discernment in that area, right? 12:18.240 --> 12:22.880 Have our senses exercise to discern both good and evil. 12:23.440 --> 12:25.680 And I'm thankful that in a church like ours, 12:25.680 --> 12:31.120 we can detect flattery to a certain degree, but you'd be surprised, you know? 12:31.120 --> 12:35.520 There's people who have come through our church and as experts as we are 12:35.520 --> 12:39.120 and being able to detect flattery, you know, some people go under the radar 12:39.120 --> 12:41.280 and you don't really notice it until, you know, 12:41.280 --> 12:44.320 they kind of expose themselves to be the wicked people that they are. 12:44.880 --> 12:45.920 I'll give you an example of this. 12:45.920 --> 12:48.880 There's a guy who used to come to our church a couple years ago. 12:49.520 --> 12:52.720 And this guy was just an absolute idiot, okay? 12:53.280 --> 12:55.120 He's just an idiot and he's gone from our church. 12:55.120 --> 12:57.760 He's been excommunicated, super wicked person. 12:58.480 --> 13:01.600 And, you know, but this person, when he first came, 13:02.880 --> 13:05.440 he came to introduce himself to me and he was just like, 13:06.240 --> 13:07.600 man, I love you. 13:07.600 --> 13:09.120 I love your stuff. 13:09.120 --> 13:11.280 Your preaching is just so amazing. 13:12.080 --> 13:14.080 You know, and at first I'm like, oh, okay, cool. 13:14.080 --> 13:14.320 Thanks. 13:14.320 --> 13:17.440 You know, I appreciate the fact that you like the preaching. 13:17.440 --> 13:19.440 And then, you know, it's one of those things where you're just like, 13:19.440 --> 13:20.080 all right, let's move on. 13:20.080 --> 13:22.560 Let's talk about something else, you know? 13:22.560 --> 13:26.800 But then you would always come back to, I just, man, you're just like my favorite. 13:27.440 --> 13:28.400 You're just like my habit. 13:28.400 --> 13:30.720 And I'm just like, all right, now it's kind of starting to feel a little uncomfortable. 13:30.720 --> 13:31.200 You know what I mean? 13:31.840 --> 13:33.280 And so it's uncomfortable. 13:33.280 --> 13:36.160 And then, you know, I just kind of wrote it off as this guy is just kind of like, 13:36.720 --> 13:38.800 you know, he's a babe in Christ or something. 13:38.800 --> 13:42.640 He's just, you know, you just kind of give it the benefit of the doubt. 13:42.640 --> 13:45.040 You don't automatically write them off as being a wicked person. 13:45.600 --> 13:48.960 So this person stayed in our church for quite some time, caused a lot of trouble. 13:49.760 --> 13:51.120 It eventually was removed. 13:51.120 --> 13:55.040 And it's not until he was removed that a lot of people came forward and say, 13:55.040 --> 13:57.360 you know what, that guy flattered me a lot, actually. 13:58.080 --> 14:00.560 You know, in one instance, like one guy in our church, 14:01.440 --> 14:04.160 he was just like, man, that guy told me I had beautiful eyes. 14:04.160 --> 14:07.200 I'm like, yeah, that doubt, you should have like recognized that one. 14:07.200 --> 14:08.480 Was it you who said that? 14:08.480 --> 14:11.440 Oh yeah, he told you that you have beautiful, 14:11.440 --> 14:14.400 but he also told Jonathan Lee that he had beautiful eyes. 14:14.400 --> 14:17.120 You know, so he's kind of, you know, he's kind of talking out of both sides of his mouth. 14:17.120 --> 14:18.720 It's just, first of all, it's kind of gay. 14:18.720 --> 14:19.280 You know what I mean? 14:21.120 --> 14:25.120 You know, and he's just like, wow, you just got the most beautiful eyes ever or something, you know? 14:25.680 --> 14:28.400 And you kind of wonder like, what is up with this guy? 14:28.400 --> 14:32.160 But obviously, he's just prone to flatter him. 14:32.160 --> 14:34.400 And make no mistake about it, when he would flatter someone, 14:34.400 --> 14:37.520 he would then talk crap about that behind their back thereafter. 14:37.520 --> 14:39.600 And this is exactly what the flatterer does. 14:40.560 --> 14:42.480 He overly compliments you. 14:42.480 --> 14:46.800 He gives you this excessive praise because he's trying to distract you from the fact 14:46.800 --> 14:48.880 that he's talking crap behind your back. 14:49.520 --> 14:55.760 He doesn't want you, he doesn't want to arouse any suspicion of who he really is. 14:55.760 --> 14:56.080 Okay. 14:56.800 --> 14:58.320 And this is exactly what this person did. 14:59.200 --> 15:02.080 He would do this all the time and make no mistake about it. 15:02.080 --> 15:03.440 He ended up being a really wicked person. 15:03.440 --> 15:05.600 He got removed from the congregation for other reasons. 15:06.320 --> 15:07.840 But we need to be aware of the flatterers. 15:07.840 --> 15:09.840 They go after the simple. 15:09.840 --> 15:13.200 And obviously, they will attack just anybody in general. 15:13.200 --> 15:17.120 But they will specifically target simple people because the simple believe in every word. 15:17.680 --> 15:21.040 So, you know, you could be flattered by someone as a new Christian. 15:21.040 --> 15:24.880 And then, you know, you think to yourself like, oh, wow, you know, this mature Christian, 15:24.880 --> 15:28.080 just like is saying all these great things about me. 15:28.080 --> 15:31.600 And he must be a really awesome person, a really great person. 15:31.600 --> 15:34.640 But really, no, they're probably trying to get something out of you. 15:34.640 --> 15:35.140 Okay. 15:35.760 --> 15:42.320 Be sincere, but don't be overly excessive in your compliments towards other people. 15:42.320 --> 15:47.280 And obviously, you as an individual needs, you need to be aware when people are like that towards you. 15:47.280 --> 15:52.160 Romans chapter 16 verse 18 says, for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, 15:53.120 --> 15:54.080 but their own belly. 15:54.720 --> 16:00.720 And by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. 16:00.720 --> 16:03.840 Now, what does it mean when he says fair speeches? 16:03.840 --> 16:08.560 Speech, obviously, we can say that what I'm giving at this moment is a speech, right? 16:08.560 --> 16:10.800 It's a sermon, but it's also a speech. 16:10.800 --> 16:15.680 A fair speech, fair in the Bible, is often associated with that, which is beautiful, right? 16:15.680 --> 16:18.640 When the Bible talks about an attractive woman, an attractive woman, 16:18.640 --> 16:21.360 I often say that she's fair to look upon. 16:21.440 --> 16:26.000 So a fair speech is basically like he speaks very beautifully, right? 16:26.000 --> 16:28.160 He is elaborate in his speech. 16:28.160 --> 16:29.520 He speaks beautifully. 16:29.520 --> 16:36.720 Well, the Bible says here that false prophets will use good words and fair speeches. 16:36.720 --> 16:42.320 You know, he speaks in a beautiful manner in order to deceive the hearts of those who don't have understanding. 16:42.320 --> 16:43.040 Those who are simple. 16:44.000 --> 16:45.520 It's very important for us to understand this. 16:46.320 --> 16:50.880 So, you know, as a Christian, if you're new to the faith, 16:51.120 --> 16:53.760 you need to pray and also grow in your discernment. 16:53.760 --> 16:56.960 You need to be able to read the Bible, learn about these things. 16:56.960 --> 17:04.240 And again, you know, part of learning the topic of flatterers is you're going to have to kind of 17:04.240 --> 17:09.600 learn the subject of false prophets as well, because that is a major tactic of false prophets, 17:09.600 --> 17:13.760 is that they will use flattery in order to deceive others. 17:13.760 --> 17:18.960 They use flattery in order to manipulate, and they'll use flattery in order to trap you. 17:18.960 --> 17:21.680 Proverbs 29 and verse number five says, 17:21.680 --> 17:26.240 A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth the net for his feet. 17:26.240 --> 17:27.440 What is that referring to? 17:27.440 --> 17:29.680 Well, it's saying that he's setting a trap for you. 17:29.680 --> 17:34.960 So if you find someone at your job that is excessively praising you, a co-worker or something, 17:34.960 --> 17:38.000 number one, maybe he's trying to trap you in something. 17:38.000 --> 17:39.440 You say, how would that work? 17:39.440 --> 17:43.120 Well, maybe he's trying to get you to let your guard down so you can say something that you 17:43.120 --> 17:46.960 shouldn't say and then kind of rat you out later on or something like that, 17:46.960 --> 17:49.360 or hold it against you later on. 17:49.360 --> 17:53.840 The point that I'm making here is that you need to be aware when people are acting this way 17:53.840 --> 17:56.800 towards you because they are putting a trap below your feet. 17:56.800 --> 18:01.840 They're trying to, you know, instigate you or provoke you to say something because, 18:01.840 --> 18:03.280 hey, this guy's cool. 18:03.280 --> 18:04.800 He's not going to say anything. 18:04.800 --> 18:07.280 He seems to be a sincere person. 18:07.280 --> 18:08.880 He seems to like me. 18:08.880 --> 18:10.400 He's praising me. 18:10.400 --> 18:14.320 And then you say something the next day, you're having an appointment with HR or something. 18:14.320 --> 18:14.820 You know? 18:15.780 --> 18:18.900 What's this racist meme that you sent or something, you know? 18:18.900 --> 18:22.420 What were you saying about black people or, you know, what are you saying about Indians 18:22.420 --> 18:24.100 or, you know, what are you saying about this, that, and the other? 18:24.100 --> 18:29.140 And it's just like, how did this person, oh, the guy who was like flattering me, you know, 18:29.140 --> 18:34.580 in order to move up to the top in the company, he's trying to remove individuals and he got you. 18:34.580 --> 18:36.980 He's spreading a net for your feet. 18:36.980 --> 18:39.060 Psalm chapter 5 and verse number 9 says, 18:39.380 --> 18:41.620 There is no faithfulness in their mouth. 18:41.620 --> 18:45.060 Their inward part is very wickedness. 18:45.060 --> 18:47.620 Their throat is an open sepulcher. 18:48.420 --> 18:49.860 They flatter with their tongue. 18:49.860 --> 18:53.060 Now, what does it mean when it says that their throat is an open sepulcher? 18:53.060 --> 18:56.580 And how does that relate to them flattering with their tongue? 18:56.580 --> 19:00.740 Well, the Bible says that death and life are in the power of the tongue. 19:01.300 --> 19:04.980 The Bible's saying here that when their throat is an open sepulcher, 19:04.980 --> 19:08.020 it means that they have death as an agenda, right? 19:08.020 --> 19:09.700 They're trying to destroy you. 19:09.700 --> 19:11.460 They're trying to bring death to you. 19:11.460 --> 19:15.540 And they will use flattery in order to do so. 19:16.740 --> 19:21.220 Flatterers also exaggerate in their compliments, again, as I mentioned, 19:21.220 --> 19:23.300 to deter attention from their true motives. 19:23.300 --> 19:25.700 Go to Matthew 22, if you would, Matthew chapter 22. 19:27.140 --> 19:28.900 Beware of the flatterer. 19:30.180 --> 19:34.260 Again, don't let this discourage you from complimenting people, praising people, 19:35.220 --> 19:39.060 you know, but at the same time, we just need to be aware 19:39.060 --> 19:40.980 that when these types of people are around us, 19:41.700 --> 19:46.420 and let me say this, probably the biggest way that you can train yourself 19:47.060 --> 19:52.980 to detect flattery is bad preaching, right? 19:53.860 --> 19:57.860 There's preaching out there that is just, all it is, is just flattery, okay? 19:57.860 --> 20:01.620 Flattery that comes, or preaching that comes from these non-denom type churches, 20:01.620 --> 20:03.380 these mega church pastors, 20:04.100 --> 20:06.900 their whole sermon is just flattery, okay? 20:06.900 --> 20:08.340 It's not doctrinally sound. 20:08.340 --> 20:10.020 It's just a lot of excessive praise. 20:10.020 --> 20:14.180 Joel Osteen is the prime example of a flatterer, okay? 20:15.060 --> 20:16.260 He says nothing negative. 20:16.820 --> 20:18.260 It's all positive. 20:18.260 --> 20:22.740 And all he does is just flatter his congregation to get what he wants from them. 20:22.740 --> 20:24.740 Look at verse 15 of Matthew 22. 20:24.740 --> 20:30.020 Then went the Pharisees and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 20:30.900 --> 20:35.060 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodian Saint Master. 20:36.340 --> 20:37.300 Here comes the flattery. 20:38.180 --> 20:42.820 We know that thou art true and teach us the way of God in truth. 20:42.820 --> 20:47.220 Neither carest thou for any man, for thou regardest not the person of men. 20:47.220 --> 20:48.420 Is that sincere? 20:48.420 --> 20:50.260 No, they're trying to trap him. 20:50.260 --> 20:54.980 It says that they're trying to entangle him in his talk, and they begin with what? 20:54.980 --> 20:56.100 Excessive praise. 20:56.900 --> 21:02.100 Obviously, the Lord Jesus Christ understands that that's what they're doing. 21:02.100 --> 21:03.940 He's not being fooled by this. 21:03.940 --> 21:07.940 But the point is here is that we have a clear example of people 21:07.940 --> 21:12.340 seeking to flatter the Lord Jesus Christ in order to trap him in his words. 21:12.340 --> 21:13.460 Oh, you're true. 21:14.020 --> 21:15.540 The way you teach is true. 21:15.540 --> 21:17.940 You don't care about what people have to say about you. 21:17.940 --> 21:19.780 You don't regard the person of men. 21:19.780 --> 21:21.540 Tell us therefore, what thinkest thou? 21:21.540 --> 21:25.300 Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar or not? 21:26.580 --> 21:28.580 That's really what they want to know. 21:28.580 --> 21:32.580 The reason for this is because they want him to give some sort of admission 21:32.580 --> 21:35.060 that he's trying to usurp the government of his time. 21:35.940 --> 21:36.980 It says in verse 18, 21:36.980 --> 21:40.980 But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said, 21:40.980 --> 21:43.140 Why tempt me ye hypocrites? 21:43.140 --> 21:44.420 Show me the tribute money. 21:44.420 --> 21:45.860 And they brought unto him a penny. 21:45.860 --> 21:47.140 And he saith unto him, 21:47.140 --> 21:50.180 Whose is this image and superscription? 21:50.180 --> 21:51.460 They say unto him, Caesars. 21:51.460 --> 21:52.340 Then saith he unto them, 21:52.340 --> 21:53.460 Brenda therefore unto Caesar, 21:53.460 --> 21:55.140 The things which are Caesar's and unto God, 21:55.140 --> 21:56.020 The things which are God's. 21:56.020 --> 22:00.500 Of course, Jesus Christ is an expert at detecting flattery 22:00.500 --> 22:02.980 and was able to shut them down immediately. 22:02.980 --> 22:05.860 The point being here is that we need to pay attention 22:05.860 --> 22:07.140 to the words that people say. 22:08.420 --> 22:10.980 If people are excessively praising you, 22:12.020 --> 22:14.820 and here's the thing is that you can't really just 22:14.820 --> 22:16.740 believe everything that people say about you, 22:16.740 --> 22:17.620 even if it's true. 22:19.460 --> 22:22.900 I'm saying like, we can't believe the motives that they're coming with. 22:23.780 --> 22:26.020 So you kind of have to read between the lines sometimes. 22:26.820 --> 22:28.900 It's like, oh man, you're really good at this. 22:28.900 --> 22:30.980 And you're mind is like, yeah, I'm kind of good at that. 22:30.980 --> 22:31.540 Yeah. 22:31.540 --> 22:34.020 But why is this person specifically saying that though? 22:34.020 --> 22:36.820 You know, what's the deal with this? 22:36.820 --> 22:39.060 And again, we're not trying to just be suspicious of everyone. 22:39.060 --> 22:42.580 I'm just saying have a discerning attitude 22:42.580 --> 22:46.020 where you don't just think, well, I'm just that great. 22:46.020 --> 22:47.940 And this is why people praise me. 22:47.940 --> 22:48.980 I'm just that great. 22:48.980 --> 22:50.820 And therefore, that's why people compliment me. 22:50.820 --> 22:53.780 Well, you kind of have to read between the lines and figure out 22:53.780 --> 22:55.940 why is it that they're bringing this praise to you? 22:55.940 --> 23:00.180 Why is it that they're complimenting you excessively over and over and over again? 23:00.180 --> 23:02.820 Is it really because you're just doing a great job? 23:02.820 --> 23:06.020 Or do they have an underlying motive? 23:06.020 --> 23:08.660 We need to beware of the flatterers. 23:08.660 --> 23:12.420 Now, flatterers also will even flatter themselves. 23:12.420 --> 23:13.540 Go to Psalm 36. 23:13.540 --> 23:19.460 So flatterers like to flatter others in order to get something from them, 23:19.460 --> 23:23.620 to lay a trap under their feet, to get something from them, 23:23.620 --> 23:26.020 to take advantage of them or whatever it may be. 23:26.020 --> 23:32.020 But they will also flatter themselves in order to make themselves look humble. 23:32.020 --> 23:35.460 So this is another thing you've got to worry about or look out for. 23:35.460 --> 23:41.140 And that is those who have this hyper-spiritual type of attitude. 23:41.300 --> 23:43.620 Or they just like to aura farm. 23:43.620 --> 23:44.980 And not because they're spiritual. 23:44.980 --> 23:47.940 It's because they're just basically flattering themselves. 23:49.780 --> 23:52.900 And it's just like they have all the spiritual talk. 23:52.900 --> 23:54.980 They know exactly what to say. 23:54.980 --> 24:00.820 They're not involved in anything carnal or anything like that. 24:00.820 --> 24:03.540 They're just reading the Bible all the time. 24:03.540 --> 24:06.980 And if you're not careful, you can think to yourself, man, 24:06.980 --> 24:08.340 this person's really spiritual. 24:08.340 --> 24:13.860 But really what it is is just hyper-spiritual behavior because of the 24:13.860 --> 24:16.900 fact that they're actually really sinful and wicked on the inside. 24:16.900 --> 24:18.580 And they don't want you to know that. 24:18.580 --> 24:20.500 Look at Psalm 36, verse 1. 24:20.500 --> 24:23.620 The transgression of the wicked sayeth within my heart that there is no fear 24:23.620 --> 24:25.060 of God before his eyes. 24:25.060 --> 24:31.780 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes until his iniquity be found to be hateful. 24:31.780 --> 24:32.660 So what does it say? 24:32.660 --> 24:34.900 He'll say all these spiritual things like, 24:35.860 --> 24:36.360 Me? 24:36.360 --> 24:40.020 Oh, I'm just a poor old country boy. 24:40.020 --> 24:44.020 I'm just, who am I? 24:44.020 --> 24:46.020 I just love God. 24:46.020 --> 24:48.020 I just try my best. 24:48.020 --> 24:52.500 And on the outside, you may think, wow, man, I suck. 24:52.500 --> 24:54.420 This guy is super spiritual. 24:54.420 --> 24:57.860 But really what it is is that they're being hyper-spiritual because they're 24:57.860 --> 25:00.340 just trying to be a little bit more spiritual. 25:00.340 --> 25:03.220 And they're just trying to be a little bit more spiritual. 25:03.220 --> 25:07.140 They're being hyper-spiritual because really deep down inside, they're just 25:07.140 --> 25:07.860 wicked people. 25:08.740 --> 25:14.580 And the person that comes to mind was an evangelist of some of the church members 25:14.580 --> 25:15.940 who are here from Faithful Word. 25:15.940 --> 25:18.420 There was an evangelist who used to work at Faithful Word Baptist Church. 25:19.220 --> 25:20.820 And his name was Garrett Kershway. 25:22.260 --> 25:26.580 And Garrett Kershway was probably one of the most hyper-spiritual people. 25:27.220 --> 25:28.500 Hindstein's 2020. 25:28.500 --> 25:31.860 Looking back, you're like, dang, this guy was super hyper-spiritual. 25:31.860 --> 25:34.420 And none of us could really detect it. 25:34.420 --> 25:35.620 We didn't really notice it. 25:36.500 --> 25:41.140 Because I remember when Pastor Anderson started the church, he sent Garrett Kershway 25:41.140 --> 25:43.620 to come here and to help us look for a building. 25:43.620 --> 25:44.660 He never found anything. 25:46.420 --> 25:47.220 He didn't find anything. 25:47.220 --> 25:48.740 The guy was just useless when he came. 25:49.460 --> 25:50.020 OK? 25:50.020 --> 25:53.380 The one who found us a building was actually Alex Barea. 25:53.380 --> 25:54.100 OK? 25:54.100 --> 25:56.020 He's the one who found us the El Monte building. 25:56.020 --> 25:57.700 I don't know if you're for that or against it. 25:57.700 --> 25:58.740 That makes him look good or bad. 25:58.740 --> 25:59.380 I don't know which one. 25:59.380 --> 25:59.940 You know? 25:59.940 --> 26:01.540 But he's the one who helped us find that building. 26:02.820 --> 26:05.700 Garrett Kershway was actually sent to come and help us. 26:05.700 --> 26:06.900 And he just didn't find anything. 26:07.620 --> 26:11.300 And I remember just spending time with him and being in his car. 26:11.300 --> 26:14.180 And he would have his King James Bible right there on the dashboard. 26:14.180 --> 26:20.580 And I'm like, oh, so you have a goal for reading the Bible for this year? 26:20.580 --> 26:21.700 He's like, oh, yeah. 26:21.700 --> 26:22.980 I'm reading it this many times. 26:22.980 --> 26:25.540 And he goes, sometimes I'll just read it out of stoplight. 26:25.540 --> 26:25.860 You know? 26:27.620 --> 26:28.660 I was like, dang. 26:28.740 --> 26:30.740 I'm like the evangelist here. 26:30.740 --> 26:33.060 Like Pastor Anderson is like entrusting me. 26:33.060 --> 26:36.580 Like I'm watching Reels at a red light. 26:36.580 --> 26:37.540 You know what I mean? 26:37.540 --> 26:42.580 I'm watching like, you know, this guy's like reading the Bible during the red light. 26:42.580 --> 26:46.980 And I'm just like, man, I need to step it up or something. 26:46.980 --> 26:51.220 And I just I don't think I've ever read the Bible out of stoplight, by the way. 26:51.220 --> 26:55.220 Even, but it made me think like, man, this guy's like super spiritual. 26:55.220 --> 26:57.220 This guy has it going on. 26:57.620 --> 27:01.380 And there's other things that he would do that just like made me think. 27:01.380 --> 27:06.420 And those around us, we thought like this guy is like a spiritual giant. 27:06.420 --> 27:08.420 I remember he would come to preach. 27:09.300 --> 27:19.380 And, you know, when someone when you know, the last song goes and the song leaders praying for the service, typically the pastor or preacher is kind of ready on hand to come onto the stage. 27:19.380 --> 27:19.380 27:20.260 --> 27:23.780 Like he's, you know, he's just like here or he's on the front. 27:23.780 --> 27:25.780 You know, he's trying to cut down on time. 27:25.780 --> 27:32.180 And as soon as the preacher's done preaching, you know, he comes up to the pulpit and then, you know, starts preaching. 27:32.180 --> 27:36.500 I typically stand like right here to just, you know, streamline and no dead time. 27:36.500 --> 27:38.500 Other people just sit in the front. 27:38.500 --> 27:40.500 You know, if we have a guest preacher, that's not what he would do. 27:40.500 --> 27:42.500 So this is what he would do. 27:42.500 --> 27:48.500 You know, we would have the service and they would be singing and he would sit like back here. 27:48.500 --> 27:50.500 He would sit like right here. 27:50.500 --> 27:52.500 And then the guy would be praying. 27:52.500 --> 27:54.500 And he's just like, amen. 27:54.500 --> 27:56.500 He's like. 28:00.500 --> 28:02.500 And everyone's just like. 28:04.500 --> 28:06.500 And then he's and he had like some sort of limp leg or something. 28:06.500 --> 28:08.500 So he's just like. 28:16.500 --> 28:18.500 Well, it's good to be here with everyone tonight. 28:18.500 --> 28:20.500 And he's just and we're everyone's just like, oh, like Garrett. 28:20.500 --> 28:22.500 That the guy's got motion is like aura. 28:22.500 --> 28:24.500 You know, the aura is just crazy. 28:24.500 --> 28:26.500 It's just but the guy was a complete phony. 28:26.500 --> 28:28.500 What does he do? 28:28.500 --> 28:30.500 He's flattering himself in order to make himself look spiritual before everyone else, because deep down inside, the guy was just super wicked. 28:30.500 --> 28:32.500 The guy was a false prophet. 28:32.500 --> 28:34.500 So he had to do all these things. 28:34.500 --> 28:36.500 He had to do all these things. 28:36.500 --> 28:38.500 He had to do all these things. 28:38.500 --> 28:40.500 He had to do all these things. 28:40.500 --> 28:42.500 He had to do all these things. 28:42.500 --> 28:44.500 He had to do all these things. 28:44.500 --> 28:46.500 He had to do all these things. 28:46.500 --> 28:48.500 He had to do all these things. 28:48.500 --> 28:50.500 And I remember like I don't remember how long after that. 28:50.500 --> 28:52.500 But, you know, I was talking to Pastor Stuckey. 28:52.500 --> 28:54.500 After Garrett Kershaw was exposed. 28:54.500 --> 28:56.500 And, you know, Pastor Stuckey was saying like, I remember that guy just like, you know, the pre-service. 28:56.500 --> 28:58.500 We're over here making racist jokes. 28:58.500 --> 29:00.500 He wasn't saying this, but, you know, we're over here making racist jokes. 29:00.500 --> 29:02.500 Everyone's joking over here. 29:02.500 --> 29:04.500 Everyone's fellow shipping. 29:04.500 --> 29:06.500 Everyone's having a good time or whatever. 29:06.500 --> 29:08.500 And Garrett would just be there just reading his Bible. 29:08.500 --> 29:10.500 Just reading his Bible. 29:10.500 --> 29:12.500 And he would just be there. 29:12.500 --> 29:14.500 And he would just be there. 29:14.500 --> 29:16.500 He was just reading his Bible. 29:16.500 --> 29:18.500 And then Pastor Stuckey was just like, man, like I need to step it up. 29:18.500 --> 29:20.500 Like this guy's reading his Bible before the service. 29:20.500 --> 29:22.500 Like I'm not reading my Bible before the service. 29:22.500 --> 29:24.500 But why was he doing that? 29:24.500 --> 29:26.500 I'll tell you why. Because he was flattering himself. 29:26.500 --> 29:30.500 Because he's trying to make everyone else think that he's super spiritual. 29:30.500 --> 29:34.500 When deep down inside he's just a real carnal piece of trash. 29:34.500 --> 29:38.500 Now again, I'm not saying that people who flatter themselves are false prophets. 29:38.500 --> 29:42.500 I'm just saying false prophets have that tendency. 29:42.500 --> 29:45.300 have that tendency. 29:45.300 --> 29:47.420 And I will say that babes in Christ 29:47.420 --> 29:50.920 do have that tendency to be hyperspiritual and flatter 29:50.920 --> 29:51.460 themselves. 29:51.460 --> 29:54.700 Because they want people to respect them. 29:54.700 --> 29:56.660 They want people to esteem them. 29:56.660 --> 29:58.120 They want to be viewed as someone 29:58.120 --> 29:59.960 who is just a spiritual giant. 29:59.960 --> 30:02.320 So they overcompensate. 30:02.320 --> 30:05.860 They become excessive in their speech and their behavior, 30:05.860 --> 30:07.360 because they want everyone else to see 30:07.360 --> 30:08.580 how spiritual they really are. 30:08.580 --> 30:11.440 But let me just tell you, if you're a brand new Christian that 30:11.440 --> 30:13.760 just got saved within the last couple of years, 30:13.760 --> 30:17.040 just be real if you really want people to respect you. 30:17.040 --> 30:18.040 Just be real. 30:18.040 --> 30:19.080 Be humble. 30:19.080 --> 30:20.440 Be sincere. 30:20.440 --> 30:24.200 Don't think like, oh man, but if people see my flaws. 30:24.200 --> 30:26.760 People don't really care about those things. 30:26.760 --> 30:30.680 What they care about is you being sincere. 30:30.680 --> 30:32.840 And quite frankly, sometimes people 30:32.840 --> 30:34.840 can just see through that nonsense as well. 30:34.840 --> 30:38.880 Because some people are just horrible at being fake. 30:38.880 --> 30:40.280 They're not that good. 30:40.360 --> 30:43.520 And so I'm all for being spiritual. 30:43.520 --> 30:46.240 I'm all for reading the Bible before the service. 30:46.240 --> 30:49.120 I'm all for doing your best to be the best Christian you can 30:49.120 --> 30:51.040 be, but I'm completely against you 30:51.040 --> 30:54.400 being fake and flattering yourself in your own eyes. 30:54.400 --> 30:58.200 Because at the end of the day, you're not fooling anybody. 30:58.200 --> 31:01.520 And often these people are some of the most self-righteous, 31:01.520 --> 31:03.000 judgmental people. 31:03.000 --> 31:05.920 They like to point out the beam in someone's eye 31:05.920 --> 31:08.040 or the moat in someone's eye, all the while having 31:08.040 --> 31:10.060 a beam in their own eye. 31:10.060 --> 31:12.300 These are often the people that will condemn you 31:12.300 --> 31:13.380 for a particular sin. 31:13.380 --> 31:16.220 All the while, they're guilty of some excessive gross sin 31:16.220 --> 31:17.420 as well, i.e. 31:17.420 --> 31:18.060 Roger Jimenez. 31:21.020 --> 31:24.020 And so it's important for us to recognize 31:24.020 --> 31:26.860 the importance of just being sincere, be a real person. 31:26.860 --> 31:30.060 And obviously temper yourself. 31:30.060 --> 31:32.740 Don't take that to the extreme and be so real 31:32.740 --> 31:34.300 that you're inappropriate. 31:34.300 --> 31:36.820 So real that you are disrespectful. 31:36.820 --> 31:40.020 So real that, oh, I just want to show how real I am 31:40.020 --> 31:40.540 or whatever. 31:40.540 --> 31:44.740 Yeah, but have some discretion about yourself, though, too. 31:44.740 --> 31:48.300 It tells us here in Psalm 36, verse 2, 31:48.300 --> 31:50.820 for he flattered himself in his own eyes 31:50.820 --> 31:53.780 until his iniquity be found to be hateful. 31:53.780 --> 31:55.660 That guy we threw out that I was talking about 31:55.660 --> 31:59.260 in the beginning, this guy was super excessive 31:59.260 --> 32:00.780 about flattering himself. 32:00.780 --> 32:04.700 He flattered others, and he liked to flatter himself. 32:04.700 --> 32:06.660 And it's funny because he was also 32:06.660 --> 32:09.260 excessive in his judgment towards others as well. 32:09.260 --> 32:11.940 I remember one time he was just like, hey, 32:11.940 --> 32:14.180 what do I do about my reprobate mom? 32:14.180 --> 32:16.140 And I'm thinking to myself, well, let's back up here 32:16.140 --> 32:18.900 first and foremost. 32:18.900 --> 32:20.420 We're already talking about a conclusion 32:20.420 --> 32:22.420 that we haven't even discussed. 32:22.420 --> 32:23.340 Do you know your mom? 32:23.340 --> 32:25.140 Oh, yeah, she's a reprobate for sure. 32:25.140 --> 32:26.580 She's a reprobate. 32:26.580 --> 32:28.060 How do you know she's a reprobate? 32:28.060 --> 32:29.780 Well, because she rejected the gospel. 32:29.780 --> 32:32.940 Oh, I guess every person who rejects 32:32.940 --> 32:35.660 this at the door is a reprobate then, right? 32:35.660 --> 32:37.700 And then it's just like, is that all? 32:37.700 --> 32:39.940 He's like, yeah, she's rejected it multiple times. 32:39.940 --> 32:41.020 I know for sure. 32:41.020 --> 32:41.940 She is a reprobate. 32:41.940 --> 32:43.060 Just believe me. 32:43.060 --> 32:44.580 Just take my word for it, she's a reprobate. 32:44.580 --> 32:46.020 Well, he ended up bringing her to church, 32:46.020 --> 32:47.580 sweetest lady ever. 32:47.580 --> 32:50.380 Just the nicest lady you ever meet. 32:50.380 --> 32:52.980 And I'm just thinking to myself, this is the person 32:52.980 --> 32:54.420 that this guy was saying. 32:54.420 --> 32:55.660 First of all, if you think she's a reprobate, 32:55.660 --> 32:57.580 why would you bring her to church, right? 32:57.580 --> 32:59.820 But she comes, sweetest lady ever. 32:59.820 --> 33:00.660 But what was he doing? 33:00.660 --> 33:03.660 Projecting. 33:03.660 --> 33:07.140 And I remember we would have these soul-wanting trips 33:07.140 --> 33:08.700 to a city called Barstow. 33:10.700 --> 33:12.300 And it's in the middle of nowhere. 33:12.300 --> 33:13.620 Marcos is from there. 33:14.540 --> 33:16.460 And it's like a desert. 33:16.460 --> 33:19.140 It's where Del Taco originated from. 33:19.140 --> 33:20.140 Just put it that way. 33:22.460 --> 33:23.420 So we would go soul-wanting there, 33:23.420 --> 33:25.180 and he joined us one time. 33:26.620 --> 33:31.020 And he had his band of flatterers with him as well 33:31.020 --> 33:32.780 in church who are no longer here either, 33:32.780 --> 33:34.660 who were also a bunch of idiots too. 33:35.660 --> 33:37.980 These guys would always gather together 33:37.980 --> 33:41.540 and just try to figure out who's the best Christian 33:41.540 --> 33:42.380 and all these things. 33:42.380 --> 33:45.100 They're just super self-righteous, holier than now, 33:45.100 --> 33:47.380 hyper-spiritual flatterers. 33:47.380 --> 33:49.540 So he was on this trip. 33:49.540 --> 33:52.660 And we had already gone to Barstow multiple times. 33:52.660 --> 33:54.300 So we knew the area. 33:54.300 --> 33:55.740 We knew where to go. 33:55.740 --> 33:59.020 And he's just like, after we were done, 33:59.020 --> 34:01.100 he's like, so how long did we go out for? 34:01.100 --> 34:02.780 We're like, oh, for two and a half hours. 34:02.820 --> 34:04.900 OK, what regions did we go to? 34:04.900 --> 34:05.980 What parts did we go to? 34:05.980 --> 34:06.820 What's more reset? 34:06.820 --> 34:08.980 I'm like, why are you asking this? 34:08.980 --> 34:11.220 And he's like, well, I need to report back. 34:11.220 --> 34:12.220 I'm like, to who? 34:13.220 --> 34:15.540 And he said to the guy that was in our church, 34:15.540 --> 34:16.900 which at the day was Moses. 34:16.900 --> 34:18.700 OK, I'll just say that. 34:18.700 --> 34:22.380 I'm like, you need to report this back to who's Moses? 34:22.380 --> 34:24.580 Like, is he the one keeping track 34:24.580 --> 34:26.020 of the soul-wanting in our church or something? 34:26.020 --> 34:28.860 He's like, well, he needs to know in case, 34:28.860 --> 34:31.700 because we're scouting out the land for him 34:31.740 --> 34:33.540 to see if it's worthy enough for him to come out here 34:33.540 --> 34:34.780 and do some soul-wanting too. 34:37.020 --> 34:37.820 No kidding. 34:37.820 --> 34:38.900 That's what he said, right? 34:38.900 --> 34:41.780 He's like, that's why I need to know how many salvations 34:41.780 --> 34:44.620 we got an hour, how many we got every 30 minutes, 34:44.620 --> 34:46.460 in what particular region. 34:46.460 --> 34:49.500 And I just told him, I said, I'm not giving you that info 34:49.500 --> 34:51.340 because I don't even know it. 34:51.340 --> 34:55.580 I said, and the entire time, he's just hyper-spiritual. 34:55.580 --> 34:58.500 And I just ended up banning him from coming soul-wanting with us 34:58.500 --> 34:59.140 to Barstow. 34:59.140 --> 35:00.860 I was like, I don't want you here. 35:00.860 --> 35:05.460 So you can't come anymore because you're just annoying. 35:05.460 --> 35:08.780 And then he's like, when we were going soul-wanting, 35:08.780 --> 35:10.340 Ulysses and I, we like to cut up. 35:10.340 --> 35:11.860 You guys obviously know that. 35:11.860 --> 35:13.900 I cut up with you guys all the time. 35:13.900 --> 35:14.900 But we love to cut up. 35:14.900 --> 35:16.780 We're like, you know, because we're funny. 35:16.780 --> 35:18.820 We just like to cut up. 35:18.820 --> 35:20.460 And we're getting out of the car, 35:20.460 --> 35:22.100 and Ulysses and I are cutting up. 35:22.100 --> 35:23.460 And it's always these hyper-spirituals 35:23.460 --> 35:25.580 that have a problem with that, right? 35:25.580 --> 35:26.980 Oh, it's so funny. 35:26.980 --> 35:28.140 You guys laughing. 35:28.140 --> 35:32.340 Well, Mary Hart doeth good like a medicine. 35:32.340 --> 35:34.260 And so he's just like, I'm assuming 35:34.260 --> 35:36.220 you guys are going to go together because you guys just 35:36.220 --> 35:37.140 like to laugh together. 35:37.140 --> 35:37.940 Is that what it is? 35:37.940 --> 35:39.420 Is this what he said? 35:39.420 --> 35:42.980 I was like, no, you and I are going together, actually. 35:42.980 --> 35:45.740 Because I want to see how you soul-want now. 35:45.740 --> 35:46.900 So we're out soul-wanting. 35:46.900 --> 35:51.020 And then I'm preaching the gospel to this lady. 35:51.020 --> 35:52.700 And sometimes when people open the door, 35:52.700 --> 35:54.580 they don't open it all the way. 35:54.580 --> 35:56.860 Sometimes they'll crack it, but they're listening. 35:56.860 --> 35:58.900 So I'm just kind of like this, and I'm just leaning 35:58.900 --> 36:01.580 on the door showing her the verses. 36:01.580 --> 36:05.460 So after I was done, he's like, so what's 36:05.460 --> 36:07.180 the reasoning behind leaning on the door? 36:07.180 --> 36:11.580 Does that help the gospel presentation more? 36:11.580 --> 36:13.260 Does that make it more so that people? 36:13.260 --> 36:15.420 And I'm just like, no. 36:19.420 --> 36:21.500 Stupid question. 36:21.500 --> 36:23.500 But then you look back, and you're like, oh, this guy 36:23.540 --> 36:26.980 was just being hyper-spiritual the whole time. 36:26.980 --> 36:30.740 And it's no wonder that he spent his time 36:30.740 --> 36:34.700 around a bunch of hyper-spiritual holier than now. 36:34.700 --> 36:38.060 And his group leader guy, this guy 36:38.060 --> 36:42.380 was also a super hyper-spiritual person. 36:42.380 --> 36:45.460 I remember one time, and actually, brother Dylan, 36:45.460 --> 36:47.060 he's here visiting with us. 36:47.060 --> 36:49.220 Dylan had come to our church for the first time. 36:49.220 --> 36:50.780 I don't know how long ago was that? 36:51.780 --> 36:55.900 Yeah, when you first came. 36:55.900 --> 36:56.460 Four years ago. 36:56.460 --> 36:57.300 Thank you, Christian. 36:57.300 --> 37:00.820 So about four years ago, he came to our church four years ago. 37:00.820 --> 37:02.580 He got saved in our church. 37:02.580 --> 37:04.620 And Dylan was just worldly. 37:08.620 --> 37:09.620 Kind of like right now. 37:09.620 --> 37:10.820 No, I'm just kidding. 37:10.820 --> 37:13.820 He was really worldly, because he's just gotten saved. 37:13.820 --> 37:15.900 But he was excited about church. 37:15.900 --> 37:18.340 He was excited about soul-warning. 37:18.340 --> 37:22.500 And he just didn't know a whole lot of stuff. 37:22.500 --> 37:23.980 People just don't know stuff. 37:23.980 --> 37:25.020 And it's not like he was necessarily 37:25.020 --> 37:25.940 reached to the new IP. 37:25.940 --> 37:28.620 So he was not necessarily attuned 37:28.620 --> 37:31.820 to what the standards were in the church and so forth. 37:31.820 --> 37:34.140 So he was bringing friends, and he brought this one guy 37:34.140 --> 37:36.020 to church. 37:36.020 --> 37:39.180 And I was preaching against homos that day. 37:39.180 --> 37:42.260 And I went to go meet him. 37:42.260 --> 37:45.020 And I was talking to Dylan, and the guy was right there. 37:45.020 --> 37:47.060 And the guy was just staring me down the whole time. 37:48.060 --> 37:50.260 And I'm thinking to myself, like, yeah, you know, 37:50.260 --> 37:53.100 facts this, and they can't get saved. 37:53.100 --> 37:54.300 And he's just staring at me. 37:54.300 --> 37:57.420 Well, Dylan tells me afterwards that he's a homo and stuff. 37:57.420 --> 37:58.500 Now, don't get mad at Dylan. 37:58.500 --> 38:00.460 He didn't know. 38:00.460 --> 38:01.740 He just thought, you know. 38:01.740 --> 38:03.900 And then I preached against sodomites. 38:03.900 --> 38:05.740 And then Dylan pulled me aside later on. 38:05.740 --> 38:06.780 He was just like, hey, I just want 38:06.780 --> 38:08.540 to let you know that guy was a sodomite, 38:08.540 --> 38:09.620 or a former sodomite. 38:09.620 --> 38:11.160 Obviously, we don't believe in form. 38:11.160 --> 38:13.900 But he claims not to be a one anymore. 38:13.900 --> 38:14.900 But he's a Christian now. 38:14.900 --> 38:18.260 But he is a sodomite. 38:18.260 --> 38:20.820 And I said, OK, just don't ever bring him again. 38:20.820 --> 38:22.980 I said, it's not your fault. You didn't know. 38:22.980 --> 38:25.180 I said, but, and he's like, so should I just 38:25.180 --> 38:26.740 cut off all contact? 38:26.740 --> 38:29.100 I'm like, yeah, for sure. 38:29.100 --> 38:31.100 Like, no Christian should ever have any fellowship 38:31.100 --> 38:34.180 with homos and reprobates and super dangerous 38:34.180 --> 38:36.580 and give him the loadout. 38:36.580 --> 38:37.980 And he's like, all right. 38:37.980 --> 38:39.580 He's like, I will never bring him again. 38:39.580 --> 38:40.980 I'll cut ties with him. 38:40.980 --> 38:42.700 I won't be his friend anymore. 38:42.700 --> 38:43.300 I'm like, hey, man. 38:43.300 --> 38:45.980 And I was really proud of Dylan for doing that. 38:45.980 --> 38:48.180 Because a lot of people, they can't handle that. 38:48.180 --> 38:52.860 They're all like, oh, they get all sad about it or whatever. 38:52.860 --> 38:56.060 But he was just like, all right, yeah, I'll never do it again. 38:56.060 --> 38:58.380 And I was really proud of him. 38:58.380 --> 39:01.740 When you see Christian growth, it warms your heart, right? 39:01.740 --> 39:04.700 Part of Christian growth is just making decisions like that. 39:04.700 --> 39:07.380 So then I'm walking out, and I just 39:07.380 --> 39:10.940 want to talk about this decision he made. 39:10.980 --> 39:13.500 I want to tell people, because he was still fairly new. 39:13.500 --> 39:14.820 So he walks off. 39:14.820 --> 39:18.340 And then I pull Moses aside, and I was just like, man, 39:18.340 --> 39:19.740 this guy is growing. 39:19.740 --> 39:21.820 I was like, he had this son of my friend. 39:21.820 --> 39:23.980 And I told him what the Bible says about son of mine. 39:23.980 --> 39:25.340 And I'm cutting that off. 39:25.340 --> 39:27.020 I'm not going to be his friend anymore. 39:27.020 --> 39:30.540 He's like, I'm surprised he even has a son of my friend. 39:30.540 --> 39:33.060 I'm just like, bro. 39:33.060 --> 39:38.460 You know, how about you just rejoice? 39:38.460 --> 39:40.460 Instead of tearing him down, the guy 39:40.460 --> 39:41.580 doesn't know better. 39:41.580 --> 39:42.820 He comes from the world. 39:42.820 --> 39:46.420 Isn't it just great that he just severed 39:46.420 --> 39:48.860 this godless relationship with this friend 39:48.860 --> 39:50.780 that he had who was just a reprobate? 39:50.780 --> 39:52.620 Can't you just praise him for that? 39:52.620 --> 39:55.460 Oh, but he's just so, so spiritual. 39:55.460 --> 39:56.060 What is he doing? 39:56.060 --> 39:58.580 He's flattering himself, because he wants people to be like, 39:58.580 --> 39:59.860 wow, this guy. 39:59.860 --> 40:01.860 He doesn't care that he severed that relationship. 40:01.860 --> 40:03.860 He's surprised he even had a son of my friend. 40:06.700 --> 40:08.300 But this is how people are. 40:08.300 --> 40:12.180 They have this fake humility, this fake humility, 40:12.180 --> 40:15.020 but in actuality, they're super hyper spiritual. 40:15.020 --> 40:16.420 They're self-righteous. 40:16.420 --> 40:18.740 And most of the time, they don't even have a spiritual bone 40:18.740 --> 40:20.300 in their body. 40:20.300 --> 40:22.420 You know, they want to talk about all this Bible. 40:22.420 --> 40:25.140 They probably don't even read the Bible. 40:25.140 --> 40:28.340 They probably sleep in, and behind closed doors, 40:28.340 --> 40:31.420 they're just a different Christian. 40:31.420 --> 40:31.940 You know what that's called? 40:31.940 --> 40:35.060 It's called being a hypocrite. 40:35.060 --> 40:36.900 That's what it's called. 40:36.900 --> 40:40.500 It's called you are a hypocrite. 40:40.500 --> 40:43.220 You want to portray to everyone else that you're godly, 40:43.220 --> 40:46.140 you're so righteous, your behavior and your conduct 40:46.140 --> 40:48.220 is so on par with the Bible. 40:48.220 --> 40:51.740 But if we were to look at you at home behind closed doors, 40:51.740 --> 40:54.580 we'd see a different picture. 40:54.580 --> 40:55.620 So how do I fix that? 40:55.620 --> 40:59.580 Just be the person you are at any given time. 40:59.580 --> 41:01.220 You say, are you the same? 41:01.220 --> 41:03.300 Ask my wife if I'm the same person. 41:03.300 --> 41:05.700 Who I am now is who I am at home, 41:05.700 --> 41:06.900 is who I am when I'm there. 41:06.900 --> 41:08.380 In fact, I'm a little more rough down there 41:08.380 --> 41:09.780 than I am up here sometimes. 41:11.620 --> 41:13.900 The Bible says, let no man be golly of your reward 41:13.900 --> 41:17.180 and voluntary humility, worshiping of angels, 41:17.180 --> 41:19.020 intruding those things which you have not seen, 41:19.020 --> 41:23.220 vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind. 41:23.220 --> 41:24.060 So what do we see here? 41:24.060 --> 41:27.620 We see flatterers not only will try to flatter others 41:27.620 --> 41:30.940 in order to deceive them, they will flatter themselves. 41:30.940 --> 41:33.540 They will puff themselves up before others 41:33.540 --> 41:34.740 because they want people to think 41:34.740 --> 41:37.380 that they're more spiritual than they really are. 41:37.380 --> 41:40.060 And look, I remember being in Bible college 41:40.060 --> 41:42.020 with a hyper-spiritual person. 41:42.020 --> 41:45.020 And there's a guy there I remember this one time. 41:45.020 --> 41:49.180 This guy was so excessive, it's just laughable. 41:49.180 --> 41:52.260 Like he would walk up and down the hallways 41:52.260 --> 41:54.060 reading his Bible out loud. 41:54.980 --> 41:58.780 He would go into the auditorium and just pray out loud. 41:58.780 --> 42:00.900 Because he wants people to think like, wow, 42:00.900 --> 42:02.780 this guy has a prayer life. 42:02.780 --> 42:04.580 This guy's reading the Bible out loud. 42:05.420 --> 42:06.940 In fact, I remember being on a missions trip 42:06.940 --> 42:08.540 with Faithful World Baptist Church. 42:08.540 --> 42:12.140 And this is when the McDoubles used to be there. 42:12.140 --> 42:13.940 What are those guys in the McPhails? 42:15.980 --> 42:18.460 You guys remember the McPhails? 42:18.460 --> 42:19.980 The twins? 42:19.980 --> 42:20.900 The twice dads? 42:24.620 --> 42:26.420 And we're on this missions trip 42:26.420 --> 42:30.460 and one of the McPhails would every morning 42:31.420 --> 42:33.740 would walk in front of my room 42:33.780 --> 42:36.140 reading the Bible in Spanish out loud. 42:36.140 --> 42:37.980 Just reading the Bible out loud. 42:37.980 --> 42:41.180 Just like, and I'm just like, bro, I'm trying to sleep. 42:43.580 --> 42:46.780 But it's just like, why do people do that? 42:46.780 --> 42:48.460 I'll tell you why, because they want to portray themselves 42:48.460 --> 42:49.820 to be someone that they're not. 42:51.820 --> 42:54.300 He's like, is it bad to try to want to be spiritual? 42:54.300 --> 42:56.380 No, of course it's not bad. 42:56.380 --> 43:00.260 But it's bad if you're only doing it on the outside 43:00.260 --> 43:02.820 but behind closed doors, that's not you. 43:04.060 --> 43:06.540 Because at that point you're just a fake, you're a phony. 43:08.660 --> 43:11.700 And so beware of those types of flatterers. 43:11.700 --> 43:13.940 They have an ulterior motive. 43:13.940 --> 43:16.100 And they do this in order to blind your judgment. 43:16.100 --> 43:18.300 Proverbs chapter 20, go to Proverbs chapter 20 43:18.300 --> 43:21.060 if you would, Proverbs chapter 20. 43:24.500 --> 43:25.700 Proverbs chapter 20. 43:28.860 --> 43:32.100 People do this in order to blind the judgment of others. 43:34.260 --> 43:36.260 Now it's interesting because as I mentioned, 43:36.260 --> 43:37.740 when I first got saved, I didn't really see this. 43:37.740 --> 43:39.020 I didn't really notice it. 43:39.020 --> 43:40.260 I couldn't really identify it. 43:40.260 --> 43:42.740 I didn't really know what flattery was. 43:42.740 --> 43:43.620 And in fact, to a certain degree, 43:43.620 --> 43:45.420 I thought flattery was a good thing. 43:45.420 --> 43:46.980 Isn't that what we would hear? 43:46.980 --> 43:49.900 Like, oh, they're just trying to flatter them. 43:49.900 --> 43:52.420 It almost sounds like flattery in the world 43:52.420 --> 43:54.980 is almost like the same as a compliment. 43:54.980 --> 43:56.820 It's not necessarily seen in a negative, 43:56.820 --> 43:59.500 it doesn't have a negative connotation carried with it. 43:59.500 --> 44:03.500 And so excessive praise in my old church 44:03.500 --> 44:04.900 wasn't necessarily looked down upon. 44:04.900 --> 44:06.340 We just didn't know what it was 44:06.340 --> 44:08.180 or how dangerous it would be. 44:08.180 --> 44:09.700 It wasn't until later that I learned, 44:09.700 --> 44:11.580 oh man, this is actually pretty bad. 44:11.580 --> 44:13.820 We need to be careful with people who do these things. 44:13.820 --> 44:15.380 And it really taught me, like, 44:15.380 --> 44:18.340 I need to make sure that I'm just being as sincere 44:18.340 --> 44:21.820 as possible because a lot of times, 44:21.820 --> 44:24.580 sometimes we get on old IFB churches 44:24.580 --> 44:26.900 because as soon as church ends, what do they do? 44:26.900 --> 44:28.980 They just kind of split, right? 44:28.980 --> 44:30.780 They're just like, they're gone. 44:30.780 --> 44:33.820 And my assessment of that is because, 44:33.820 --> 44:35.780 first and foremost, they probably need 44:35.780 --> 44:37.980 to go see a football game or something. 44:37.980 --> 44:42.980 But secondly, here's my legitimate assessment of that, 44:42.980 --> 44:46.220 why old IFB churches and just churches in general, 44:46.220 --> 44:49.260 because I think even non-Denham churches do this, 44:49.260 --> 44:51.780 they just split as soon as the service ends. 44:52.660 --> 44:55.140 It's because of this, because they're so fake. 44:56.900 --> 45:00.580 The people are so fake and it's tiring to be fake. 45:01.540 --> 45:04.820 It's exhausting to be fake. 45:05.940 --> 45:07.740 So if you're after the service 45:07.740 --> 45:10.540 and you're just on fake mode, 45:10.540 --> 45:11.980 what are you gonna talk about? 45:16.700 --> 45:19.300 You just fake the entire time, hey brother, 45:19.300 --> 45:20.620 hey, and after a while, you're just like, 45:20.620 --> 45:22.260 you got nothing else to talk about. 45:22.260 --> 45:23.520 Your face hurts. 45:24.780 --> 45:26.660 And so they're like, oh man, the makeup's coming off, 45:26.660 --> 45:28.240 I gotta get out of here. 45:28.240 --> 45:29.340 The fake makeup. 45:29.940 --> 45:33.780 You know, so in my opinion, that's the reason people split, 45:33.780 --> 45:36.780 because they have nothing of substance to talk about. 45:36.780 --> 45:39.200 There's no depth to the conversation. 45:39.200 --> 45:41.020 So therefore, it's just like, we gotta get out of here 45:41.020 --> 45:42.860 before the real me starts coming out. 45:44.940 --> 45:46.420 And you say, well, how long do you guys stay? 45:46.420 --> 45:48.940 Like 10 sometimes, I don't know, nine, 10. 45:48.940 --> 45:51.020 People don't really have trouble fellowshiping here 45:51.020 --> 45:53.020 because everyone's just kind of real. 45:53.020 --> 45:55.140 You know, a little too real sometimes. 45:55.420 --> 45:59.300 The problem that we have here is excessive realness. 46:01.900 --> 46:05.980 You know, but open rebuke is better than secret love, right? 46:07.460 --> 46:10.660 The kisses of an enemy are deceitful. 46:10.660 --> 46:12.160 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, 46:12.160 --> 46:14.580 but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. 46:14.580 --> 46:16.140 So you know what, I'd rather have someone 46:16.140 --> 46:18.300 who's just rough around the edges, 46:18.300 --> 46:21.440 someone who may insult me every once in a while, 46:21.440 --> 46:23.220 someone who's just completely real, 46:23.220 --> 46:26.740 than just a fake, phony brother in Christ 46:26.740 --> 46:28.100 who's just putting up a front 46:28.100 --> 46:30.500 because he wants others to think highly of them, 46:30.500 --> 46:34.860 and he only cares about his outward Christian appearance 46:34.860 --> 46:37.360 rather than what's actually going on on the inside. 46:38.260 --> 46:39.520 Okay? 46:39.520 --> 46:40.920 You know, and that's why people, I think, 46:40.920 --> 46:43.220 stick around in churches like ours 46:43.220 --> 46:44.940 because of the fact that there's some depth 46:44.940 --> 46:46.740 to our conversation. 46:46.740 --> 46:50.420 And the conversations are hilarious and stuff too. 46:50.420 --> 46:52.420 Just have common interests and all that. 46:53.980 --> 46:56.140 The point that I'm making here is that 46:56.140 --> 46:57.660 we need to make sure we recognize 46:57.660 --> 47:00.420 that flattery can blind your judgment. 47:00.420 --> 47:01.700 Says in Proverbs 20, verse 19, 47:01.700 --> 47:05.100 "'He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets, 47:05.100 --> 47:07.700 "'therefore meddle not with him 47:07.700 --> 47:10.540 "'that flattereth with his lips.'" 47:10.540 --> 47:13.860 The implication here is that a person will seek 47:13.860 --> 47:17.340 to flatter you so that you let down your guard, 47:17.340 --> 47:19.820 you divulge information to them, 47:19.860 --> 47:23.540 and it's information they can use against you. 47:23.540 --> 47:24.460 And make no mistake about it, 47:24.460 --> 47:27.660 this can happen in a church like this. 47:27.660 --> 47:28.660 Okay? 47:28.660 --> 47:31.780 You know, if someone comes to you, ladies, 47:32.980 --> 47:35.580 you know, I already got on the guys, 47:35.580 --> 47:37.100 let's talk about the ladies real quick. 47:37.100 --> 47:37.940 Did I get on the guys? 47:37.940 --> 47:39.020 I got on the guys, all right. 47:39.020 --> 47:40.260 You know, let's get on the ladies a little bit. 47:40.260 --> 47:41.700 You know, ladies, if someone comes to you 47:41.700 --> 47:45.460 and is just like, is excessively flattering towards you, 47:45.460 --> 47:47.420 and they're just overly complimenting you, 47:47.420 --> 47:49.420 but they don't really know you that well, 47:50.420 --> 47:52.740 you know, you gotta be aware of that. 47:53.980 --> 47:55.660 Because a lot of times people will do that 47:55.660 --> 47:56.780 in order for you to be like, 47:56.780 --> 48:00.260 oh, this person is a trustworthy individual 48:00.260 --> 48:01.460 because they seem to like me, 48:01.460 --> 48:04.540 they esteem me as being an important person, 48:04.540 --> 48:05.740 someone that's very close to them, 48:05.740 --> 48:08.020 and so you begin to divulge information to them 48:08.020 --> 48:10.140 that they wanna use against you. 48:10.140 --> 48:12.820 That's a legitimate thing that happens. 48:12.820 --> 48:15.100 And you need to be careful with that, okay? 48:15.100 --> 48:16.860 So here's how you can avoid that, ladies. 48:16.860 --> 48:18.860 First of all, don't be gossiping. 48:20.620 --> 48:22.540 Now, let me also say this, is that, you know, 48:22.540 --> 48:25.420 if some person, and we're talking about the ladies, 48:25.420 --> 48:29.860 comes to you and wants to just divulge information to you, 48:29.860 --> 48:30.780 just stop them. 48:31.820 --> 48:33.300 Just say, you know, I'm not really interested 48:33.300 --> 48:34.860 in knowing about that. 48:34.860 --> 48:38.460 I'm not interested in knowing about someone else's past. 48:38.460 --> 48:41.700 Okay, and I know they often share it as a prayer request. 48:44.060 --> 48:45.360 Pray for Miss Kelly. 48:45.640 --> 48:46.920 I love her so much. 48:48.120 --> 48:49.920 She's such a wonderful lady. 48:50.800 --> 48:51.880 She's an example. 48:53.160 --> 48:54.720 But let me tell you something, 48:54.720 --> 48:58.680 and I'm only telling you this, okay? 48:58.680 --> 48:59.800 Because I trust you. 48:59.800 --> 49:02.520 Because I know you wouldn't say anything at all. 49:02.520 --> 49:03.360 What do they do? 49:03.360 --> 49:05.160 They're flattering you, you know, 49:05.160 --> 49:08.200 because they wanna slander other people, 49:08.200 --> 49:10.040 is what they wanna do. 49:10.040 --> 49:11.960 So here's how you avoid it, you know, 49:11.960 --> 49:13.520 is just stop them. 49:13.520 --> 49:15.440 How you avoid it, you know, is just, 49:15.440 --> 49:16.960 you don't really, you just say, 49:16.960 --> 49:19.200 you know what, it's none of my business. 49:19.200 --> 49:22.140 And especially when it comes to sins of the past. 49:24.120 --> 49:26.920 Don't let people in our church 49:26.920 --> 49:29.080 bring up the sins of the past to you, 49:29.080 --> 49:32.160 especially if they've already moved on from it. 49:32.160 --> 49:33.800 That's something that was in their past, 49:33.800 --> 49:34.960 they're ashamed of it. 49:34.960 --> 49:36.040 It's not brought up. 49:36.040 --> 49:37.400 They've already been disciplined. 49:37.400 --> 49:38.760 They've already repented. 49:38.760 --> 49:39.880 They've already gotten it right. 49:39.880 --> 49:41.080 Don't bring it up again. 49:42.080 --> 49:43.880 And you say, well, why would that person bring it up? 49:43.880 --> 49:45.040 Oh, it could be because that person hates 49:45.040 --> 49:46.720 that individual or something. 49:46.720 --> 49:49.000 Or they have ought against that person. 49:49.000 --> 49:53.280 And so they want to accumulate more people to their side 49:53.280 --> 49:56.920 and make their minds evil affected against that person. 49:56.920 --> 49:58.100 That's how it works. 50:00.320 --> 50:02.400 You know, you could say, you know what, 50:02.400 --> 50:04.440 I'm not interested in listening to that. 50:06.720 --> 50:09.000 I'll pray for that person, but I don't need to know 50:09.000 --> 50:10.760 what that specific thing is for, 50:10.760 --> 50:12.640 if that was in the past, you know, 50:12.640 --> 50:14.680 the past is the past is the past. 50:14.680 --> 50:16.360 And if you feel like it's that big of a deal, 50:16.360 --> 50:18.760 then you need to go talk to the pastor about that. 50:18.760 --> 50:20.000 That's a good way to do it. 50:20.000 --> 50:22.560 Or you could say, oh, I could go talk to the pastor for you. 50:22.560 --> 50:24.440 And they'll be, oh, no, no, no, no, no, that's okay. 50:24.440 --> 50:26.760 You're right, you're right, you're right. 50:26.760 --> 50:27.760 That's how you do it. 50:29.600 --> 50:31.200 Stop bringing up people's past. 50:33.000 --> 50:36.520 Okay, because, you know, we need to make sure 50:36.520 --> 50:38.560 we have unity in our church, 50:38.600 --> 50:42.760 but part of unity is defending one another as well. 50:42.760 --> 50:46.360 Against slander or bringing up the past of someone else. 50:46.360 --> 50:47.560 Like, what would be the purpose of that? 50:47.560 --> 50:49.560 What would be the constructive purpose 50:49.560 --> 50:51.960 behind bringing up someone else's past, 50:51.960 --> 50:54.200 who's in our church, they're thriving, 50:54.200 --> 50:56.640 they have repented, they're serving God. 50:56.640 --> 50:58.540 It's not worth it. 50:58.540 --> 51:02.720 There's nothing good that can come out of that, okay? 51:02.720 --> 51:05.320 You know, don't meddle with that person 51:05.320 --> 51:08.540 who is flattering with their lips. 51:09.540 --> 51:10.860 And you know what, you're like, 51:10.860 --> 51:12.100 how do I know if they're flattering me? 51:12.100 --> 51:13.540 Well, how well do they know you 51:13.540 --> 51:15.820 and how accurate is the compliment they're giving about you? 51:15.820 --> 51:19.420 It's just like, hey, I see you, 51:19.420 --> 51:21.980 I see you just doing great things for God. 51:21.980 --> 51:24.060 I see how submissive you are. 51:24.060 --> 51:26.620 I see this, just like, all right, she's caking it on. 51:27.500 --> 51:29.260 She's caking it on right now. 51:29.260 --> 51:30.820 I need to make sure I prepare myself. 51:30.820 --> 51:33.460 If she's trying to gossip or slander, 51:33.460 --> 51:35.500 I need to stop it right then and there. 51:35.500 --> 51:37.420 So as soon as she says it, just say, 51:37.460 --> 51:39.260 praise God and just like walk away. 51:40.260 --> 51:42.420 Okay, and look, let me just say this, 51:42.420 --> 51:45.260 like, what if they're like confiding in me? 51:45.260 --> 51:47.820 What if they wanna talk about a situation 51:47.820 --> 51:48.960 and they're confiding in me? 51:48.960 --> 51:51.340 Well, here's the thing is that they're gossiping, 51:51.340 --> 51:55.580 number one, and number two, you should feel disrespected 51:55.580 --> 51:57.580 that they will choose you to gossip with. 51:58.900 --> 52:00.740 Because they're kind of viewing you as like someone 52:00.740 --> 52:03.280 who is willing to listen to that gossip. 52:04.160 --> 52:06.340 Let me also say this, ladies, 52:06.340 --> 52:08.740 don't be gossiping about your husbands either. 52:09.820 --> 52:11.140 The only thing I wanna hear about your husband 52:11.140 --> 52:14.920 is how great he is, how he's the best. 52:16.140 --> 52:18.900 And you know what, let's hear a little more of that, amen. 52:19.860 --> 52:22.260 Let's hear some talk about that. 52:22.260 --> 52:23.780 Let's have some ladies just go around 52:23.780 --> 52:24.940 and talk about how great their husbands, 52:24.940 --> 52:26.140 you hear that, Sarah? 52:26.140 --> 52:29.940 Go around and talk about how great the husbands are 52:29.940 --> 52:32.260 and why you're thankful for your husband. 52:32.260 --> 52:35.300 You know, here's a good way to just combat 52:35.300 --> 52:39.060 the temptation to wanna talk crap about your husband. 52:39.060 --> 52:41.580 Go ahead and turn it around and start talking good about him. 52:41.580 --> 52:44.020 Oh, you know, but you don't know my husband. 52:44.020 --> 52:46.060 Number one, you married him. 52:46.060 --> 52:48.940 But number two, he's got some good qualities. 52:50.420 --> 52:52.820 Might take a little digging, you know? 52:52.820 --> 52:54.980 But he's got some good qualities about him. 52:55.900 --> 52:58.220 And here, I'll help you out. 52:58.220 --> 53:00.980 He's a safe Christian who's in church, how about that? 53:02.260 --> 53:03.740 He said, well, he's not in church. 53:03.740 --> 53:06.140 Well, he married you, isn't that a great quality? 53:09.100 --> 53:14.100 Patience, tolerance, endurance. 53:17.820 --> 53:19.180 You know, the point that I'm making here 53:19.180 --> 53:23.140 is that sometimes gossiping and slander 53:23.140 --> 53:26.220 often comes first with flattery. 53:26.220 --> 53:28.020 Because it would look really bad if someone just came to you 53:28.020 --> 53:30.700 and would just be like, I can't stand Kelly. 53:31.700 --> 53:33.900 You know what I mean? 53:33.900 --> 53:36.020 And then other people, you know, the person's like, 53:36.020 --> 53:37.660 join the club, no, I'm just kidding. 53:37.660 --> 53:39.860 No, we love Kelly, I'm not flattering you. 53:41.380 --> 53:42.540 But you know, it would look really bad. 53:42.540 --> 53:44.300 So what do they do is they have to kinda cake it on. 53:44.300 --> 53:46.700 They gotta give it to you in layers. 53:46.700 --> 53:49.500 In order to let down your guard 53:49.500 --> 53:51.020 so that they're willing to listen 53:51.020 --> 53:54.020 to whatever garbage you're gonna tell them, 53:54.020 --> 53:57.180 whatever slander you're gonna divulge to them. 53:57.180 --> 53:58.140 It's nonsense. 53:58.180 --> 54:01.380 And you know, let me just also say this is that, 54:02.900 --> 54:05.060 you know, married couples, I know we wanna help sometimes 54:05.060 --> 54:07.300 these single guys and single ladies. 54:07.300 --> 54:08.260 I'm all for that, you know, 54:08.260 --> 54:09.860 just kinda giving them some guidance. 54:09.860 --> 54:12.620 Unless you're just trying to tear them down or something. 54:12.620 --> 54:17.620 Okay, you know, and married couples need to just stay out 54:17.660 --> 54:22.420 of what these people are doing, right? 54:22.420 --> 54:25.580 If they come to you asking for advice, you know, 54:26.100 --> 54:28.340 I try to stay out of their business, 54:28.340 --> 54:30.980 unless they come and Christian asks for some advice 54:30.980 --> 54:33.180 or something like that, you know, 54:33.180 --> 54:35.340 for illustration's sake, you know. 54:35.340 --> 54:37.860 And I will try to be as discreet as possible. 54:37.860 --> 54:40.460 And the only time I would give advice like that 54:40.460 --> 54:44.180 is like if I'm welcomed into that world, okay? 54:44.180 --> 54:47.500 Like if Adrian comes up to me and he wants my opinion 54:47.500 --> 54:50.380 on a particular matter regarding dated advice or whatever, 54:50.380 --> 54:51.300 I'll give him that. 54:51.300 --> 54:52.580 But even then, I'll be honest with you, 54:52.580 --> 54:53.900 like sometimes I just tread lightly 54:53.900 --> 54:56.300 because I'm not his dad, you know what I mean? 54:56.300 --> 54:58.660 Like I'm not his authority in that area. 54:58.660 --> 55:00.860 He's gonna have to pull that out of me. 55:00.860 --> 55:02.780 But you know one thing I'm not gonna do, 55:02.780 --> 55:04.420 I'm not just gonna go to Christian 55:04.420 --> 55:06.700 and just give him every single piece of advice 55:06.700 --> 55:08.620 and what I think he should be doing 55:08.620 --> 55:10.100 and this is what you gotta do 55:10.100 --> 55:11.660 and this is the right girl you gotta, 55:11.660 --> 55:13.900 I'm not gonna do that, that's not my business. 55:15.700 --> 55:19.140 You know, unless Christian is just going after 55:19.140 --> 55:20.500 some prostitute. 55:24.300 --> 55:27.220 Unless he's just trying to go for some whore, 55:27.220 --> 55:31.620 some prostitute, some OnlyFans chick or something like that. 55:32.620 --> 55:35.060 At that point, I'm gonna speak up, you know what I mean? 55:35.060 --> 55:35.900 At that point, I'm gonna be like, 55:35.900 --> 55:37.420 hey bro, what are you doing? 55:38.780 --> 55:40.620 You're embarrassing yourself here, bro. 55:40.620 --> 55:42.460 Like you're going for a prostitute? 55:44.820 --> 55:46.740 You know, what are you, Josea? 55:46.740 --> 55:47.980 You trying to be Josea? 55:47.980 --> 55:52.500 You know, I feel like I would have, 55:52.540 --> 55:55.020 I feel like I would have, you know, 55:55.020 --> 55:57.580 the permission to go to you and correct you about that. 55:57.580 --> 55:59.140 He gives me permission to say a lot of stuff to him 55:59.140 --> 56:01.260 but I would definitely say something about that. 56:01.260 --> 56:03.100 But let me say this, if he's talking to another 56:03.100 --> 56:07.060 Christian girl and you know, he's doing things appropriately, 56:07.060 --> 56:08.380 that's none of my business. 56:08.380 --> 56:10.940 Let's say he's going for someone that I don't approve of, 56:10.940 --> 56:13.380 which it's not gonna happen because he's not my son. 56:13.380 --> 56:15.380 But let's just say it was someone I didn't approve of 56:15.380 --> 56:17.140 or something, why would I even correct, 56:17.140 --> 56:18.260 he's not my son. 56:19.740 --> 56:21.060 He's not my son. 56:21.060 --> 56:23.140 He's a grown man, he can make his own decisions 56:23.140 --> 56:25.380 and if he wants advice, he'll come ask me 56:25.380 --> 56:27.020 and if he doesn't, then he doesn't. 56:29.300 --> 56:33.020 Well, I'm just really concerned about, 56:33.020 --> 56:36.780 keep your concerns to yourself, okay? 56:36.780 --> 56:38.060 It's none of your business. 56:38.060 --> 56:40.260 And especially if you're not a person of influence 56:40.260 --> 56:43.420 over their lives already, then it's definitely 56:43.420 --> 56:44.620 none of your business. 56:45.460 --> 56:47.140 You understand what I'm saying? 56:47.140 --> 56:49.780 Like if it's not already a person, like you know, 56:49.780 --> 56:52.820 I'm sure Maury has a lot of right to like, 56:52.820 --> 56:55.420 advise these guys and correct them 56:55.420 --> 56:57.420 and they're not gonna be offended at it, 56:57.420 --> 56:59.260 they're not gonna be like, who do you think you are 56:59.260 --> 57:00.180 trying to tell me? 57:00.180 --> 57:02.780 I'm sure they'll welcome Maury's counsel, 57:02.780 --> 57:05.300 or at least now they will after I said this, you know? 57:05.300 --> 57:09.460 You know, he's been a big influence in their life, okay? 57:09.460 --> 57:11.260 And so, you know, I'm sure they'll welcome that. 57:11.260 --> 57:12.940 But if you're not in that position, 57:12.940 --> 57:14.140 then why would you even say anything? 57:14.140 --> 57:15.580 Just stay out of it. 57:15.580 --> 57:16.940 Focus on your marriage. 57:19.780 --> 57:22.740 And let me also say this, okay? 57:24.740 --> 57:29.060 And I'm saying this as discreetly as I can, 57:29.060 --> 57:31.700 trying to be as sensitive as I can. 57:31.700 --> 57:35.140 If your marriage sucks, you should not be given any advice. 57:35.140 --> 57:36.740 That wasn't that sensitive, huh? 57:40.260 --> 57:41.100 Okay? 57:41.100 --> 57:42.380 If your marriage is on the rocks, 57:42.380 --> 57:43.420 you shouldn't be given any advice. 57:43.420 --> 57:44.940 Work on your own marriage. 57:44.940 --> 57:45.760 How about this? 57:45.760 --> 57:46.820 Take your own advice. 57:47.220 --> 57:51.060 How about you implement the advice that you want to dish out 57:51.060 --> 57:52.820 before you give it to someone else? 57:53.780 --> 57:57.420 How about, you know, get a subscription to that first, 57:57.420 --> 58:00.100 work on that first, and let's see if it works out for you. 58:00.100 --> 58:01.500 And then if you succeed in that area, 58:01.500 --> 58:02.560 you can help someone else. 58:02.560 --> 58:05.580 But don't go around trying to advise other people 58:05.580 --> 58:08.700 on how to marry and how to run their marriage 58:08.700 --> 58:09.660 and this, that, and the other, 58:09.660 --> 58:12.460 if you haven't succeeded in that area. 58:12.460 --> 58:13.500 You know, I'm not a plumber. 58:13.500 --> 58:16.300 I'm not gonna go tell Adrian how to be a plumber. 58:16.420 --> 58:17.620 I don't know how to, 58:17.620 --> 58:21.940 flush, that's hot water, cold water. 58:23.500 --> 58:24.340 That's about it. 58:25.900 --> 58:26.860 I'm not gonna tell him, 58:26.860 --> 58:28.700 hey, I really think you should be doing it this way. 58:28.700 --> 58:31.140 I don't have no experience in that. 58:31.140 --> 58:31.960 And you know what? 58:31.960 --> 58:33.300 If I haven't succeeded in an area, 58:33.300 --> 58:36.700 then I'm not gonna try to get you to adhere to me. 58:36.700 --> 58:39.220 Well, I just have some concerns. 58:39.220 --> 58:43.720 And you should be concerned with your marriage. 58:43.720 --> 58:46.400 Be concerned with making your husband happy. 58:46.400 --> 58:48.400 Be concerned with making your wife happy. 58:51.640 --> 58:53.240 It doesn't have anything to do with flattery, 58:53.240 --> 58:55.280 but it does somehow. 58:55.280 --> 58:58.160 You know, don't meddle with people who try to flatter you 58:58.160 --> 59:00.280 in order to criticize you. 59:00.280 --> 59:02.300 And look, I dealt with this a lot 59:02.300 --> 59:05.080 when I was dating my wife, okay? 59:05.080 --> 59:06.720 She wasn't my wife at the time. 59:06.720 --> 59:08.340 And I still date her, by the way. 59:08.340 --> 59:09.640 You know, I remember this, 59:09.640 --> 59:11.880 like a lot of people were hating. 59:11.880 --> 59:13.380 There were a lot of haters. 59:14.020 --> 59:15.380 They did not want me to marry Sarah. 59:15.380 --> 59:17.740 Mainly it was the assistant pastors. 59:17.740 --> 59:19.340 You know, they didn't want me to marry her 59:19.340 --> 59:20.620 because they were just like, 59:20.620 --> 59:22.780 that's our pastor's daughter. 59:22.780 --> 59:26.220 And you know, he got saved when he was 21. 59:26.220 --> 59:27.760 Son of your business! 59:28.780 --> 59:30.220 Mind your own business! 59:30.220 --> 59:33.260 And he would go to my brother-in-law and say, 59:33.260 --> 59:35.860 you know, I'm telling you this because I care. 59:35.860 --> 59:37.780 And Sarah's like a little sister to me. 59:38.960 --> 59:40.940 But I really do think that you should 59:40.940 --> 59:43.300 break that relationship off, though. 59:44.220 --> 59:45.220 I'm saying it because I care. 59:45.220 --> 59:47.020 You know, you say it because you're a hater. 59:47.900 --> 59:50.380 You say it because you are a little buster. 59:51.700 --> 59:55.980 You're a buster, you're a hater, you're lame. 59:57.500 --> 59:59.660 You know, you're a lot of other things. 01:00:04.780 --> 01:00:06.060 But he would come, he was just like, 01:00:06.060 --> 01:00:07.860 I'm just saying because you know me, 01:00:07.860 --> 01:00:09.360 I really care for your family. 01:00:10.220 --> 01:00:13.140 I really want what's best for Sarah. 01:00:13.980 --> 01:00:16.060 And I think you should just call the whole thing off. 01:00:16.060 --> 01:00:18.060 And luckily, you know, my brother-in-law's like, 01:00:18.060 --> 01:00:18.980 all right, I appreciate it, 01:00:18.980 --> 01:00:21.100 but you know, they're pretty deep into it 01:00:21.100 --> 01:00:22.300 and they're probably gonna get married 01:00:22.300 --> 01:00:23.940 and all that stuff or whatever. 01:00:23.940 --> 01:00:25.300 And so he's just like, well, I'm just saying, 01:00:25.300 --> 01:00:26.540 you know, you should probably, 01:00:26.540 --> 01:00:27.780 I just don't think he's the right one for her. 01:00:27.780 --> 01:00:30.420 Well, business is not of yours. 01:00:30.420 --> 01:00:32.100 It's none of your business! 01:00:32.980 --> 01:00:36.500 And here we are, happily ever after. 01:00:36.500 --> 01:00:38.580 You know, we're happy in our marriage. 01:00:38.580 --> 01:00:40.740 She gets to do everything I tell her to do. 01:00:40.740 --> 01:00:44.420 It's an awesome marriage. 01:00:44.420 --> 01:00:46.620 She gets to be in submission to me, 01:00:46.620 --> 01:00:49.260 they make me food and fold my clothes 01:00:49.260 --> 01:00:51.500 and bear children and guide the house. 01:00:51.500 --> 01:00:53.740 It's a wonderful life that she gets to have. 01:00:55.820 --> 01:00:58.100 All these feminists are all mad at me right now. 01:01:00.020 --> 01:01:02.100 But you know, you'll have people like that. 01:01:03.100 --> 01:01:05.100 Mind your own business. 01:01:05.100 --> 01:01:06.700 Take care of your own backyard. 01:01:07.540 --> 01:01:10.900 You know, do landscaping on your own backyard. 01:01:10.900 --> 01:01:12.900 You take care of your stuff. 01:01:12.900 --> 01:01:15.180 You know, don't get involved in other people's business 01:01:15.180 --> 01:01:17.740 because a lot of the times they wanna get involved 01:01:17.740 --> 01:01:19.740 not because they actually care. 01:01:20.660 --> 01:01:22.900 It's because they wanna destroy something. 01:01:22.900 --> 01:01:25.180 They wanna take something that maybe they didn't get to have 01:01:25.180 --> 01:01:27.140 or something like that, okay? 01:01:32.060 --> 01:01:33.140 Yeah, that's it. 01:01:33.140 --> 01:01:36.420 So, you know, what's the point here? 01:01:36.460 --> 01:01:37.740 The point is, you know, you need to make sure 01:01:37.740 --> 01:01:40.220 you pay attention to the words 01:01:40.220 --> 01:01:41.420 that come out of people's mouths, you know? 01:01:41.420 --> 01:01:44.620 Because out of the abundance of the heart, 01:01:44.620 --> 01:01:46.940 the mouth speaketh, all right? 01:01:46.940 --> 01:01:47.980 No worries. 01:01:47.980 --> 01:01:49.180 You know, out of the abundance of the heart, 01:01:49.180 --> 01:01:50.500 the mouth speaketh. 01:01:50.500 --> 01:01:54.620 So, you know, obviously this is not a sermon telling you, 01:01:54.620 --> 01:01:56.500 hey, don't compliment people. 01:01:56.500 --> 01:01:58.820 You shouldn't be rude either, you know? 01:01:58.820 --> 01:02:02.380 If it comes from a heart of sincerity and truth 01:02:02.380 --> 01:02:03.980 and people did a good job, you know, 01:02:03.980 --> 01:02:05.140 the orchestra's doing a good job, 01:02:05.140 --> 01:02:06.580 the piano player's doing a good job. 01:02:06.580 --> 01:02:08.140 You know, I do praise, for example, 01:02:08.140 --> 01:02:10.180 I praise Connor quite a bit 01:02:10.180 --> 01:02:12.780 because Connor is coming out with these bangers 01:02:12.780 --> 01:02:13.620 on these hymns. 01:02:13.620 --> 01:02:15.020 They're just really good. 01:02:15.020 --> 01:02:16.020 And I'm very impressed by them. 01:02:16.020 --> 01:02:18.300 I said, man, you're doing a great job. 01:02:18.300 --> 01:02:19.140 Why? 01:02:19.140 --> 01:02:20.460 Because, you know, the Bible says that as a finding pot 01:02:20.460 --> 01:02:22.220 for silver and a furnace for gold, 01:02:22.220 --> 01:02:24.140 so is a man to his praise. 01:02:24.140 --> 01:02:27.060 And that can really be interpreted two ways. 01:02:27.060 --> 01:02:28.620 The first way it can be interpreted is like, 01:02:28.620 --> 01:02:29.460 when you praise someone, 01:02:29.460 --> 01:02:31.860 it kind of purifies them a little bit, you know? 01:02:31.860 --> 01:02:33.740 It gives them something to strive for. 01:02:33.780 --> 01:02:35.340 It helps them to kind of do better. 01:02:35.340 --> 01:02:39.980 But it also means that when you praise someone, 01:02:39.980 --> 01:02:42.740 it kind of shows you who they really are too. 01:02:42.740 --> 01:02:45.700 Cause like a furnace reveals the gold, right? 01:02:45.700 --> 01:02:47.660 The fire reveals the silver. 01:02:47.660 --> 01:02:49.340 And when a man is praised, you know, 01:02:49.340 --> 01:02:51.580 based upon higher response to that praise 01:02:51.580 --> 01:02:54.340 kind of shows you who he really is. 01:02:54.340 --> 01:02:58.140 If he's just like, he walks away thinking he's, you know, 01:02:58.140 --> 01:03:01.380 all that, he's just like, yeah, yeah. 01:03:01.380 --> 01:03:03.300 Then obviously he's a prideful person. 01:03:03.860 --> 01:03:06.020 But if he deflects the praise and he's like, you know, 01:03:06.020 --> 01:03:09.060 praise the Lord or, you know, these other people help me. 01:03:09.060 --> 01:03:10.980 Like sometimes, you know, I'll praise Alex 01:03:10.980 --> 01:03:14.140 and Alex also equally does a good job with the music. 01:03:14.140 --> 01:03:16.580 Like he's also, you know, he's doing the thing 01:03:16.580 --> 01:03:20.260 and putting the music to the, to Connor's words and stuff. 01:03:20.260 --> 01:03:22.100 And anytime I'm like, man, that sounded great. 01:03:22.100 --> 01:03:24.180 Every time, every time I praise him 01:03:24.180 --> 01:03:27.140 and he's just like, Connor, this guy's just like, 01:03:27.140 --> 01:03:28.740 he's killing, he's just, 01:03:28.740 --> 01:03:30.780 Connor's did this and Connor did that. 01:03:30.780 --> 01:03:32.900 And I'm just like, yeah, but you're doing a good job. 01:03:32.940 --> 01:03:34.860 And he's just like, my wife, 01:03:34.860 --> 01:03:36.580 my wife is the one who came up with this 01:03:36.580 --> 01:03:37.860 and she's doing that. 01:03:37.860 --> 01:03:39.260 Man, they just got an ear for this. 01:03:39.260 --> 01:03:41.260 Obviously it's kind of revealing 01:03:41.260 --> 01:03:44.300 that he's just a humble person in that area, right? 01:03:44.300 --> 01:03:47.340 The furnace and the fires kind of revealing that of him. 01:03:47.340 --> 01:03:50.020 And so the point that I'm making here is just, you know, 01:03:50.020 --> 01:03:55.100 be aware of flatterers, make sure that you are attuned 01:03:55.100 --> 01:03:58.100 to people who are excessively praising you. 01:03:58.100 --> 01:04:00.580 They're kind of going overboard about it. 01:04:00.580 --> 01:04:02.700 And you know, if that's you, 01:04:02.700 --> 01:04:04.420 and maybe it's part of your culture, 01:04:04.420 --> 01:04:06.900 who you are to just excessively praise, 01:04:06.900 --> 01:04:08.300 okay, you better make sure you don't have 01:04:08.300 --> 01:04:10.420 some sort of ulterior motive behind it. 01:04:11.420 --> 01:04:13.060 Or it's just like, well, I've kind of just 01:04:13.060 --> 01:04:14.620 always done it that way. 01:04:14.620 --> 01:04:16.660 That's just kind of how I was raised. 01:04:16.660 --> 01:04:19.220 Well, you just better make sure that you're sincere about it. 01:04:19.220 --> 01:04:20.540 Don't be a fake. 01:04:20.540 --> 01:04:22.020 Don't be a phony, amen? 01:04:22.020 --> 01:04:22.860 Let's pray. 01:04:22.860 --> 01:04:23.980 Father, we thank you so much for your word. 01:04:23.980 --> 01:04:26.100 Help us as your people to detect deception 01:04:26.100 --> 01:04:27.820 when it comes our way. 01:04:27.820 --> 01:04:30.500 And I pray that Lord, you would guide and direct our steps 01:04:31.220 --> 01:04:33.060 help us to grow in our discernment, Lord, 01:04:33.060 --> 01:04:37.220 to abhor deceit, lies and flattery. 01:04:37.220 --> 01:04:39.620 But also not at the exclusion of complimenting others 01:04:39.620 --> 01:04:41.700 when they do do a good job, Lord. 01:04:41.700 --> 01:04:43.260 I pray that you'd help us to do so as well, 01:04:43.260 --> 01:04:44.100 help us to be balanced. 01:04:44.100 --> 01:04:44.940 And we love you, we thank you. 01:04:44.940 --> 01:04:46.660 Pray this thing's in Jesus' name, amen. 01:04:50.460 --> 01:04:53.820 Song number 112, Be Still My Soul. 01:04:53.820 --> 01:04:55.380 That's our last song. 01:04:55.380 --> 01:04:57.100 Song number 112. 01:04:57.100 --> 01:04:59.420 Song number 100.