Okay, getting baptized, living a good life, you throw it into that category, that's all
works according to the Bible, okay.
But here we have a person who basically didn't do works and it burned up.
Or the works that they did didn't count for anything and they became wood, hay, and stubble,
it burned up, yet he himself was saved, yet so was by fire.
But the point that I'm trying to make here is the fact that this person didn't put into
the Christian life what he wanted to get out of it, okay.
Look at Matthew 25, let's look at another example of this.
Verse 14 of Matthew 25, for the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country
who called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods.
This is the parable of the talents.
And unto one he gave five talents to another two, to another one, to every man according
to his severability and straightway took his journey.
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made them
other five talents.
Likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two, but he that had received
one went and digged in the earth and hid his Lord's money.
So what do we have here?
We have one guy who receives five talents from the Lord and he understands that if he
wants to get out of the Christian life something significant, he's going to have to do something
with those five talents, okay.
Same thing with the other guy, but the last one, you know, the one who received one didn't
do anything with it.
All he did was take the talent, hide it in the earth, and that was it.
Verse 19 says, and after a long time the Lord of those servants cometh and reckoned with
them.
And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents saying, Lord
thou delivers unto me five talents, behold I have gained beside them five talents more.
So he doubled it, okay.
He took what God gave him, he invested in it, he doubled it, that's awesome.
Verse 21, his Lord sentenced him, well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been
faithful over a few things that will make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into
the joy of the Lord.
He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord thou delivers unto me two talents,
behold I have gained two other talents beside them.
His Lord sentenced him, well done good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful
over a few things that will make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into the joy
of the Lord.
Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew that thou art
a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown and gathering where thou hast not strawed.
What is he doing?
Making excuses?
And you and I find people who don't get out of the Christian life, you know what they
expect because they're not putting into the Christian life what they want, what they should
be, often make a lot of excuses as to why.
Although it's just hard, the Christian life is just so hard, God is just such an austere
man, you know, it's just not fair, it's just this person, well I would be able to do it
if I had five talents like this guy, I could do it if I had two talents like this guy.
They are filled with excuses, but at the end of the day, here's the thing, you could have
put in more work with the one talent that you have.
And if the desired output does not satisfy you, it's not the output's fault, it's your
fault.
Okay, verse 26, his Lord answered and sent us him, thou wicked and slothful servant.
He didn't say, well here's a consolation prize, he didn't say, aw man, you're right, I only
gave you one, I'm really sorry about that, you'll be the exception to this rule, well
done thou good and faithful servant, he called him wicked and slothful, what is slothful?
It means you're lazy, God's not going to take those excuses folks, thou knewest that I reap
where I sow not and gather where I have not strawed, thou oughtest therefore to have put
my money to the exchangers and then am I coming, I should have received mine own with usury.
He's like, you should have at least put it in the bank somewhere and then let it sit
there and it might have doubled or something, like come up with some creative way to double
these talents but you didn't even do that, you hid the talent in the ground.
Now this hits close to home for me sometimes because of the fact that yes, I'm going to
give you another powerlifting illustration.
I know, you're sick and tired of it but too bad.
There's times when I want to hit a PR, I want to go heavy, like I do a number that I've
never done before and then I don't do it, I fail it.
And here's my immediate response, there's something wrong with something other than
me.
I was like, oh man, it's just my shoes are, you know, it's just like the bar was kind
of weird, you know, did you put the weights on right, you know, you started, I'm blaming
you Lisa, this person's being too loud on my, it's the music, the music's so gay, I
can't even, you know, the music in the gym, you make all these excuses.
But here's the thing, input, output, I'll tell you what it is, it's not the music, it's
not my shoes, it's not the bar, it's not Ulysses, it's the fact that I didn't get enough protein
in the day before, it's the fact that I'm not taking in enough calories and I'm trying
to make the boys work harder and they're just like, you didn't give me enough.
I can't lift this.
I need more protein, I need more meat, I need more rest.
You know, you're over here sleeping four hours or whatever and you expect to put out more
than what you're actually putting in, you understand?
So at the end of the day, you know, we can't blame others for their successes or for what
they did for the talents that God gave them, there's only one person we can blame and that's
us.
And it's tempting, like, oh man, I did this weight before, I don't know, it's just not
my day.
Folks, the weights don't lie.
Iron never lies, it never lies, it doesn't change, it's us, okay?
He says, what verse are we in?
Verse 25, I was afraid, oh no, I'm sorry, verse 28, take therefore the talent from him.
So not only is he not getting a consolation prize, God's taking away what he gave him.
Take therefore the talent from him and give it unto them, unto him which hath ten talents.
For unto everyone that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance, but from him
that hath not shall be taken away, even that which he hath, the Bible says.
So God is not only a person who will not give you a consolation prize, he'll just kind of
embarrass you for it.
Like, alright, I'm just going to take what I gave you, which you didn't use, and give
it to someone who already has an abundance of it.
The principle there that we can learn from, obviously I'm giving a secondary application
to this particular parable, is the fact that, you know, we need to put into the Christian
life what we expect to get out of it.
And who cares how many talents you have, who cares if it's one, who cares if it's two,
three, ten, are you using what you have to get out of the Christian life, and are you
putting into the Christian life what you expect to get out of it, okay?
Turn with me if you would to Matthew chapter 17, Matthew 17.
You know, when it comes to Bible reading, we need to put into the Christian life what
we expect to get out of it.
Those of you who want to be pastors, those out there in different churches who want to
be pastors, you know, sometimes there's men who aspire to be preachers and pastors, but
they're not necessarily willing to put in the work for it.
They're not necessarily willing to be a workman who, you know, who can rightly divide the
Word of Truth.
They're not necessarily willing to put in a lot of time to read the Word of God, to
memorize the Word of God, to study the Word of God for hours on end, hey, for years on
end.
What they want is just like, well just give me the church.
Well here's the thing, that's the output, but what's your input though?
Yeah, your output is that you want to be a pastor, you want to preach God's Word, you
want to influence thousands and get thousands saved, but what is your input my friend?
And look, the output is what everyone else sees.
The input is what no one sees.
The input is what you're doing behind closed doors reading the Word of God and studying
the Bible even though you can't share it with anybody else or even though, you know, it's
just true that you're learning on your own.
That's the input.
The Bible tells us here in Matthew chapter 17, I'm going to read to you from Luke 10
verse 38, it says, Now it came to pass as they went, he entered into a certain village
and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word.
But Martha was cumbered about much serving and came to him and said, Lord, does thou
not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?
Admit her therefore that she helped me.
Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou are careful and troubled about
many things, but one thing is needful.
Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her, the Bible says.
What is he talking about?
You know, priorities.
He's saying the walk with God is far more important than anything else.
Far more important than anything else.
It should be at the highest level of priority for every single person.
Now here's the thing, obviously, you know, men can be a little more strict about this
because, you know, we can get up in the morning, read our Bibles, you know, with moms, it's
a little different sometimes, right?
Because you have a lot of little ones, you have to be creative in how you're reading
God's word, you know, whether it's listening to it throughout the day, designating time
when they're taking naps to listen to the word of God, you know, getting in your Bible
reading, you know, through little increments of time throughout the day, but the point
is still make it a priority.
You can memorize a portion of scripture and just meditate upon that throughout the day,
hear the word of God, you know, through an audio book such as Alexander Scorby or something
like that, but the point is that we need to make it a priority, okay?
And going back to the concept of the, you know, men who want to be pastors, if that's
your output, what is your input?
But just how about just Christians in general?
You want to be successful at the Christian life, you want God to bless you, you want
God's favor, you want all these things from the Lord, but how much are you actually putting
into your Bible reading?
You want Bible knowledge, but how much are you actually putting into studying the word
of God?
You're like, man, I want to be like this post-trip, pre-wrath, just theologian, but how much are
you actually putting into studying the book of Revelation?
How much are you actually putting into, you know, praying while you're studying?
Folks, I can count back to times when I literally was just reading God's word, when I was studying
through the book of Revelation, just spending time just thinking and racking my brain, just
spending time doing nothing else but literally just meditating upon the truths of the book
of Revelation because I wanted something from it.
I wanted to learn something new, I wanted to get the concepts of the word of God, things
that were very obscure, I wanted to learn those things, why?
Because I wanted my input to be greater than my output, and you know what my output was?
Just an hour.
Because when I preached through Revelation, you know, through each chapter, it was like
an hour, but my input was like four hours, but if I want to get one hour's worth of good
teaching in biblical doctrine, I have to input about four or five hours of study, you understand?
Look at Matthew 17, verse 15, Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic, and
sore of backs, for oft times he falleth into the fire and oft into the water, and I brought
him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I
be with you?
How long shall I suffer you?
Bring him hither to me.
And Jesus rebuked the devil, and he departed out of him, and the child was cured from that
very hour.
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart and said, Why could we not cast him out?
Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief, for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith
as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence from yonder place,
and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Listen to what it says in verse 21, Howbeit this kind goeth not out, but by prayer and
fasting.
What's he saying in a summary?
He's saying, what's your input?
You want to cast out these devils and have, you know, this great faith to be able to cast
out these devils, but how much are you actually praying to do that?
How much are you willing to fast and pray and put in the work and get that input in
to get the desired output?
That's what he's telling them.
And the principle that we can learn there is this.
How much are you putting into your prayer life?
Man, I just want God to just help my husband.
I want God to help my wife.
I want to be able to raise godly children.
I need this in the Christian life.
But how much prayer are you actually putting into that, though?
There's this output that you're looking for, but you're neglecting this one element called
the input.
How much prayer are you putting into it?
I just want so-and-so to get saved.
How much input are you putting into that prayer, though?
You know, I just want to fill in the blank, okay, but what's your input?
See, the output is easy to explain.
We can come up with outputs all the day long.
It's the input that we need to define.
It's the input that we need to figure out, well, how much work am I willing to...
Well, I'm not willing to put in that much work.
Then don't expect your output to be great either, then, because that's just the way
life works in the Christian life.
Input, output, okay?
Go to Luke chapter 11, Luke chapter 11.
I'm a strong believer that you should pray in the morning, but I'm a strong believer
you should pray throughout the day.
And I'm not saying pray like, you know, you're just in the middle of the street and just
drop down on your knees like a Pentecostal or something.
I'm saying just pray without ceasing.
Just kind of throughout the day, pray unto the Lord.
You know, pray while you're at the gym.
Pray while you're at your job.
Pray when you're at the grocery store.
Hey, when my family and I go out to eat, you know, we got a lot of kids, we pray for a
parking spot.
I remember even when we used to live in Montebello, we would come home late for church because
our church likes to fellowship to like 3 o'clock in the morning and stuff, you know.
We would come back home and the parking was terrible.
And we would literally pray, Lord, please provide for us a parking spot close to our
house.
Because we had little ones who were already asleep, you know, and it's just like you're
just carrying them all, you're just like, you know, it's like, Lord, please give us
a parking spot.
And it got to a point where our children would pray too, Lord, please give us a parking spot.
And I promise you, more often than not, we'd get our prayers answered.
Where it was like right in front of something.
You know, just praying.
Praying throughout the day, pray through the big decisions, pray for what you may consider
even the insignificant decisions.
Pray for everything, why not?
Have a prayer life, put into your prayer life what you want to get out of it.
Hey, when I go under that iron, I pray.
Lord, help me not to slip a disc.
You think I'm joking, but I'm serious.
I'm like, help me to do this right, give me the strength to lift this.
You're like, that's so carnal, but that's a carnal thing.
See, that's the problem with your prayer life is you compartmentalize God.
Like God's only for the spiritual things or something like that.
He wants every part of our life.
Every aspect of our life should be dependent upon the Lord.
Lord, help me not to run out of gas before I get to the gas station because I failed
to put gas in the previous day.
It's funny, but hey, I pray that sometimes.
I try to pray for everything.
Why?
Because I want to get as much out of my prayer life as I possibly can.
But in order to do that, I have to put a lot into it as well.
Look at the Bible says in Luke 11 verse 5, it says, and he said unto them, Which of you
shall have a friend and shall go into him at midnight and say unto him, Friend, lend
me three loaves for a friend of mine is in his journey is come to me and I have nothing
to set before him.
And he from within shall answer and say, trouble me not, the door is now shut and my children
are with me in bed.
I cannot rise and give thee.
I say unto you, though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because
of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many as he needed.
So just giving a carnal example here, saying that, you know, if you had a friend that you
needed some bread from in the middle of the night and you would go to him, you know, no
one wants to get up in the middle of the night to go give bread to like a friend.
It's just like, call me afterwards, like tomorrow, can't you go to Ralph's or go to Costco or
go somewhere else?
Well, they're not open at midnight.
Go to McDonald's.
I don't know.
Figure something out.
You know, that would like irritate you, right?
But here's the thing, if that person is just continuously knocking at your door, asking
for bread, you would probably grudgingly accept and give him that piece of bread because we're
humans and we're like, take the bread, just leave me alone, trying to get some sleep.
This is the principle that he's giving here, the parable.
Verse 9, and I say unto you, ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock
and it shall be opened unto you.
For everyone that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh,
it shall be opened.
And what is the main element here?
It's called importunity.
What does importunity mean?
Persistence.
Because the man was persistent in asking his friend for bread, his friend gave him bread.
And what God is saying, if you are persistent in asking me over and over again, I will give
it to you.
And you know what the Bible says?
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and abraighteth
not.
In other words, it's like if you lack wisdom and you just keep asking God, Lord give me
wisdom, Lord please give me wisdom, give me knowledge, give me wisdom, give me prudence,
give me understanding.
God's not going to be like this guy with the bread, take it.
In fact importunity in prayer is an act of faith.
Because it's saying, well you didn't give it to me this time but I'm still going to
ask for it.
Lord, give me this race, Lord give me this, Lord help me to have this, help me to learn
this, help me, give me understanding, give me wisdom, help me to obtain, fill in the
blank.
And you just keep asking for it, asking for it, asking for it, of course according to
God's will.
But you ask for it, God will give it to you.
Because it's an act of faith.
It's called importunity.
But hold on a second, you know sometimes people ask for something once.
They don't get it like, well I guess God doesn't want to give it to me.
No, you're just not putting into the prayer life what you want to get out of it.
That's what it is.
So what is your output, what is your desired output for prayer life?
Well let me ask you a question, how is your input in that area as well?
How much prayer are you putting into that which you're trying to get out of your prayer
life?
Well I've been praying to win the lottery, it's just not happening.
Well yeah, you've got to revisit the whole concept of praying according to his will.
And praying for the lottery to win the lottery is not according to his will.
You ask amiss that you may consume it upon your own lust, the Bible says in James chapter
4.
Go to Acts chapter 4 if you would, Acts chapter 4.
Talk about input-output in the Christian life, input-output in your Bible reading, input-output
in your prayer life, input-output with your walk with God.
Are you really getting, you're like I don't really understand the Bible, okay but how
much time are you spending reading the Bible though?
I don't really understand these concepts, okay but how much time are you putting into
actually studying it out yourself?
I just don't feel like I'm really grasping the Word of God, well have you read the Word
of God from cover to cover?
Well no?
Okay then that's your problem, your input.
You've got to put in more work to read the Word of God in order to understand it.
How about this, input-output in your church?
You will get out of your church, listen to this, what you put into it.
I want to be blessed in this church, I want to be blessed by the preaching, I want to
just have a great time in this church, amen.
But how much are you actually putting into it though?
Well that's not what I'm talking about though.
I'm saying that I want to be blessed, I want God's favor, I want to learn things, okay
amen.
But how much are you actually putting into it in order to make sure that you get that?
Input-output in your church, look at Acts chapter 4 and verse 31.
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the Word of God with boldness.
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul, neither said
any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all
things common.
And with all great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus
and gave grace upon, excuse me, and great grace was upon them all.
Neither was there any among them that lacked, for as many as were possessors of lands or
houses sold them and brought the pieces of the things that were sold and laid them down
at the apostles feet and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, which is being interpreted the son
of consolation, a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it and brought
the money and laid it at the apostles feet.
So what do we see here?
We see that these Christians are getting saved, they're getting plugged into church, but what
is one of the first things that they're doing?
They're putting into this church what they want to get out of it.
Because it says they had all things common, even to the point that they were selling their
possessions, their lands, their houses, because they wanted to be a blessing to the church
and so they're putting into it and I guarantee you they got something great out of it as
well.
Even to the point where Barnabas was doing this.
Now here's the funny thing, the very next chapter you have the story of Ananias and
Sapphira because the story continues.
And Ananias and Sapphira wanted to do the same thing because they wanted the recognition
of putting something into the church without actually putting into the church.
Because they claimed to have sold the land for so much and they were going to give so
much and they lied to the Holy Ghost and they ended up falling over and dying because of
it, because they lied to the Holy Ghost.
You know Peter's like the feet that carried out your husband are here to carry thee out
and both Ananias and Sapphira just fell down dead.
Why?
Because of the fact that they wanted vainglory.
They wanted the recognition that Barnabas had, they wanted the recognition that all
the other disciples had, the fact that they were putting into it, they're like wow they're
putting in so much, we want to do the same thing but the difference is we don't actually
really want to put that much into it.
We want the output but not the input.
And they died because of it.
Now I'm not saying that's going to happen to you, or I'm not saying that it is going
to happen to you, but I'm not saying that it's not going to happen to you either.
What I'm saying is this, this is a great example of Christians who knew the importance of input
output.
And you're like wow I don't really like this church and this church is just like, it's
not really meeting my needs, you know, yeah but how much are you putting into meeting
the needs of the church?
How much are you putting into meeting the needs of the people in our church?
Well that's not what I'm here for though.
I'm here to get my needs met, well but that's not the way it works though.
Because it's input output.
You want to get something out of the church?
Ask not what your church can do for you, but what you can do for your church!
Church is here to serve, but guess what, it uses the people in the church to serve.
Put into this church what you want to get out of this church.
Oh I just want to have, I want to raise a godly family at this church, okay put something
into that.
I want to learn something at this church, okay do what the preaching says.
Oh I want to just like earn rewards at this church.
Okay put in some soul winning hours at this church.
You know, oh I just want to make friends at this church.
Okay he that has friends must show himself friendly the Bible says.
What else you got?
Because throughout the Bible we see this concept that you got to put into something if you
want to get something out of it.
The people are just not very friendly at this church, you know, they're just so mean and
you know.
But here's the thing, maybe it's you who's nya nya nya nya, because if you put in friendliness
you will reap friendliness as well.
Like how friendly though?
Well you know why don't you hang around for a little bit, why don't you go out to eat
with some of the folks in our church, spend some time with some folks in our church, get
to know some of the people in our church, befriend the people in our church, and then
you will realize, hey this is a friendly church, why?
Because you just made it that much more friendly.
I notice that the people who believe our church is very friendly are often some of the friendliest
people in our church.
They're projecting!
But it's actually true though, because they're making our church that much more friendly
and welcoming by putting into that church what they want to get out of it.
I've noticed that people who think that we're just so bad spirited and you know we're just
so this and that, that's typically them.
People who are like, oh you guys are so mean and you guys just don't know how to fellowship
and you guys have this long list of complaints, it's typically what they are.
Because that's what they're putting into the church.
They're putting into the church a bad spirit.
They're putting into the church not being friendly.
They're putting into the church being an introvert.
That's what they're putting in.
And guess what they get out of it?
Just that.
But hey, if you want this church to be friendly, be friendly.
And you have all kinds of people flocking to you to be friendly to you and be your friend.
That's just this honest truth.
And folks, this is a principle not only in church, it's a principle anywhere in this
world.
People want to be friends with people who are friendly.
People want to be around people who are friendly.
They don't want to be around people who are not that way.
You understand?
The Bible says, let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind,
let each esteem other better than themselves.
That's what the Bible tells us.
So the attitude that we should have as Christians when we come here is, I want to be a blessing
to people in our church.
I want to be a blessing to a lady in our church, I want to be a blessing to a young man in
our church, I want to be a blessing to the new Christians in our church, the older Christians
in our church, I just want to come here and have a disposition of just being a blessing.
That should be it.
And you're like, yeah, but I'm not necessarily getting the output though.
What if I don't get the output?
Well here's the thing, be not weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we
faint not.
And at the end of the day, folks, guess what?
We're doing this as unto who?
The Lord.
And he'll never disappoint.
Having friendships at the church, being a blessing in your congregation, serving in
your local church, you know, going soloing, getting on a team, being a team player.
Oh, this church is not very unified.
Because you're not unified.
Be a team player.
Go to Ephesians, or excuse me, go to 1 Corinthians chapter 7.
1 Corinthians chapter number 7, input, output in the Christian life.
How much are you trying to get out of the Christian life?
My question would be to you, how much are you actually putting into it?
How much do you want to get out of your Bible reading?
That's great.
How much are you putting into it?
How much do you want to get out of your prayer life?
That's awesome.
How much are you putting into it?
How many souls do you want to get saved throughout your lifetime?
That's awesome.
But how much are you putting into it?
How much do you want to get out of your church?
That's awesome.
But are you putting into your church as well?
Are you getting involved?
Are you a part of the activities?
Are you part of the ministries?
Are you helping to clean?
Are you helping to just be a servant in the church to say, wherever I'm needed, I'm there.
I just want to be a blessing to this church.
Some of the happiest people are serving people, amen.
And then lastly, my third point is this, is input, output in your family.
Input, output in your family.
Let's start with marriage.
When it comes to the subject of marriage, you will get out of your marriage what you
actually put into it.
You will get out of your marriage what you actually put into it.
Now the Bible says in Ephesians 5 verse 29, you're in 1 Corinthians 7, for no man ever
yet hated his own flesh, but nourished and cherished it, even as the Lord of the church.
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, of his bones.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined into his wife,
and they too shall be one flesh.
This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Nevertheless, listen to this, let every one of you in particular, so love his wife as
himself and the wife see that she reverents her husband.
So it's saying you need to put into your wife what?
Love.
You need to put into your husband what?
Reverence.
Well, I want to get love out of my husband.
Okay, but how much reverence are you putting into your husband first?
Well, I want my wife, I want the output of reverence for my wife.
Yeah, but how much love are you putting into your wife though?
Because when it comes to marriage, input output is still present there.
You get out of your marriage what you put into your marriage.
Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 7.
Now folks, I understand that, you know, this is not true for everybody, and in fact, there
are exceptions to this rule.
Just like there's exceptions to everything that I'm talking about here, okay?
Obviously you understand there are people who are in a situation where they say, you
know, well, my husband's not here, or my wife's not here, I don't have that situation, I put
in as much love as I could, and they left me.
I get that, but in general, the exception proves the rule.
And in general, this is a principle that we see in the Bible, and it does exist, and it's
actually real.
But look at 1 Corinthians 7 verse 1.
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me, it is good for a man not to touch
a woman, nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every
woman have her own husband.
Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence.
What is that saying?
Make sure you're putting into your wife what she is due.
Which is what?
Love, benevolence, kindness, charity, and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband, likewise also the husband
hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
Defraud ye not one another, except to be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves
to fasting and prayer, and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinence.
Let me explain what this is actually referring to.
Obviously, you can basically tell off the text, this is referring to the physical relationship
of marriage, right?
And what this is saying is that the man should render unto the wife the due benevolence of
that physical relationship.
If that's what she wants, that's what you are responsible for taking care of if she
asks you for it, and vice versa, okay?
It's called due benevolence.
And he says there in verse 4, the wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband.
So according to the Bible, folks, the man's body actually belongs to the wife.
And the wife's body belongs unto the husband.
I don't agree with that.
Yeah, because you've been so influenced by feminism, and MGTOW, and all this other
garbage out there in this world.
Your mind has become so defiled, and so filled with, you know, these ideological sewage that
you think that this is wrong.
This is right, folks.
This is biblical.
And who gives a rip what the world says about the Bible, and how they criticize what the
Bible says?
We know the Bible's true.
This has worked for thousands of years.
And you know what?
The world could go jump off a bridge if they want to, if they don't want to believe the
Word of God.
I'm just going to stick to the Bible.
I don't care how nerdy it makes me look, how radical it makes me look.
The Bible's timeless, folks.
These principles are timeless.
So he's saying that my body actually belongs to Sarah.
That's why I'm hitting the gym.
It says that her body belongs to me.
That's what the Word of God says.
And we should render unto ourselves due benevolence.
Now notice that it doesn't say the relationship should be 50-50.
Bank accounts 50-50, everything's 50-50.
Well, how do you expect to get 100% out of the relationship when you only get 50?
Chew on that, cud, for a little bit.
How do you get 100% out of a relationship when you only put 50% into it?
You don't.
And in fact, if you want to get 100% out of the relationship, that means you put 120 in.
That's how it works.
Look at verse 13.
Now look, folks, it says we should render unto the husband and unto the wife due benevolence,
but there are instances where this kind of goes out the window.
Because of the fact that if, for example, if a husband is responsible for taking care
of his wife, right, and making sure that the bills are being paid, that she's being
taken care of financially, all these things.
But let's say the wife is not keeping her end of the covenant and kind of going around
and committing adultery, according to the Bible, he no longer has that responsibility
to take care of his wife.
And if the rules were switched and the husband was going out and doing those things, she
does not have the responsibility to please him physically because he's not keeping his
end of the covenant.
Look what the Bible says in verse number 13.
And the woman which hath a husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her,
let her not leave him.
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified
by the husband, else were your children unclean, but now are they holy.
But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart, a brother or sister is not under bondage in
such cases, but God hath called us to peace.
Now bondage is not referring to what the Bible talks about in Romans chapter seven as being
bound to the law.
Bound to the law is referring to the fact that when you're married, you stay married
till death do you part.
There's no such thing as the D word in the Bible.
God does not, you know, make permission for people getting divorced in the Bible, understand?
It's the death of your part.
But the Bible does teach that if one person is not keeping their end of the covenant,
then the spouse is not responsible for taking care of their end of the covenant either.
They're not in bondage to render due benevolence to their spouse, you understand?
But the point that I'm trying to make here is the fact that in marriage there is input
output.
Like, I'm not happy in my marriage.
Well, it's because you're not doing your part in your marriage.
I'm just not happy with my wife.
Well, it's because you're not putting into your wife what you expect to get out of your
wife.
Well, I'm not happy with my husband.
Well, it's because you're not putting into your husband what you want to get out of your
husband.
And I've learned that if you just make it your agenda, you make it your goal to just
make your spouse happy instead of trying to be happy, you'll end up being happy.
If you just make it your goal to say, I just want to make my wife happy, you know what
the result of that is?
You will end up being happy yourself.
The problem is that people get in this vicious cycle.
Well, I'll do something if they start doing that.
I'll love my wife as Christ loved the church as soon as my wife starts reverencing me.
I'll start reverencing my husband as soon as my husband starts loving me.
And then they get in this vicious cycle that they can't break out of.
But that's not the answer.
The answer is, you just focus on your input and you will be guaranteed a proper output.
Go to Joshua chapter 17 and we're done.
And then child rearing, input output.
Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.
That's what the Bible says.
In other words, put into your children what you want to get out of your children.
And when they are old, they will serve the Lord, they will love God, they will be honoring
to you and unto the Lord, but you have to put in the work.
Deuteronomy chapter 6, the Bible tells us in Ephesians 6, you're in Joshua 17 and he
says, my fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture
and the admonition of the Lord.
What do you want to get out of your children?
It should be that what we want to get out of our children is that they just love the
Lord and serve God with their lives and honor their parents, but we have to put that into
them in the beginning years.
Hey, discipline in the beginning years, amen?
Structure in the beginning years.
Well, I want my children to love the Lord.
Yeah, but do you have them consistently in church though?
You want to produce these godly children, but are they in church consistently?
What's your input output?
It's like, oh man, I want church and God and God and country to just be important to my
family.
Okay, but are you making it important to your family by putting them into church, putting
them into the Bible, having a godly environment and atmosphere at your home?
Don't expect to have that output if you're not putting that in.
I want to finish with this story because it's so funny and it really kind of drives home
the point of input output.
The children of Israel are going into the promised land and the reason it's called the
promised land is because it's the land that God promised them.
It's like we're going to divide all these areas for you, you take it, but here's the
catch is that it's not like they're just going to go in and just like just get a home, sit
down and just do nothing.
There's work involved, okay, but it's theirs.
It's theirs for the taking.
They can have any part of the land that they want, right?
It's distributed to them, it's divided into them, but it requires work on their end, okay?
And if they're not willing to put in the work, then they're not going to get the output that
they desire.
Look what the Bible says in verse 11, and Manasseh had it in Issachar and in Asher,
Bethsheon in her towns and Iblium in her towns and the inhabitants of Dor in her towns and
the inhabitants of Endor, it's not referring to Star Wars, in her towns and the inhabitants
of Tanach in her towns and the inhabitants of Megiddo in her towns and even three countries.
Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, but the
Canaanites would dwell in that land.
Yet it came to pass when the children of Israel were wax and strong, that they put the Canaanites
to tribute, but did not utterly drive them out.
And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot
and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, for as much as the Lord hath
blessed me hitherto.
So what do we see here?
Jesus.
He's blaming the children of Joseph, who's that half tribe, they're blaming Joshua.
Why did you only give us one lot?
We're such a great people.
We have so much potential.
Why did you only give us this one little portion here?
Verse 15, And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the
wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants,
if Mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.
He's like, well, if you're as big as you say you are, if you can lift as much as you say
you could, there's a place, there's a gym right there.
There's some iron right here.
There's some wood country right here.
Go get it.
Who's stopping you?
Especially what he's saying, right?
If you are as great as you say you are, who's stopping you?
Verse 16, And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us, and all the
Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who
are of Bethsheon and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.
More excuses.
I thought you were great.
And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou
art a great people and has great power.
Thou shall not have one lot only.
He's saying, look, you are a great people.
You shouldn't just have one part.
But the mountain shall be thine, for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down, and the
outgoings of it shall be thine, for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have
iron chariots and though they be strong.
What is he telling them?
Put in the work and you can have this land.
Go get yourself some saws.
Go get yourself some tools and just go cut all these woods out of the way and make your
home there.
Use the saws also to remove your excuses.
It's funny how they have all these excuses, but they also have the excuse that they are
great people.
We are a great people.
Okay, if you're so great, then the woods should be no problem for you.
What is he saying?
He's saying, I know what your desired output is.
I know what you want.
What's in question is your input.
Are you willing to put in the work to have that land?
Because who cares if they have iron chariots?
If you are a great people, and you are, and you have a great God, and you do, then you'll
be able to take it no problem.
It just requires a little bit of work.
You see, nothing worth having or worth doing is easy, folks.
Nothing is.
Nothing worth having or worth doing is ever easy.
Don't be the person that says, well, I want this output, I want this outcome, but I only
want to put about 25% of the input, though, to get it.
It doesn't work that way.
And in fact, if you want a considerable amount of output, you have to put a greater input
into it.
That's the way it works.
Don't be like Joseph, who says, we're a great people, but there's iron chariots.
We're a great people, but I want the output, but I don't want the process to get the output.
Put in the work for the Christian life, and just recognize that the Christian life can
be broken down in this way, input, output.
You get out of it what you put into it.
Amen?
Let's pray.
Father, we thank you so much for your word, and Lord, I'm thankful for the people in my
life who put into me, and invested in me, they invested time, money, resources, to make
me the man that I am today.
And may I, as a Christian, as a follower of the Lord, may I seek to do the same for others.
And we can't expect to get a certain outcome if we're not willing to put in the work to
get it.
And I pray, Lord, that you'd help us as your people to labor exceedingly abundantly above
others, Lord, because we have the grace of God in our lives, and we have the Bible, we
have church, we have people that can help us to arrive to that destination, but we need
to recognize that we need to put into our church what we want to get out of it, put
into our marriage what we want to get out of it, put into our children what we want
to get out of them, put into our Bible reading what we want to get out of it.
We love you, Lord, and we thank you.
We pray these things in Jesus' name, Amen.
Song number 336, Constantly Abiding, is our last song.
Song number 336, song number 336, we'll see it on that first verse.
There's a peace in my heart that the world never gave, a peace it cannot take away.
Constantly Abiding, Jesus is mine, Constantly Abiding, rapture divine, he never leaves me
I will never leave thee, Jesus is mine.
All the world seemed to see of a Savior and King when he sweetly came to my heart.
Troubles all fled away and my night turned to day, blessed Jesus, how glorious Thou art.
Constantly Abiding, Jesus is mine, Constantly Abiding, rapture divine, he never leaves me
All the world seemed to see of a Savior and King when he sweetly came to my heart.
Constantly Abiding, Jesus is mine, Constantly Abiding, rapture divine, he never leaves me
All the world seemed to see of a Savior and King when he sweetly came to my heart.