in Psalm 55 look down at your Bibles at verse number 18 it says he had
delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me for there
were many with me God shall hear and afflict them even he that abideth of old
Sila because they have no changes therefore they fear not God he hath put
forth his hands against such as be at peace with him he hath broken his
covenant verse 21 the words of his mouth were smoother than butter but war was in
his heart his words were softer than oil yet were they drawn swords and the
title of the sermon this evening is smoother than butter and softer than oil
smoother than butter and softer than oil now what is it that's being described
here well we know according to the Bible if you were to compare scripture with
scripture often things that are referenced are described as being smooth
or soft is in relation to being deceptive in relation to lies in
relation to deception so on and so forth so having words speech speeches or
actions that are smooth and soft are often indicative of someone who is lying
to you okay and the Bible warns us to beware of those who are smoother than
butter and softer than oil hold your place or go to Proverbs chapter number
five if you would Proverbs chapter number five now this is an important
subject for us to learn today because of the fact that evil men and seducers will
acts worse and worse and as we continue to grow as a church you know we're gonna
have people come to our church or we're gonna run into people who are trying to
deceive us trying to deceive me trying to deceive our church and they may not
do it by means of just being abrupt in their false doctrine or in their motives
no in fact the way they're gonna try to deceive is by flattering okay is by
being deceptive is by being smooth is by being soft because of the fact that
they're trying to deter your attention from their true motives and in fact the
Bible even tells us in regards to the Antichrist as we've been talking the
last couple of weeks you know the Bible tells us that he shall obtain the
kingdom by flatteries you know he's not necessarily coming in you know telling
everyone that he's the Antichrist and what his agenda is no he's obtaining the
kingdom by flatteries he's cleaving unto the holy people the Bible says by
flatteries he's deceiving them and this is a mark and a characteristic of a
person who has a wicked agenda they have wicked motives and goals and we as God's
people need to watch out for this okay that's not just in church by the way you
know dads we need to watch out for for potential suitors that may trying to
deceive you in order to get to your daughter you know hey we need to protect
our sons from women who potentially might have smooth words and they're
softer than butter and smoother than oil because they want something else and in
fact look at Proverbs chapter 5 verse 1 it says my son attend unto my wisdom
and bow thine ear to my understanding that thou mayest regard discretion and
that thy lips may keep knowledge for the lips of a strange woman now the strange
woman is synonymous with the whore okay this is a biblical term this is a woman
who is promiscuous she sleeps around this is a dangerous woman the strange
women drop as an honeycomb and her mouth is smoother than oil the Bible says so
what is this referring to this is referring to the fact that she is a
woman of flattery she will flatter the potential person that she's interested
in because of the fact that you know she's trying to deceive him whether you
know she's just trying to get her his money or whatever it may be okay now he
said what's wrong with having a woman has lips smoother than oil well look at
verse 4 but her end is bitter as warm wood sharp as a two-edged sword by the
way guys make sure that as I'm preaching you know there's only one preacher up
here right okay so as I'm preaching you know I don't mind people saying amen I
don't mind people saying come on and and getting involved in the sermon but just
remember that there's one preacher here let's keep order here in the church
amen so but her end is bitter as warm wood and sharp as a two-edged sword the
Bible says what does that mean yeah she's coming with honey she's coming
smooth smooth as oil but you know what her agenda is to destroy you her agenda
is you know to get money from you her agenda is to take away your purity her
agenda agenda is is to corrupt you that's what that that's what the Bible
is teaching us here so she has this agenda to destroy people destroy young
men you know but it's it's masked in smooth talk flattery lips that drop as a
honeycomb look what it says in verse 5 her feet go down to death man her steps
take hold on hell the Bible says now if you compare Proverbs chapter 5 6 & 7
this is talking about a person who potentially might get involved in an
adulterous relationship okay someone who gets involved with another man's wife
and the Bible tells us that a person who gets involved with another man's wife
you know his reproach shall not be wiped away so just as a person when they die
and they go to hell they never come back from that right someone who's sold you
know descends into hell they never come back God is making the comparison here
to say hey the person who commits adultery their reproach shall never be
wiped away you know they never come back from that they are eternally or they are
this side of eternity at least scarred from that action and but it all starts
with a little bit of flattery okay go to Proverbs chapter 20 if you would
probably up to number 20 Proverbs chapter 20 I'll reach you from Proverbs
26 verse 28 says a lying tongue hated those that are afflicted by it and a
flattering mouth worketh ruin the Bible says so when a person comes to you now
what is flattery flattery is this excessive compliments right it's just
excessively complimenting someone and just oh man you're just like the
greatest guy ever and I just I just love all your preaching I just love that
you're just the best it's like whoa you're a little too smooth there you're
a little too oily okay you know the reason they're doing this is because
they're actually lying to you because they're trying to mask their hatred by
giving you honey not knowing that you know what faith or the wounds of a
friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful look at the Bible says in
verse 19 he that goeth about as a tale bearer reveal his secrets therefore
meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips okay what is he done is we
should not be involved with people who are constantly flattering us our family
our church why because these are dangerous people it means they have an
ulterior motive now don't confuse this with compliments okay you know
don't go to the extreme and say well you know I don't want no one to confuse
me for flattering so I'm not even gonna compliment anybody you know if they do a
good job singing or preaching or you know they look sharp on a Sunday morning
I'm not even gonna say anything because I'm so new I have be I don't even give a
compliment even when it's true no you're being an idiot okay you know you need to
have a proper balance a compliment is meant to benefit the person who's
receiving it flattery is trying to benefit the person who's giving it and
we need to be able to discern between the two okay and look if someone does a
good job and you know you feel in your heart that you should go tell that
person hey you did a great job song leading or you did a great job doing
whatever you know there's nothing wrong with going to that person humbly and
said hey you did a great job I really was edified by your singing by your
preaching or you know whatever it may be you know if you're out there sowing and
someone does a good job leading a person of Christ there's nothing wrong with
going to that person say hey you did a good job I like that illustration you
used you know but you said how do I tell the difference the sincerity of it the
sincerity and look if you don't if you can't tell the difference between when
someone's being sincere or not you need to grow in your discernment you need to
grow in your ability to discern a person when they're being complementary or they
are flattering you okay so it tells us there that we should not meddle with
people that flatter with their lips they're constantly giving this
excessive compliments in order to get something from you so the subject I want
to preach on this evening is flattery and I want to use Psalm 55 and the story
behind it to elaborate on it to help us give us some points here now go back to
Psalm 55 if you wouldn't here in Psalm 55 we find David lamenting over the
betrayal of a close friend an associate someone who was close to him someone who
he cared for look at verse number nine it says destroy Oh Lord and divide their
tongues for I have seen violence and strife in the city day and night they go
about it upon the walls thereof mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it
wickedness is in the midst thereof and deceit and guile depart not from her
streets for it was not an enemy there approached me so pay attention to this
he's saying look you know often we think of an enemy it's someone who's just
right off the bat try and destroy us they wanted to see what's there letting
us know this is what they want to do but here he's telling us this particular
person who is trying to destroy him was not necessarily an enemy he says then I
could have borne it neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself
against me then I would have hid myself from him but it was thou a man mine
equal my guide and mine acquaintance man so he's saying look if I were to know
who my enemy my true enemies were I would have hid myself but you know the
most dangerous people are are those who try to befriend you to get something
from you and eventually discard you after they've gotten them he says in
verse 14 we took sweet counsel together and we walked into the house of God in
company oh man they went to church together now verse 15 most churches
don't like reading this David you know I don't know what David was really let's
try to figure out what David was saying here you know let's see what it says in
the Hebrew no let's just read it let death seize upon them well you know
that's David yeah but you know what David Elijah all these men are of like
passions the Bible says right so these men are of like passions and you know
what God saw fit you know the Holy Ghost saw fit for to record this and place it
and say this is the Word of God and in fact these are the Psalms right and what
does the Bible tell us in Ephesians chapter 5 that we ought to sing Psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs so we need we need to make a song out of this you
know that's what the Bible says let death seize upon them and let them go
down quick into hell oh man David why aren't you praying for their salvation
well apparently he's referring to someone who can't be saved this is a
wicked person by the way when it says quick into hell is not referring to the
rapidity of how fast they going to hell it's referring to the fact he's like
let's just let them just the earth open up and just swallow them up alive like
God wouldn't do that he did it today thin core day thin in a byram where they
the earth literally opened up and just swallow them up alive apparently David
was very familiar with that story okay for wickedness is in their dwelling and
among them so he's talking about a person who wasn't you know this isn't
talking about Goliath is this isn't it talking about you know some Philistine
or an Amalek high an enemy of the Lord this is referring to someone who was a
part of his company who counseled him who gave him advice the Bible says his
equal his guide his acquaintance now if you were to study David's life you know
I come to the conclusion that this is referring to a hit the fell okay now go
to second Sammy chapter 15 a hit the fell was David's chief counselor and
advisor he was his equal his guide and his acquaintance first a second Samuel
check chapter 15 now what we're looking at here during this timeframe what we're
looking at here at this chapter this is referring to a time when David's son
Absalom was leading a coup against David so you know this is a double whammy
because his own son is turned against him he has stolen the hearts of the
people of his kingdom through flattery by the way and he's leading a coup
against his own father by means of flattery and he's rounding up the
multitude to follow him including a hit the fell okay look at verse 11 it says
and with Absalom went 200 men out of Jerusalem that were called and they went
in their simplicity and they knew not anything and Absalom sent for a hit the
fell the Gila Knight David's counselor from his city even from guy low while he
offered sacrifices and the conspiracy was strong for the people increased
continually with Absalom so he's recruiting people to go against his own
father and he's even able to recruit a hit the fell which is David's counselor
now what does this means David's counselor this is the man that David
goes to for advice so this is a man whom David has entrusted with specific
decisions he's going to him saying hey what do you think I should do with this
and he's given so obviously this is a man whom David would esteem as being
someone who holds his best interest in mind right he's helping him you know
whether it's regarding the policies of the kingdom whether it's regarding his
family this is a man whom he trusts right but yet he himself is even
recruited to Absalom's position to be with him so a hit the fell defects and
joins this rebellion now go to second Sammy chapter 16 go to the next chapter
over so let's look at some principles regarding a hit the fell cuz this guy's
scum let's just be honest if you know this story you can't read it without
saying man a hit the fell you are scum to turn on your friend your acquaintance
the man you went to church with the man who asked you for advice the man who
loved you and you just automatically just turn on him just because he's no
longer in charge right what does this show this shows that a hit the fell was
a flatterer why because obviously the reason a hit the fell even had a
relationship with David in the first place was because of his position what
he he had a relationship with David to see what he can get out of it let me
just say this guys you know our friendships should be based upon not
what we can get out of it but what we put into it okay and you should be
friends with people not because you want status not because you want notoriety
not because you want something from that person you should befriend people whom
you love people who you can benefit people who you can help right and you
enjoy their their company there you enjoy you know their conversations you
enjoy fellowshipping with them and you don't have this ulterior motive to say
well this person can benefit me to make me a better person to help me you know
move up in this world that's not a right motive you know he that has friends must
show himself friendly and we need to make sure that we never have this
attitude that the only reason we even have any type of relationship is because
we want to see what we can get out of it that's wicked okay so this is what a
hit the fell was doing now a hit the fell had their speeches that's the
first thing I want to tell you here is that his speeches were fair now look at
2nd Samuel 16 verse 20 it says then said apsilon to hit the fell give counsel
among you what we shall do and it hit the fell send it to apsilon going unto
thy father's concubines which he hath left to keep the house and all Israel
shall hear that thou art a horde of thy father then shall the hands of all that
are with thee be strong this is wicked counsel he's like all right here's the
first thing on the agenda what you need to do is just you know go to sleep go to
bed you know commit this wicked sins with your father's you know women and
you know what he's trying what is he trying to do he's trying to appease
apsilon trying to make them happy verse 22 so they spread apsilon a tent upon
the top of the house and apsilon went in unto his father's concubines in the
sight of all Israel this is really wicked now look what it says in verse 23
and the counsel of a hit the fell which he counseled in those days was as a man
had inquired at the Oracle of God so was all the counsel of a hit the fell both
with David and with apsilon that's weird because apsilon and David don't agree so
that means he's giving counsel to David and David's like hey that's good counsel
and then he gives counsel to apsilon and absence like I love this council you
know he's talking to both sides of his mouth and he's telling these men what
they want to hear now why does it say that his counsel was as a man had
inquired at the Oracle of God basically it's just another way of saying that he
had the tongues of men and of angels he had fair speeches what is a fair speech
well when the Bible talks about a woman who is fair to look upon it means it's
beautiful she's beautiful right she's an attractive woman well this is what
this is referring to a fair speech it's just a just beautiful words it's like
man this guy speaks beautifully it's just swelling words it's just so mushy
gushy it's just like you know and people just it's it's oily it's smooth as
butter right that's what he's referring to here is the fact that his counsel
just sits well in the ears of whoever's listening to it because he's like a
politician you know politicians just tell people what they want to hear no
matter who they're talking to okay they speak as the Oracles of God is like man
they can't make anybody mad well then they're lying to you okay so he was a
good talker he had the tongues of men and of angels go to Romans Romans
chapter 16 hold your place there in second Samuel go to Romans chapter 16
this is something we need to be aware of okay you know we need to be aware of
people who have fair speeches where their compliments are just overboard
they constantly exaggerate they're trying to build you up the Bible talks
about swelling words okay words that have no substance it's just that they're
trying to befriend you in order to get something from you now this is true not
just in church but just life in general you know when you run into people who
are just overcome you know you think you think about the game of the guys who
spit game we joke about that but look you know there's people out there they
when they say spit gaming means they know how to smooth talk a girl right
they smooth talk a girl they're trying to get something from her they're trying
to for they want to fornicate they want to commit adultery and so they have to
be as smooth as possible in order to do that's a fair speech oh he's so nice
though he just he's just he's so cute he's so nice if you want something cute
and nice get a puppy right you know get a puppy and just you know a puppy's mess
is is the least of your concerns in comparison to what that guy will do
understand and look I'm not saying you know if you're courting or dating that
you can't be complementary towards towards the person you're you're
courting but I'm saying like sometimes even in the world some guys literally
just tell all kinds of lies in order to hook up right to carry out their wicked
agenda let me read to you from Ezekiel 12 verse 24 says for there shall be no
more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel
flat a flattering divination is referring to deceitful preaching okay
look at Romans 16 verse 17 now I beseech you brethren mark them which cause
divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which he have learned and avoid
them so the people were referring to in verse 17 are people who are causing
division they're causing offenses contrary to what's being taught in the
church contrary to what's being learned and Paul's done hey you need to avoid
these people as much as possible now how are they doing these offenses how are
they causing these divisions look at verse 18 for they that are such serve
not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly what does that mean they're
selfish they're doing this for selfish reasons and by good words and fair
speeches deceive the hearts of the simple okay so they're using good words
and fair speeches to cause divisions and offenses how does that work like in
a church setting well you know these are the people that will come to our church
and they'll pick apart the leader without you really knowing that that's
what they're doing yeah I mean I love brother me here you know but he's just I
don't really agree with them on this whole thing you know he just seems like
a little rigid when it comes to this but he's a great guy don't get me wrong I
don't want to sound like I'm some sort of false prophet or something like that
you know that's what they'll say you know they'll say you know that I was
gonna point out something from brother Chevy here someone came to him right and
this is do you guys remember when I had my massive beard okay you know the
biggest compliment that I would get is like he's a Muslim you know he looked
like a Muslim and then you know he this person would come to me would and
flatter me and go to brother Chevy and say oh you're gonna go to your imam but
then when you come to me I love your preaching so good it's just oily just
oily he's telling me like oh man I've learned so much from you and then go to
Chevy and say oh you're gonna go to your little imam what is that it's called
flattery folks you know this is a person who hates me obviously look to call me
call me an imam to my face and I'll tell you what I how I feel about that you'll
fly out this church so fast you know you say all you you don't like being called
the imam is a false prophet I'm a saved man I'm a pastor folks and this is
people in our church who are doing this okay so these are good words fair
speeches and they do it to deceive the hearts but look what it says of the
simple so people who are simple they'll bite into a hook line and sinker
wow this guy's nice he just got a really good personality just nice just good
words and fair speeches it's like no he's trying to cause division and
offense is contrary to the doctrine you're just too simple to be able to see
it that's why it's important that we grow in our discernment okay go to Psalm
2 if you would Psalm 2 a hit the bell spoke as one of the oracles of God you
know he was able to please David when he was in office and when when he left
office he was able to please his defective son why because he's just
telling them what they want to hear and this is exactly what people who flatter
do they just tell you what you want to hear because they want to get on your
good side look folks this is why it's important that we get into a church
under a pastor who preaches the truth the whole truth and nothing but the
truth it's not flattering you from the pulpit to try to get your tie right you
know this is a well how do I tell if my pastor is flattering me or not has he
ever offended you like no he's a really nice guy look again don't take this
overboard okay and say well you know are you saying we can never be loving
absolutely we have to be loving we should be loving and you know what we
ought to be loving with one another but here's the thing there's pastors out
there that literally preach smooth and oily sermons because they don't want you
to leave they want you to stay put in your tithe they're constantly checking
your records to make sure that you're you know you're paying they know how
much you make I mean they pay attention to these things and to try to keep you
happy and in church they'll tell you exactly what you want to hear they'll be
they'll preach smooth sermons because of it this is lame preaching folks and
let me give you an example of this I mean the worst one of all is Joel's team
he doesn't have smooth sermons have you seen how big that guy's churches that
guy's filled a stadium full of people through smooth sermons okay these you
know this motivational speech that he gives every Sunday to try to keep people
there and he wants their money the Bible says the day shall make merchandise
off of you okay so we need to make sure that we appreciate we love biblical
preaching the Bible says despise not prophesying right prophesying is
biblical preaching you know what the Bible says Bible says priest the word
begins to end season out of season reprove rebuke and exhort with all long
suffering and doctrine and just notice yes it says exhort but it also says
reprove and rebuke so that means that you need some rebuke every once in a
while you need to be corrected every once in a while and the pastor needs to
get up and yell and scream about sin and particularly if he finds out about your
sin because he's trying to save you from a life of heartache okay now look at
Psalm 2 look at what it says in verse number 10 when wisdom enter into thine
heart and knowledge is pleasant into thy soul discretion shall preserve thee
understanding shall keep thee look folks don't undermine these that these
attributes here don't undermine these virtues of discretion and understanding
why what what will they do to you look at verse 12 to deliver thee from the way
of Eve of the evil man from the man that speaketh forward things who leave the
paths of a brightness to walk in the ways of darkness who rejoice to do evil
delight in the forwardness of the wicked whose ways are crooked and they
forward in their past to deliver thee from the strange woman hey guys you
don't want a strange woman as a wife why does the Bible call her a strange woman
because her agenda is to be a foreigner in a relationship between two people you
know you have a man and a woman and these two are one when they get married
if someone else decides to enter into that relationship they're a foreigner
they are a stranger the Bible says okay and look if you don't have any smarts if
you're not reading the Bible you don't have understanding and discretion you're
gonna fall into the pit of the strange woman who's seeking to destroy your life
take away your virginity your purity seeking to pervert your mind and to just
decimate your life there's just people out there like this it says to deliver
thee from the strange woman even from the stranger which flattereth with her
words you are so handsome I wish my husband looked just like you all these I
mean it's out there you know and look if you're simple without understanding and
without discretion you'd be like thanks you know but keep in mind that's the
simple one simple today would just be stupid you're just without understanding
but the man of discretion the man who has understanding they're like get away
from me get thee behind me Satan because I know you're trying to destroy my life
they seek the precious life the Bible says which forsaken the guide of her
youth and forget at the Covenant of her God go to Proverbs chapter 6 Proverbs
chapter number 6 Proverbs chapter number 6 so notice that the way we can discern
whether someone's being whether someone is flattering us is if we're in the Word
of God why because God is constantly teaching about this subject here he
wants to protect us from these types of people look at Proverbs 6 verse 20
my son keep thy father's command commandments and forsake not the law of
thy mother bind them continually upon thine heart and tie them about thy neck
when thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee when
thou wakest it shall talk with thee now here it's referring to the commandment
of the parents did you know parents can give commandments that are not
necessarily in the Bible but should be obeyed right because guess what your
parents have been around the block and your parents have your best interest in
mind now what particularly is he referring to here look what it says in
verse number 23 for the commandment is a lamp in the laws light and reproves of
instruction on the way of life to keep thee from the evil woman from the
flattery of the tongue of a strange woman look young people you need to
listen to your parents you know and look it's not a bad idea folks if you're
living under your parents roof to seek the advice and the counsel of your
parents of who you're gonna marry or date well I'm 20 years old you know I'm
20 years I know what I want in life I'm an adult you don't talk like one I pay
for my own gas my oil I can take care of myself well then why are you still
living under your parents roof you know right you need to listen to your
parents and look sometimes parents they put restrictions on us that we just we
we hate it right we just don't appreciate we don't like it but the
reality is is this is that they have our best interest in mind and they have
wisdom that we don't have and here's the thing the Bible is telling us here this
is a commandment we need to bind their commandments around our neck tie them
about our heart and obey it and guess what somewhere along the line ten years
from now you're gonna look back and say okay now I get it now I know why they
told me what they what they told me now I know why they restricted me from
dating this person now I know why they said you shouldn't go for this girl
because she is a sleazy woman now I know why you know because now she has like
five kids from five different guys and she was planning to make me the sixth
one you know then we understand but you don't want by faith you need to obey
your parents because they have your best interest in mind there's nothing wrong
with going to your mom and dad and saying what do you think about this
person I'm interested in this person what do you think and if they say no
then you know I just trust them because they probably know something that you
don't you have gray matter between your ears your parents are there to protect
you to guide you to protect you from wicked people and yay even the parents
who are not saved because guess what you don't need to be saved to know that
there's wicked people out there there's parents out there who just have life
experience right they have life experience and they know that their
children need to be protected now obviously there's parents out there
they're just like live in la-la land okay and they just it's sometimes I'm
just like shocked right but you know what naturally some parents I know for
example look I grew up in a single-parent home my father was not
there okay but you know what my unsaved mother had a lot of wisdom and
discretion to keep us from like dying joining gangs being around the wrong
types of people I remember that my brother was getting involved with the
wrong group I mean like with like with gangs okay and it was I mean really bad
people and in fact my cousins died because of gang violence ms-13 okay they
died because of that and you know what my mom did she's she said we're moving
we're going somewhere far far away because I want to keep you away from
these people as far as I can and they didn't like it they're like why my
friends are here my family's here but my mom moved them and guess what my family
still alive today and my cousins are not it doesn't take the Bible to understand
just logical things that you know our parents they have our best interest in
mine and we should give heed to their instructions okay and not grow up just
take it say thanks mom thanks dad appreciate it don't understand 100% why
but why don't we just go get some ice cream and I just forget about the whole
thing you're buying just just have faith
because there's people who want to destroy your life they're crooked they're
forward and God says if you give heed to the instruction of your parents you will
be delivered from the strange woman look what it says in verse verse 17 which
forsake oh I'm sorry verse number 25 lust not after her beauty in thine heart
neither let her take thee with her eyelids now you know back in the days
the thing what does this mean but you know today I've seen eyelashes that are
so big it looks like they can physically take you it's like a tarantula trying to
like trap you you know what I'm talking about those fake eyelashes right they're
just it's like one eyelash verse 26 for by means of a whorish woman oh Lord
should you use such language yes a man is brought to a piece of bread that's
called today child support and you know what sometimes they don't even get that
and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life who's the precious life
the pure young man the man who wants to live for the Lord the one demand who who
wants to please his parents and love mom and love dad and have a successful
marriage and raise children that's a precious life I consider the young men
in our church precious lives because these men have not been tainted they're
living for the Lord there's so many to read their Bibles they're not living for
the world they're living godly lives and you know what there's people out
there there are predators out there who want to hunt for that life because they
hate the fact that you have that and they don't go to Proverbs chapter 7
talking about flattery here but this is a good point amen I think this is
important look at verse 1 of Proverbs chapter 7 my son keep my words and lay
up my commandments with thee keep my commandments and live in my law as the
apple of thine eye bind them upon thine fingers write them upon the table of
thine heart say unto wisdom thou art my sister and call understanding thy kinswoman
what he's basically saying is this you should be so intertwined with wisdom
that it's like it's like your relative that they may keep thee from the strange
woman from the stranger which flattereth with her words so over and over and over
again we see that God is trying to deliver us from these types of people
and look this could be applied to the men as well you know where you know or
for the young lady should I say where you know they run into a guy who is a
flattery trying to destroy that woman's life that young lady's life we need to
be careful with that right and teach our daughters to obey us you said well you
know how do I do that well partly and I'm giving you the advice that I was
given of years past from a man who had daughters he specifically said this you
know you got to win the hearts of your daughters right and make sure you tell
your daughters how beautiful they are and take them on dates and spend time
with them why because if they don't if they don't get that from you they will
get it from someone else someone else is gonna come in and try to sweet talk your
daughter and try to win her heart and steal her heart if you don't have that
so you know those of you who have daughters or babies who are who are
daughters they're gonna grow up this is advice you should take for years down
the line where we need to make sure that we win the hearts of our daughters so
that no one else steals them from us until we feel it is correct for a proper
suitor to come along and then you know we give that person permission etc go
back to 2nd Samuel go to chapter 17 of 2nd Samuel so fair speeches stay away
from fair speeches don't go to the opposite end of the spectrum though
where you just don't give any compliment at all where you just you
just want to be so rigid and so strict you're just like you're ugly you know
yeah that sermon was all right you know you know don't don't don't balance folks
balance okay and here here's just here's the way you can do it just be sincere
sincere right you know the the time that I've been here preaching I've had both
I've had people who are sincere and people who are not sincere I've had
people come to me like man that was a great like you know throughout the
Revelation series people have told me man that was great like I didn't see
that I was mind blown that was great you know that was the truth is in the Bible
right I've had other people who literally have told me now what what
chapter are we in in the Revelation series six seven six we're going to
seven we're going to say we just finished after six I've had people oh
man that Revelation series is great man that's great you know I haven't even
gotten to chapter two but it's I'm like you haven't even gotten the chapter two
like that's chapter one is introduction I'm not saying there's nothing deep
there but it's just introduction what is that that's flattery okay and lo and
behold that person wants something from me now what's another thing we see here
with the Hithophel there was no faithfulness in his mouth in other words
he was a hypocrite but what it says in verse 1 moreover a Hithophel sent into
Absalom let me now choose out 12,000 men and I will arise and pursue after David
this night what in the world this is his advisor this is his friend and now he's
he's offering Absalom to go hunt his dad down with 2,000 men and I will come upon
him while he is weary and weak-handed and will make him afraid and all the
people that are with him with him shall flee and I will smite the king only and
I will bring back all the people unto thee the man whom thou seekest is as if
all returned so all the people shall be in peace this guy is wicked his
acquaintance his friend is saying I'll kill him for you this guy that I've
counseled that I've gone to the house of God with I'll smite the king only
Absalom Psalm 55 says this where we started verse 21 says the words of his
mouth referring to a Hithophel were smoother than butter but war was in his
heart his words were softer than oil yet were they drawn swords so these
count the council that he gave David during his ministry but during his time
in office what was behind it war what was behind it drawn swords what was
behind it deceit deception go to Psalm 5 if you wouldn't Psalm 5 I'm gonna reach
you for promise 29 verse 5 says a man that flattereth his neighbor spread at
the net for his feet so any time there's a man or a woman who's
flattering they're spreading a net they're setting a trap for you they're
trying to trick you because they want something from you you think of a net
it's something that you capture animals with well this is exactly that's how
they're treating you treating like an animal look at Psalm 5 verse 8 says lead
me O Lord and thy righteousness because of mine enemies make thy way straight
before my face for there is no faithfulness in their mouth their inward
part is very wickedness their throat is an open sepulcher they flatter with
their tongue the Bible says destroy thou them O God let them fall by their own
counsels cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions for they have
rebelled against thee what is he saying he's saying in regards to a hit the fell
this guy's a hypocrite he's speaking out of both sides of his mouth he says one
thing to one person and completely changes the story to another hey folks
we ought to be the same person everywhere we go right we ought to speak
the same way with the same integrity with the same truth no matter where we're
at whether we're in church whether we're at home whether we're at work we should
be the same person everywhere and look the person who is not has to lie they
have to lie in order to deceive people and look when a person it how many
remember met like a habitual liar chronic liar and then they tell so many
lies you could put your hands down now I see that hand thank you Moses just kept
his hand up like you know they tell so many lies that they have to tell more
lies to cover for their lies I mean I've met people who lie so much that they
lied to me and then they come back and tell me something completely different
because they forgot about our conversation that we had prior and it's
just like you know you told me something different right like no no no and then
they have to lie more and more and more look folks it's better to just tell the
truth all the time that way you don't have to keep track of anything because
you're always telling the truth and if you're always telling the truth you
never got to worry that oh man I might get caught or people might find out
about this no just tell the truth tell the truth tell the whole truth and
nothing bad is gonna happen a flatter on the other hand is double-minded they're
constantly speaking out of both sides of their mouth so on and so forth now go to
Psalm 12 if you would Psalm 12 look what it says in Psalm 12 verse 1 help Lord
for the godly man sees it for the faithful fail from among the children of
men they speak vanity everyone with his neighbor vanity is synonymous with soft
swelling words with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak the
Lord shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud
things who have said with our tongue we will prevail our lips are our own who is
Lord over us these are bad people so we see here that they have a double heart
and that's how they speak okay now when we're in church you know we got to pay
attention to these things this is not something that's gonna always happen
but you know we have to pay attention when people say one thing to one person
and then change the story to another there's obviously some deception there
there's some there's a an ulterior motive that people have when they do
those things go back to 2nd Samuel chapter 17 2nd Samuel chapter 17 now
I'll be honest with you you know this wasn't something that I really knew
about or even was familiar with even six seven years ago okay you know I wasn't
very familiar with this concept of flattery this wasn't something that was
taught at my prior church even with my pastor it's not something that a lot of
pastors you know they don't talk about okay but let me say this is that once I
learned it you start seeing it everywhere you know once I learned it I
started thinking back to relationships and friendships that I had before even
at my old church I'm like oh that person was a flatter I'm like man I wonder if
this person was like infiltrate or something because you know in those days
I remember like meeting people who are just overly comp they're just
complimented they're they're exaggerated and you're just like well this person
just like just being nice just too nice you know they're just being way too nice
that's just their personality but then you look back and you're like wait a
minute no no no no this person was a flatter this is what the Bible says no
exceptions folks we can say well yeah there's flattery but this person was
just yeah they're just really really nice no no no this is all I don't hear
any I don't see anything in the Bible that makes an exception which is yeah
there's flatter but then there's just people who just really really really
really really nice okay so once you see it you can't unsee it and look you said
well are you just being paranoid no it's called discernment it's called paying
attention it's called now you know listening to people's conversation you
know just recently I was suspicious of someone and I said that I just said to
that person I just want to hear you talk just want to hear you talk you say why
because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and a person
who is constantly deceiving and lying that's gonna come out of their heart
that's gonna come out of their mouth because it's in their heart okay so this
is what I do often if I'm suspicious of someone I just I just listen to them
sometimes I just don't say anything I just listen to them talk to them and
just listen to them and let them just pour out everything they need to say now
everyone's gonna be like I don't want to talk well hey if you're telling the
truth you don't have to worry right you know if you're telling the truth why
worry if you're being deceptive then you must worry okay if you're trying to
deceive I don't think we have anybody like that here but we'll find out after
service I'm just kidding so what else do we see with the hit the fell the
flatterer well look at second Samuel chapter 17 verse 4 we see that he didn't
take correction well why is that because he was insincere he didn't have the
right motives you think he really cared about Absalom you think he really wanted
he just really liked Absalom from the beginning he believed in his kingdom he
believed in having him be a ruler and he just wanted him to know he just wanted
to position himself therefore when he was corrected on his counsel or his
counsel was not heated he didn't take it well look what it says in verse 4 and
the same pleased Absalom well and all the elders of Israel then said Absalom
call now who shied the Archite also and let us hear likewise what he says so
this is after this is after a hit the fell gives the counsel to go and kill
David and you know round up these men and all these things out smite the king
and Absalom was like hey that sounds pretty good this guy's on board you know
he's willing to go out there and just smite my my dad and kill him so I can
take over the kingdom but then he's like you know what let's get one more person
to give me some counsel and who shy was come to Absalom Absalom spake at him
saying a hit the fell has spoken after this manner shall we do after his saying
if not speak thou who shy said unto Absalom the counsel that a hit the fell
hath given is not good at this time he says for for said who shy thou knowest
thy father and his men that they be mighty men and they be chaffed in their
minds as a bear robbed over whelps in the field and thy father's a man of war
it will not lodge with the people behold he is hid now in some pit or in some
other place and it will come to pass when some of them be overthrown at the
first that whosoever hearth it will say there is a slaughter among the people
that follow Absalom and he excuse me and he also that is valiant whose heart is
as the heart of a lion shall utterly melt for all Israel knoweth that thy
father is a mighty man and they which be with him are valiant men so he's giving
them good advice he's saying look it's not a good idea David is gonna whoop you
David is just gonna you know take your hinder parts and just just whoop it you
know he's a valiant man and by the way all Israel knows this he is just
commonly reported that your father is a valiant man he's a man of war and if you
want to add on top of that he's chafed his mind in other words he's tired don't
run into a tired man when he's on the run you know I mean I mean you know what
I'm talking if you're tired you're cranky and you just wives are like you
know stay away from him forever you know he's a little tired he's cranky you know
more so when he's running for his life so we see here he's the council that
he's given he's saying look don't do it because David will overcome you guys he
has the heart even the man who has a heart of a lion their hearts gonna melt
before David go to verse 22 of second Samuel chapter 17 then arose then David
arose and all the people that were with him and they passed over Jordan by the
morning light there lack not one of them that was not gone over Jordan by the way
what so what happens Absalom takes who shy his advice he's like he's right my
dad is a valiant man this is not a good idea and they discard the council of a
hit the fell look at verse 23 of second Samuel chapter 17 and what the hit the
fell saw that his counsel was not followed he saddled his ass and arose
and get him home to his house to his city and put his household in order and
hanged himself and died and was buried in the sepulchre of his father whoa so
this guy is like this is an extreme example of someone who just can't take
correction right someone who can't take correction he he he I mean like they
just like didn't take his counsel and he's just like all right I'm just gonna
kill myself like you need to chill out maybe you maybe today was just not your
day try tomorrow but instead he just goes and hangs himself now this is one
of the reasons why I believe that a hit the fell was not just a wicked person
this guy was probably a reprobate flattery why is that well because Judas
in the New Testament hangs himself too why because they don't want to suffer
the consequences of their actions right and a hit the fell knew that once David
got back David was gonna you know chastise him he was gonna get him
because he knew that he was a traitor a defector he was a wicked person and
David was not gonna put up with it so he went the extreme and just hung himself
okay now how do we apply this today well you know sometimes people you can tell a
person is sincere based upon whether you implement their idea or not their
counsel or not you know if they're not willing to adhere if if they're not
willing to take the correction or they're not willing to take your
leadership it's not because they have the churches or the groups benefit in
mind they have their own benefit in mind and they're mad that you didn't take he
to their counsel because they were supposed to be the ones who benefited
from you obeying their counsel that's how it works okay however a person if
you know for example if you have an idea here at this church and I asked for an
idea amongst the men or whatever and you know we don't give heat to your counsel
a sincere person will say all right well you know I want what's best for the
church I want what's best for the church if that's better that's a better idea
look I'm the leader here but I always take ideas from other people all the
time why because at the end of the day I want to benefit the entire congregation
I don't want oh I just want to be glorified and have glory for myself be
the only one who comes up with all the great ideas no I know there's a lot of
great minds here that have good ideas that have no problem with asking for
your advice and if you have good advice I take it but you know I do have a
problem with is when you know I ask for advice or an idea and you get mad if I
don't implement it I'm just saying you know why don't you choose my idea
because it was a bad idea if you you I mean you asked right you shouldn't have
asked and if because you asked I'm just gonna tell you the truth it's a bad idea
and look folks I come up with bad ideas too okay so it's not bad you know if you
don't if you can't take correction well if you can't take being shot down well
then you need to check your heart for your motives okay that at the end of the
day is what's important go to Matthew 22 Matthew 22 so people give compliments to
benefit others flattery is done to benefit the one giving it they have a
motive behind it and if something is not heated they just fall apart and I've
seen this within recent days okay where something was not heated and a person
just fell apart there's disappointed angry they're mad and it's just like
well I know where your motive is I know where your heart is anyone and sincere
people will say well that's a great idea you know it's for the best it's for the
benefit of the group is for the benefit of the church this is a great idea let's
run with that okay but that's not how these people operate now what else do
they do well they exaggerate or give insincere compliments for gain we've
mentioned that look at Matthew 22 verse 15 then went the Pharisees and took
counsel how they might entangle him in his talk so the Pharisees they're
getting together they're conspiring against Christ in order to entangle him
in his talk it says in verse 16 and they sent down unto him their disciples to
her and with the Herodians saying master we know that thou art true and teaches
the way of God and truth neither carest out for any man I mean talk about cake
and on the flattery for thou regard is not the person of men tell us therefore
what thinkest thou is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar or not now do they
really want to know no they're trying to entangle them with this talk so what do
they do they cake on the flattery first to try to divert his attention to try to
deceive him but they're idiots because this is Jesus he is the source of all
truth but Jesus verse 18 perceived their wickedness and said why tempting
me hypocrites oh that's not very nice Jesus
maybe they needed you know some disciple shit and then you need to spend some
time with them win their hearts and be kind to them you hypocrites I'm just
thinking like he perceived the working he's just like a bunch of hypocrites
because he knows what's in their heart look folks if you knew what beyond a
shadow of a doubt all the wickedness is in people's hearts that are flattering
you you'd be mad too if someone came to you flattering you and you knew
beforehand what their true motive was you'd be really pissed I know what
you're doing you wicked person you're a hypocrite get out of my face show me the
tribute money and they brought him to him a penny and he saved them to him
whose image is this and superscription so on and so forth so a person who
flatters they exaggerate and they give insincere compliments and they cake it
on in order to deceive you this is what the Bible says in job 17 5 it says he
that speak its flattery to his friends even the eyes of his children shall fail
the Bible says in job 32 verse 21 let me not I pray you accept any man's person
neither let me give flattering titles unto man for I know not to give
flattering titles and so doing my maker would soon take me away now go to
Proverbs go to Proverbs 27 Proverbs 27 I'm gonna skip a point here I was gonna
talk about flatters often express a false humility let me just talk about
that real quick this is important cuz you know another thing about flatter is
just they're just so humble I'm just you know I'm nobody Paul who am I I'm just
you know I'm just serve the Lord and it's just like this the oil is just
oozing out of you the butter is just coming out of your ears and the Bible
tells us in Psalm 36 it says the transgression of the wicked safe within
my heart that there is no fear of God before his eyes for he flattereth
himself in his own eyes until his iniquity be found to be hateful okay
this is how you know it gets really bad when they flatter themselves they
flatter themselves in their own eyes they're just like lying to them so I'm
just trying to be humble man I'm just I'm just I'm just a worm I'm just nobody
so what does this tell you because remember what does flattery mean it's
someone who's deceiving another person right so someone is flattering their own
selves they're lying to themselves that's when it gets really bad they're
deceiving their own selves this means that some of these people who say these
things they actually believe it it says in Psalm 78 verse 36 nevertheless they
did flatter him with their mouths and they lied unto him with their tongues
for their heart was not right with him neither were they steadfast in his
covenant Colossians 2 18 let no man beguile you of your reward and voluntary
humility and worshiping of angels intruding on those things which he hath
not seen vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind here's my last point is this you
know it's just better truth is better than a beautifully told lie okay you
know a truth that's kind of ugly and a little rough around the edges it's way
better than just a beautiful lie okay you know the Bible tells us you're in
Proverbs 27 and we read to you from Proverbs 28 says he that rebuketh the men afterwards shall
find more favor than he that flattereth with his tongue someone who just tells
you the truth at least you know what they really feel at least they're
telling you like it is a person who flatters is deceitful you don't know
what's behind you don't know what their motive is whereas a person who just says
it like it is is a person you know okay well you know what at least I know how
he really feels at least I know what he really believes at least I know what he
would what he really thinks he's not lying to me look at Proverbs 27 verse 5
open rebuke is better than secret love Wow God's Word said it he's saying to
openly rebuke someone is far greater than someone who's secretly loving you
what is that secret love that oily buttery smooth speech fair speeches etc
faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful if
you don't believe that just ask Jesus when it came to Judas when he's
betraying the Son of Man he's betraying the Son of God and how does he do it he
betrays him with a kiss whereas we see here faithful are the wounds of a friend
this could this could be applicable to preaching you know if I wound you
through preaching it's because I'm trying to be faithful to you I want to
be kind I'm trying to be loving towards you I'm trying to trying to save your
life from you know destruction but if I only give you kisses from the pulpit
oily smooth sermons exhortation with that's filled with vanity it just shows
you that I don't really love you okay so what's the sermon today the sermon is
this don't be like a hip to fell okay and not only that but let's let's be men
of understanding and discretion were able to perceive when someone is being
you know flattering towards us when someone is trying to deceive us through
flattery and fair speeches and vain words amen
inspire heads and have a word of prayer father we thank you so much for your
word and Lord I pray that you'd help us to just be balanced help us never to be
a flattering people but also help us to be complimentary we need to just be
balanced right in the middle and I pray that you'd help us to do so the Bible
does say that we should praise others when they do a good job and give honor
to whom honor is due but I pray God that you'd grow us in our discernment and
wisdom because there's gonna be times when we run into people who are just not
sincere they have a different motive they have selfish agendas and help us to
see through that and expose it when needed in order to protect our families
in order to protect our church and Lord I just pray that you bless us as we go
on our way in Jesus name we pray amen