All right, we're in first Thessalonians chapter 5 we'll start reading in verse number 12
It says and we beseech you brethren to know them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to
Esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and be at peace among yourselves
Now we exhort your brethren warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble-minded
Support the weak be patient toward all men see that none render evil for evil unto any man
But ever follow that which is good both among yourselves into all men
Rejoice evermore pray without ceasing and everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you quench not the spirit
despise not prophesying
Prove all things hold fast that which is good
abstain from all appearance of evil and the very God of peace
Sanctify you holy and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless
Unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ now title sermon this evening is the 15 Commandments the 15 Commandments now when we think of
Commandments or the Ten Commandments obviously that's in reference to Exodus chapter 20
But when we read first Thessalonians chapter 5 we also find it's a separate set of Commandments in the New Testament now
Let me just start off by saying is that the Bible is filled with Commandments and it's not just subject to Ten Commandments or 15
There are many Commandments both Old and New Testament
We can pick a chapter just out of the Bible whether it's Old New Testament and you will find Commandments
they're in but I'm specifically referring to the 15 Commandments found in first Thessalonians chapter 5 and
Really they shed a lot of light to have a lot of good truth a lot of good gems and rubies that we can live
By if we just obey them now, what is the first commandment that we see here?
Well, it's found in verse 11
It says wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another even as also ye do
So what's the first commandment that we see there comfort and edify one another now look at first Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 5
It's this is in context of that says here are all the children of light and the children of the day
We are not of the night nor of darkness
Therefore let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober
For they that sleep sleep in the night and they could be drunken or drunken in the night
But let us who are of the day be sober
Putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation
For God is not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ
Who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him
So based upon the context of the chapter there, how are we supposed to comfort one another?
Well looking upon the fact that's of the second coming of Christ now
The second coming obviously we consider the blessed
But it's also a good way to basically comfort ourselves especially if we lost a loved one, right
Why because of the resurrection of Christ now, how is that supposed to edify us?
Well, it edifies us because it helps us to look forward to something and the Bible tells us that when we look forward to the
Second coming of Christ that should actually purify us
How are you purified by getting rid of certain things because you know, the second coming of Christ is coming
You see people who basically don't know when Christ is coming or when they think that Christ may come at any time
They think that they're purifying themselves because they don't know when Christ is coming but that's not actually true now
Is it because anybody who believes in the imminent we're coming imminent we're coming coming of Christ
They don't live their lives in accordance to what you see in the scriptures. They're not doing a whole lot of Sony
They're not preaching a whole lot against sin
Why is that because it's not really affecting them in that manner?
But because we know that there's certain events that are taking place before the rapture we're preparing ourselves for that tribulation
We're preparing ourselves for that affliction. What is that doing? That's purifying us and
So when we talk about the second coming we talk about the second coming of Christ the rapture that actually edifies us
Look the subject of the rapture the subject of end times is not a boring subject
And a lot of churches want to stray away from teaching it because they think it's too deep
It's not relevant. No, it's very much revelant. Why because we're living in the in the last days and you'd be surprised
How many people actually respond well to end times biblical teaching it actually edifies it builds you up
It helps you to look forward to something go to Hebrews chapter number 10
Hebrews chapter 10, so it tells us their comfort and edify one another
Comfort and edify one another now. What's another word for edify when other word for edify is exhort
Okay exhort means to build up as well means to encourage look at Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 24 and
Let us consider one another to provoke and to love into good works
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is
But exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day
approaching
So in context here, how are we exhorted? How are we edified by coming to church?
See church should be a very common part of your Christian life
In fact, it's a key element in the growth and your spiritual growth
It's a key element in your success and your Christian life is to be in church. Why because then you get exhorted now
People think that exhortation and rightfully see that they think it means to be encouraged someone which it does but often it's also in reference
To warning people you see the way we come for one another is not just you're saying
Hey keep going forward for God or make sure you're reading your Bible
It's actually warning them of the dangers of getting away from God
It's actually warning them of the dangers of sin that would that's what it means to exhort and to edify
One another look at first Thessalonians chapter number four
First Thessalonians chapter four verse number one. It says furthermore then we beseech you
Brethren and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as he have received of us how you ought to walk and to please God
So you would abound more and more so what is the same the way I exhort you is by teaching you how to walk a
Life that's pleasing unto the Lord. Okay. Well, what does that require?
Reprovement, what does that require rebuke? What does that require instruction? What does that require it requires preaching against your sin?
Why so you can get it out of your life?
So you can basically purge yourself from those things and walk as you ought to walk in this life
Okay, now go back to first Thessalonians chapter 5
In verse number 12
So the first command we see there is to comfort and identify one another the second one is to know your leaders
look at verse number 12 says and we beseech you brethren to know them which labor among you and
Are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in the Lord for the excuse me
Very highly in love for their works sake and be at peace among yourselves now as I was reading this
I'm like, this is kind of awkward for me to like teach this, you know, like hey you guys gotta esteem me
All right, make sure you think highly of me, right? Just do it. All right, that's kind of weird
So I was saying I was like what's a good way to kind of convey this in a way that it's applicable to us today
Well one it's applicable because I'm not the pastor here yet
Okay, so we could apply this even pastor pastor Anderson who's the pastor of the church, but let's say you even let's say five
Years from now and I am the pastor, but let's say you go to another church
Who's of like-minded faith, you know, this is a principle you ought to carry with yourself to whatever church you go to
Okay, then you would esteem them and know them who labor among you now
That's for the good and for the bad why because you shouldn't just blindly follow someone
Just because they're the leader of the church
You need to try everything prove all things hold fast that which is good
Listen to what they're teaching and if they're teaching false doctrine and it falls gospel. You need to get your hanger parts out of that church
Right why because the Bible says there to know them which labor among you don't just blindly follow people and they say well
You have blind followers in your church. Every single one of my church members has a Bible in their lap
To measure what is being said from the pulpit doesn't that make you nervous?
No, it doesn't it actually comforts me to know that the people within the pews are not dumb
Okay that they're willing to open up the Bible and read it along with me and say hey, this is what the Bible says
You know, obviously there's there's certain obscure things that we can differ on
But solid doctrine that cannot be changed that we all know about we all agree on
Okay
But it says there to know them which labor among you and over you in the Lord and admonish you
To esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and look what it says and be at peace among yourselves
So what does that tell us there? You know, wherever you are, you ought to be all there
Wherever you are you ought to be all there. Okay, whether it's in this church. It's in another church
You ought to be all there. Why is that because that's your church
That's the man of God that is in your life. You ought to be all there in that area right there now
Go to 2nd Timothy chapter 3
Look what it says in 2nd Timothy chapter 3
In verse number 8 says now as Janice and Jamboree's withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth men of corrupt minds
Reprobate concern in the faith, but they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest unto all men as theirs
Also was now this is a good promise in regards to false prophets
Why because we often think man who's a false prophet who's a false teacher? Well, don't worry
They're gonna come out because it says there that their folly shall be made manifest
God will expose false prophets in order to protect his people and show them. Hey, this person's a false prophet
How are they exposed by the words that are coming out of their mouths?
So we know who the false prophets are
We know the false teachers based upon the words that are coming out of their mouth
How do you know that dope is a false prophet by the words that are coming out of his mouth?
How you know that is a wicked evangelist is a false prophet by the words that are coming out of his mouth
You see they didn't perceive it and proceed any further
Okay, they were there and they got a day basically expose themselves, you know
The videos that I made on him wasn't necessarily exposing him. I was just basically telling everyone would you they're already saying themselves?
But look what it goes on to say verse 10
But thou has fully known my doctrine manner of life
purpose faith long-suffering charity patience
Persecutions afflictions which came into me at Antioch and at a conium at Lystra what persecutions I endured
But out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea and all that will live godly in Christ. Jesus shall suffer persecution
So on the opposite side of that spectrum, what do we see?
We see the false prophet and teacher who will be his folly will be made manifest
But we also see that the man of God will be made manifest as well based upon the attributes you see there
He says you've known my doctrine, you know, I'm preaching I'm teaching you guys on a regular basis
You know my life and my purpose of what I'm doing and that's how it ought to be. There's nothing covered here
Amen, we don't we have carpet, but there's no nothing to slip under the carpets here
Okay, you said what do you do with the trash we throw it out?
We don't sweep it under the carpet here. Everything is fully known at faithful word Baptist Church. Okay now
This is important because in verse 13 of first Thessalonians chapter 5 says and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake and
Be at peace
among yourselves
So let that sink in he says, you know, you want to esteem them and be at peace with them
What does that mean? You know, we ought not to live in suspicion of our leaders
Now thankfully we are in a movement that basically, you know, we don't hide our head in the sand
You know some guys teaching some weird doctrine about the flat earth
Or whatever the Christians are not all Christians are gonna escape the lake of fire, you know people are moving
I'm dumb and I'd be like, okay. Yeah, maybe he is saved. He's just a little off. No, he's a rapper mate
Dudes a false prophet. Okay, and that's that's manifest to everyone but on the flip side of that
We need to make sure that we're not always suspicious of everyone as well
Okay, because at the end of the day everyone is innocent until proven guilty and should be treated as thus
You know a lot, you know
He looked at me a little weird or he he said he said he didn't like my tie or something or he
Said I was ugly
Maybe he's right
You know, it's not necessarily, you know
We got to be able to differentiate between whether we like someone or not and whether they're like a false prophet or something
You know, I like the the the philosophy that pastor Anderson lives by which is suspect. No one trust
No one. I think that's a good balance. And you know what at the end of the day
Let's give everyone here the benefit of the doubt. I mean there might be a Judas here
I don't I don't know, you know, hopefully not but maybe there might be but you know what at the end of the day
We give everyone of the benefit of the doubt until they're proven guilty
Why because we want to have be at peace among ourselves
You can't have peace among yourselves. If you're you're suspecting everyone
You know, what's he doing here, you know, I haven't seen him in a while all of a sudden he's back
Why what's up with that? That's not the way it works
Okay, and don't?
Deem someone to be a false teacher a false prophet just because of their personality
Okay, you know like oh he acts a little different, but that doesn't mean that doesn't prove anything
What are the words that are coming out of his mouth? What are the doctrines that he's teaching? Okay, what does he believe?
That's what we're concerned about
Okay
You know, so we have to be at peace among ourselves look at Amos go to Amos I
Read here from 1st Peter chapter 5 verse number 1 says the elders which are among you
I exhort
Who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also partaker of the glory that shall be revealed
Feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre
but of a ready mind neither as being Lord's over God's heritage, but being
Examples to the flock so we can basically weed out who's the right kind of pastor and who is it?
You know, the wrong kind of pastor is the one who's doing it for money
You know
He may not have a BMW in a nice house
But you know what if he's just in the pastorate just to earn a check
There's probably a problem with that
Because he's doing it to earn money
Obviously a pastor needs to get paid but is his prime motive to make money
No, you know he's doing it we pastors need to get paid because they're doing it full-time
This is their specific job that they're called to do
But a person who's doing it for filthy lucre is a dangerous person why because at that point they can care less what the Bible says
They can care less about the doctrines. They want to make sure that the people stay in the pews
They want to make sure that they don't offend anybody because that guy gives like $100 a week
That guy's giving to the building fund. You know that guy's paying my
Groceries so they will say anything or abstain from saying certain things to keep people in church
that is not a pastor of integrity a
pastor of integrity will preach the entire counsel of God over a lifetime and
Talk about offensive things say things when visitors come and when they don't you know, and that's how it needs to be
Okay, not for filthy lucre sake of a ready mind take me the oversight thereof not by constraint by the way
It says neither is being Lord's over God's heritage
What is Lord's over God's heritage? Like I'm the boss of you whether you're in church or out of church
You know, it becomes like a cult
You know, it's a you went to faith for Baptist Church, you know, I didn't give you permission to do that
Who are you daddy?
Are you like my boss?
You know, who do you think you are?
You know who told you you could go to faith. You should have asked me about that. I don't agree with that pastor
Well, you know if you don't like it then just let him go
That's that's being Lord's over God's heritage there
When people want to dictate what churches you visit by the way, if you go visit another church
God bless you
Go for it. It doesn't bother me at all
You know if you go visit another church now if you go visit like a like a hyper dispense if you go visit slooters Church
I'd be like you are you feeling all right?
You got a fever or something
You know, are you a heretic or something?
Like why are you going there that at that point? That's a different story
But if it's a church that even is its Zionist and it's pre-trib and it's a little watered down
You know then that's up to you
I don't I don't really don't care and I don't even think that I would even claim that that guy was sheep stealing
That's what they say about us, right?
Anything some people some people come to our church and they like it and they stay
They call brother Bruce, it's brother Bruce the sheep stealer
as if I'm like
Person, I don't know come to my church
It's like I don't know the people who I mean the visitors who got I don't know them. I know them once they come
But at that point it's it's that I'm not lording over God's heritage. I'm not saying hey you now you now you're a member
You can't even leave
Here's the keys to the building. The food is in the refrigerator
You know, it's like yeah, I hope I see you again
But you know, what do you I do or don't doesn't matter
But then you have the flip side of that people say well, you know, you're just sheep stealing you're stealing you can't steal
Well-fed sheep
You but that's being Lord's over God's heritage. It's this dictatorial
leadership
Then really at the end of the day is very
They have no confidence in their leadership
Okay, they behave in such a way where they need they want all their members to ask them for permission for everything
That's weird. Okay
Look at Amos 3 in verse number 2. It says can to walk together
Except they be agreed
So what is that telling us can to really walk in one accord?
Can we go so winning together if we don't agree?
I can't go sowing with someone who preaches a repenting your sins doctrine because I don't agree with that
You know
Verse forces will a lion roar in the forest when he hath no prey
Well a young lion cry out of his den if he hath taken none
Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth where no gin is for him?
Shall one take up a snare from the earth and have taken nothing at all
Shall a trumpet be blown in the city and the people not be afraid
Shall there be evil in that in a city and the Lord hath not done it
So look this reminds me of just people who like want to complain about their old IFB Church
Then just get out of that church then if you don't agree with them and you don't believe what he just said then just go somewhere else
You know, yeah, but it's so far then move
Well, we can't move didn't stop complaining
and keep your mouth shut and
Be at peace
With your pastor if he's a saved man, he's preaching out of the Bible be at peace with them
And look that goes for anybody in this church
If you can't be under the leadership of this church and you probably need to go somewhere else I don't hate you
I don't think any less of you but can to walk together
Except they be agreed
Now
Go back to this first Thessalonians chapter 5 see there's a lot of good Commandments in this
Chapter here a lot of good stuff that will help us to practically to live out some practical doctrines here
Commandment number three is to establish leadership. It says in verse 14 that we exhort your brethren warn them
that are
unruly
It says warn
So, how do you warn something you say this is bad. Don't do it
And if you do there's consequences to those actions, you know
And it's funny because everyone in the world understands that life has consequences
You know, you you drive 90 miles an hour down the street
It's if a police pulls you over you're gonna receive the penalty of a ticket because you broke the law
But all of a sudden all that goes out the window once you come into church
It's like well, there should be no rules in church. No one should be penalized in church
No one should be kicked out of church says who?
You know, that's a weird
Fantasy land that you live in if you think that no discipline should ever be carried out in church
Now we're not the kind of church that just boots people out for no reason
Okay, but the Bible tells us here that we're supposed to exhort and warn them that are unruly looking for you
Don't have to turn it go to
Let me see here go to 1st Timothy chapter 3
1st Timothy chapter 3 the Bible tells us in 1st Corinthians 14 40 let all things be done decently and in order
Okay. Well the way you have order is by getting rid of disorder
That's why we we make rules in church we say, you know, hey no kids running and tearing up the place including Mike
My son, you know why because we need to make sure we have order in this church
This is not a charismatic Pentecostal Church Holy Roller where people run up and down the aisle screaming and barking like a dog
Speaking in tongues and someone singing to him and dropping on the floor and sizzling bacon
This is not that kind of church that is a disorderly church
God's Church has order in it look at 1st Timothy 3 15
It says but if I Terry long that thou mayest know how that honest to behave thyself in the house of God
Which is the Church of the Living God the pillar and ground of truth
I mean you look at God's design from the universe to the smallest, you know
Molecule everything has order
It's no different with the establishment of his local church. It needs to have order as well. What is unruly?
Well, it really is when you're not submissive or
Conforming to a rule and let me just say this there's nothing wrong with rules
Rules are important rules are there to establish leadership and to keep people in order
Now go to Titus chapter 1
Titus chapter 1
Let me give you a characteristic of an unruly person
Titus 1 10 says here for there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers
Especially they have the circumcision. This is talking about the Jews, but we can apply this to other people too
Amen, whose mouths must be stopped who subvert whole houses teaching things which they are not for filthy lucre safe
So what is someone who's unruly or is a vain talker?
So that's someone in church who just wants to blabber about stupid stuff
It just wants to get into arguments with people for no reason. Okay and deceivers. What is that?
That that's someone who's teaching something that's contrary to the truth
Now and it says they're teaching things which they are not and
The reason I'm bringing this up is because and I'll bring it up in a later point
You know what this whole thing with Samuel being thrown out of our church. He was unruly
Teaching things which he ought not he was a vain talker and he was a deceiver
Why was he a deceiver because he's telling one person one thing and another person another thing
In fact Ringo Ayala from Santa Ana Baptist Church told me himself that when Sammy went to go visit that church
He told one guy that he was a horseshoe
He worked for you know doing horseshoes another guy that he was a plumber and another guy that he did some other occupation
What's that called? That's called being a deceiver a
vain talker
Okay
Now you're in Titus chapter 1 go to chapter 3
Verse
10 says a man that is in heretic after the first and second admonition reject
Knowing that he he that has such a subverted incentive being condemned of himself
What does it mean when it says reject that means basically throw him out?
Rejected okay. So this is the way it works if we have a vain talker or a deceiver in our church
And it comes to my attention. I go to the person I say hey
I heard that this was said this is wrong. Did you say that? Yes, I did. Okay. Well, that's wrong
Do you understand that it's wrong? Well, no, I don't agree that it's wrong
Okay, and I show more scriptures and say this is why it's wrong
He says well, I don't agree with that
That's not wrong to rail or to call someone a reprobate who's not a reprobate whatever then I said, okay at that point
Then you need to go
Why cuz didn't can to walk together except to be agreed
You know if no one in the church agrees with that doctrine and it's false. Guess what we have to reject him
He's considered a heretic
We'll reprobate them out of the church because reprobate means to reject. Amen. We reprobate them out of the church
Okay, so that's what it means there and it talks about warn those who are unruly
He says there anyone unruly in our church. Is there a reason why he's saying this? No, there's no one unruly in our church
This is preventative
Okay, these are your vitamins and your vegetables so that you don't become unruly in the future if you ever attempted to be okay
Because this is the this is the process by which our church goes to if you decide to be unruly you're deceiving your vain
Talking we'll give you two admonitions and at that point you're reprobated out of the church
Okay, you can go and find yourself a new church
Aren't you scared that the church is not going to make it if that person know because if we obey God in his word
God will always bless that
What if you had enough money to meet in a building we'll meet at the park
We'll pay we'll take this pulpit
We'll meet at the park we got chairs we can use the song books
It'll be alright, you know now go back to 2nd Thessalonians
chapter 5
It says there in verse 14 now we exalt your brethren warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble-minded
So that's the next commandment there is it to comfort the feeble-minded now
Someone who is feeble-minded is often those who have a mental deficiency
Okay, they're mentally handicapped now
This is necessarily a problem in our church or anything like that
But we something we should talk about that there's gonna come people in our church that have a mental mental incapacity
Okay, they're mentally handicapped. Maybe they have autism. Oh, by the way, we do have someone in our church like that
It's a young boy who comes with the family and he has autism, you know someone like that
We got to comfort them and not be frustrated if they get out of hand in the service
Never look down on someone who has a physical disability
You know someone who is feeble or weak
We ought to make sure that we admonish them and esteem them very highly in the Lord
Okay, and to be kind to people like that. We live in a society that is very arrogant and mean towards people like that
You know, they're feeble-minded
They don't have all the capacities that you have we need to make sure that we're merciful and gracious to them
You know don't this never happened, but if someone comes in like that, man, what's wrong? Are you okay, man?
What's going on? Don't ever like have some discernment have wisdom and we'll talk about it in just a little bit
But part of all these Commandments is basically stems from the words that come out of your mouth
It's good to study what you're gonna say before you actually say it
That'll keep you out of a lot of trouble in life. If you just before you blurt out
stupidity
Study your stupidity first say should I say this? Hmm. Maybe not but in marriage
Okay at work in
Church you can save yourself a lot of trouble
If you just shut your trap
And then you know, you can save yourself an entire argument with your wife. I mean, it's a discussion with your wife
If you just don't say anything sometimes now sometimes things need to be said, okay
And sometimes when it needs to be said it needs to be said, but you know
A lot of times we can just do without some of it. Okay, so it takes wisdom, you know
And people will esteem you more and in fact, they will look for you more
they will seek you out for wisdom and discernment if they see that you have a spirit of wisdom if
You're able to just talk and speak discreetly. That's important. Okay?
So the Bible tells us in Romans chapter 12 verse 15 in regards to those who are feeble-minded
Be of the same mind one toward another might not hide things but condescend to men of lowest state be not wise in your own
Conceits, but when you see people like that in our church go out of your way to be a blessing to them
greet them
Make them feel welcome. Anytime. I run into someone who is feeble-minded or
That you know, they have some sort of mental
Incapacity I try to treat them as normal as I would any person
And I'd be like not treat them as though they're a baby but treat them as though they're a normal person wife because they really
appreciate that actually
Okay, and maybe they don't have that capacity to speak normally or you know
They had their autistic be kind to those to be kind to the family of those people
You want to make we want to make sure that we have an atmosphere in our church that is very gracious
Merciful towards those who are feeble-minded. Okay, don't stare
Okay, you know my son he's at an age right now where he just stares at everyone
The family could be living he's just like
And they're like hi and he's just like
I'm like say hi, but he's a two-year-old
When you have an adult doing that then that's weird
Those just
Staring at you don't do that. You know, you need to replace staring with greeting. Okay, like hi like I
Mean actually go up to them shake their hand get to know them have some social skills. Okay, it's very important
so
But I'm talking context. I'm talking about those who are who are handicapped
You know
If you if there's a family or families that are coming to our church and they have children who are handicapped
Greet them treat them nicely be kind to them befriend them because look I'm gonna be honest with you
Parents who have children who are handicapped. It's very difficult for the parents
They have a hard time
You know and a place like this they can feel very awkward because maybe their child, you know
Has births bursts of energy or they say something and they feel embarrassed and look
I'm not embarrassed and it doesn't bother me when children yell or scream out in church. I really I don't care
I'm focused on what I'm saying. I love to the fact all the children are in the service and my daughter does it too
Amen, so does my son so and we want them to to be conditioned to be in church to hear preaching
Okay
But we want to make sure that you know people who come in and they feel that way that we alleviate that feeling
By going out of our way and talking to them greeting them getting to know their names being kind to them
All right
Now first Thessalonians chapter 5 goes on to say so it says there in verse number 14
Comfort the feeble-minded
Support the weak be patient toward all men now
This could be physically or spiritually weak and that's a good principle to exercise as well
If someone is not up to par spiritually with where you're at
You need to make sure that you take care of them or be a blessing to them be patient with them
You know if someone comes to our church and they don't believe or they believe the sodomites can be saved
You know, or you know, they believe some doctrine that we would that I like rip on and preach hard against be patient with them
You believe that in the world, you know, this is faithful about this church
You know, have you heard this sermon and they're like, I don't know. What were you talking about? It's like dude
It's a Romans one. Have you memorized it yet?
You know don't just jump down people's throats if they don't believe the right doctrines
Okay, where's that well you're jumping down our throat yeah, but this is church I'm behind the Pope and I'm preaching the Bible
But I'm talking about on a one-on-one situation. You're you don't have a pulpit in front of you when you're talking to people
You're not just like hey, you know, you're not just ripping face
You need to make sure that when you're talking to people one-on-one that you're very kind to them and be patient if they said
Yeah, you know, yeah, cuz the God Jesus could come in any moment, right?
You know, they'll be like what and just throw after the tribulation at their face
Be like, well, you know
Actually the Bible says something a little different and guess what you actually have an opportunity to be a pivotal change in that person's life
By teaching them the right doctrine and then years later they'll say man
I used to say something dumb like that and then brother so-and-so in patience and kindness taught me the right way
That's what you want
You don't want to be known as this arrogant fool who just opens their mouth and just condemns anybody who doesn't believe just like you
And let me say this you didn't believe everything at all at one point either
You have to come across these truths as well and it took time for you to come across these truths
So you need to be patient towards all men if they don't believe exactly the way you do or the way even we do
Okay
The Bible tells us in Romans chapter 14 verse 1 him that is weak in the faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations
So it gives us the balance there
We need to be patient towards all men
But if we see that this person just wants to fight or argue, okay, then put the pulpit in front of you
Okay, and at that point you need to correct it and and if they're trying to spread that stuff in our church
Then that's a different story. Okay, then we crack skulls, right?
The Bible tells us verse 2 for one believe it that he may eat all things another who is weak eateth herbs
Keep that in mind, right?
Just kidding verse 3 let not him that is that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not judge him
That eateth for God hath received him. So we want to make sure and what helps us to be this way is maturity
Okay, gotta grow up
Okay, and remember what we talked about this morning have zeal don't lose your zeal, but make sure you have it according to knowledge
Okay, make sure you couple your zeal with knowledge because if you only have zeal you have no knowledge
You're not gonna get anything done. No one's gonna take you serious. Okay
now
Go with me if you would to Proverbs chapter 29
Let me read to you from Galatians 6 verse 1 says brethren if a man be to overtake it in the fall
Ye, which are spiritual restore such in one in a spirit of meekness considering thyself lest thou also be tempted bury one another's burdens
And so fulfill the law of Christ. So it gives us a command here that we which are spiritual
We should restore someone in a spirit of what meekness
So if you're not doing that guess what the Bible saying you're not spiritual
Doesn't matter how spiritual you want to portray yourself because you know the Bible and you know all these doctrines
The Bible says ye which are spiritual restore since you're one in the spirit of meekness
You see someone who's spiritual is not just looking just pour out all kinds of knowledge on someone they actually hold it in until afterwards
Okay
Now commandment number six is be patient toward all men and we already hit a little bit on that
But I want to I want to talk a little bit more about that be patient. So patience is a virtue, isn't it?
You know patience is the ability to wait and not put deadlines on everything not give God a deadline for something
All right, it's the ability to just wait patiently wait on the Lord
Proverbs 14 29 says he that is slow to wrath is of great understanding, but he that is hasty of spirit
Exalted folly
So what's the opposite of being patient being hasty?
Okay, you see if you're patient toward all men if someone's irritating you you're just not you're not just gonna like
strangle them
That's being hasty
Someone who is hasty in spirit
Doesn't have any patience and they just jump over everyone. This could be applied in any area of life
Let's say for example, if you have children, okay, we need to make sure that we're patient with our children
And if they don't obey
obviously
Punishment has to be executed. We need to chastise children, but we need to be patient with them as well and not hasty
You know if they don't be just a fish
Don't smack by the way. That's not the right type of discipline
Smacking someone across the mouth. It's not the right kind of discipline
It got kind of quiet on that one, man. Maybe I should tuck park it down there just a little more
Amen now look I grew up in a Hispanic home where it was no holds barred MMA style
you know
Spartan just things were flying
My I could be across the room. My mom would be like boom chancla and it would spot-on
Accuracy. Yes. Okay, and
You know, I didn't get whooped the right way. Okay, I got it across the mouth a couple times
you know and
You know, I remember when I when I first started coming to church and my old church
They taught about they taught about chastising children and I was like, oh cool. Yeah, that's what my mom used to do, too
You know, that's why I'm not daddy man. That's not that's why I'm not involved in gangs and
And I remember they were talking about like, you know spanking on the bottom the hinder parts. I was like, whoa, what?
What do you know? What do you mean spanking on the bottom? Really? I'm like man. I got everything but the bottom
You know, but really that is the appropriate way to chastise that is the appropriate way to discipline, okay
Now someone who is hasty doesn't wait to just spank someone on the bottom. What do they do?
They just smack them across the face. They grab them by the hair or whatever, you know, it's getting quiet man
Maybe you're gonna talk about this a little more, you know, that's not that that's that's that's called abuse
Okay, and that is a characteristic of someone who is just hasty
They don't have any self-control someone just drives you over the edge is what they do
Okay, and look punching is not valid either
Okay, that's abuse
Okay, I see some smiles. I don't know why I'm doing smiles here, you know punching or anything of that matter
But see someone who's patient understand that there's a proper way to discipline a child
okay, and
so
When a child does not obey right away look, by the way
Delayed obedience is disobedience
Okay, delayed obedience is disobedience
Okay, you know and our children are my son. He gets chastised if he doesn't obey right away
Okay, and look he's going through a season right now where he's delaying his obedience and you know what we're patient
We're chastising him, but we're being patient with him. I even told my wife he's going through a season right now
But we just got to keep doing what God tells us to do
Because we trust God that that's what's gonna work
But I'm not just like gonna drop my son just like why don't you listen
No, I want to train him. I
Love my son. And so there has to be an element of patience
And of course that stems from genuine love towards your children
Do you want them not to depart from the ways of the Lord therefore you're gonna chastise him properly
Okay, and this isn't a sermon about discipline
But that that's very important to talk about that look at Proverbs 29 verse 20 see it's now a man that is hasty in his
words
There's more hope of a fool than of him
Yeah, so someone who's not what does that show that someone who is hasty just blurts out everything that comes to mind
Okay, someone who is patient holds it in until afterwards
Ecclesiastes 5 to says be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God
For God is in heaven and thou upon earth
Therefore let thy words be few go back to to second or excuse me first Thessalonians chapter 5
So
Be patient and be long suffering towards one another be long suffering towards your wife
Look if you're in a relationship, if you have a marriage where you seem to be
Accelerating a little faster than your spouse or whatever, you know, you need to be patient with them
You know, but she doesn't realize that the homos can't be saved and all these other things
Well, then, you know, you need to be patient
Okay, just because you got it right off the bat five years later
You know, you're trying to shove it down her throat give her time to learn these things
And look even when I started dating my wife, I didn't tell her about anything. I believe in regards to post-trib
Jews and homos I didn't tell her any of those things
Okay, I didn't why cuz it's not relevant
How's that relevant to me marrying my wife?
Okay, it's not now what you know, you know when it's relevant when I'm defending it
From the pulpit that's when it's relevant. So even when we got married
She still didn't know I was post-trib pre-wrath
Yeah, Wow, exactly. I
Didn't tell her that until even after we got I think we're like on our way to go visit
my father-in-law and somehow the conversation came up and I
Kindly told her that I was post-trib when I was explaining to her and she was just like
Are you saying we're gonna go through tribulation? I said, no, that's just what the Bible says, you know and
I wasn't like yeah, don't you read the read the Bible Sarah?
Matthew 24 read it there
You're not going anywhere now
We're stuck. Yeah, you're stuck with me
No, I and you know what it kind of scared her in the beginning, but you know, I wasn't like why aren't you getting this?
Patience
You gotta be patient and look there's a lifetime to learn these things
But just because they don't get it right away
Doesn't mean they're like heretical or anything like that
you know, you just got to be patient with them and
Don't decelerate your spiritual growth, but help lovingly bring her along though
Okay, so you don't have to regress
Spiritually in order to help your wife to catch up. You just got to help your wife catch up
Okay, but that happens as you're what?
Patient you're not hasty. You're being kind you're not shoving it down her throat
Okay, so look when you start dating someone it's like all right. Are you post-trib?
Do you hate homos?
What do you mean you don't I don't know I don't know if this is gonna work out
It's like are really are those the pillars of truth of doctrine that you you know for my wife is like she saved
She's godly. We share the same core values
We wanted a big family. I wanted to remain a Baptist for the rest of my life till I died. So does she
You know, we we we had the same standards
You know, I wanted 20 kids. So does she
We all shared like those say we shared those same core values and when you have the same core values
Everything else just kind of falls into place
Okay, it's easier to accept if you have the same core, but your core values are not are you post-trib?
You hate homos and you believe the Jews are God's chosen people
Okay, you know you got to make sure and then and by the way, I'm not saying that when you're dating
You shouldn't ask certain questions. You should now. I'm not even gonna tell you what I had to go through
Because that's a two-part series of what I went through to get my wife, okay, my father-in-law had me answer 400
painstaking questions
To marry my wife. Okay, and I remember he told me this we're taking a commercial break from the scriptures, right?
You guys want to know this? I know you do, you know, he told me this he said look
Once I give you the green light to date my daughter. She's all yours man. She's gonna like you and I was like, oh man cool
He goes, but that's why you got to go through me
Because I need a filter who you are, you know
so here's a foreigner questions and there are some hard questions in there and he goes you need to be honest and
you know, it was just like man, well if I want that to bless me, I gotta be honest on these questions and
Let's just say that I went to hell and back. Okay, but my soul was not left in hell neither did my flesh see corruption
But he filtered a lot of that and but at the end of the day it was for the sake of knowing whether we have
The same core values if we're going in the same direction and that's really what's important. Are you guys going in the same direction?
Do you esteem the same things the things of God by the way?
You're as a Christian your marriage and your relationship should be centered around what God
Church
the Bible
You know
That which is most important if you guys don't have those things in common, you know, it's probably not gonna work
If church is not important to one or the other it's probably not gonna work if church is important to one person
But it's not important to the other. It's probably not gonna work. You know, what's gonna happen when you get married
You're gonna be coming to church alone
That's a hard that's a hard saying right there, isn't it? But you know, it's fact
And let me just be honest with you that happens a lot
Okay, and if they happen it's happening to you. I'm not getting on you
I'm just saying I'm just stating facts for those who have not gotten married yet
You know, you want to make sure you have the same core values and
This is a dating sermon now, I turned into a dating sermon, you know
And look if you're in that situation that you're married and your wife's not following you then you need to be followable
You need to be the right kind of leader
Okay, because you can't make your wife do something and if you do she's not gonna do it with the right spirit
You got to lead your wife to do those things
You know, I want my wife to want to come to church I want my wife to want to learn these doctrines
Because our relationship is that much better if she does
You know, we enjoy that much the more sometimes I mean over the last couple like week or so
We've been going to sleep late. You know why because we just enjoy talking to each other about our core values
Can you believe that I like talking to my wife?
And you know what? She likes talking to me back
You know about the same core values, but that's important
That's why you need to make sure that your core values are set in place
Okay, and that's another sermon for another day, but that's good
Now look at 1st Corinthians chapter 5 verse 15 says see that none render evil for evil into any man
So what's the next commandment the seventh commandment is this we should never have a vengeful spirit towards our brethren
Okay, you know vengeance is mine. Say it the Lord
I will repay God is the one who exercises vengeance upon someone who has wronged you
But at the end of the day, we should not render evil for evil
now that is in marriage as well first Peter 3 verse 9 says not rendering evil for evil or
Railing for railing but contrary wise blessings knowing that you are there unto call that you should inherit a blessing
What does that mean if you and your wife get in a fight or an argument?
You know, don't just like rail on each other and see who can get the last word
That's not what the Bible tells us to do
Render blessing, you know your goal and you say well, how's this supposed to help me? I'm not married yet. Yeah, write it down
Yeah, you should be learning this the most
No, I'm now, you know, I'm not gonna get married for a long time then guess what you have that much more to prepare
You know get these things ingrained into your heart don't act like a know-it-all and learn these things
You need to make sure that when because look when you get married, you're not gonna agree on everything
Believe it or not. There's gonna be some some some loud discussions
You guys are gonna have when your wife and you don't agree now
By the way, part of that is getting down that core value together that who's in charge. The man is I
Said the man's in charge
Right. Oh, you know
Well, you know what feminazis are not welcomed here
Okay, this is not a feminazi Church
Okay, this is a biblical church where we believe that the man is in charge
Right. Are you trying to say that he's better than the woman? No, it's just that the man is in charge
Your boss at work is no better than you. But guess what? He's the boss
He's in charge
So a part of the man being in charge, guess what the wife is in submission to the man
So if there is a conflict there
The man is in charge of resolving that conflict and guess what?
The woman's in charge to submit to whatever takes place and here's the thing if a man is a good leader
You know, he will submit to her as well at times to submit to her desires
Even though maybe he's wrong or she's wrong. He can say you know what I was wrong for that
I'm sorry, but you know, we're still gonna do it this way
Okay, cuz that's my that's my final decision. And you know, and if she if she understands God's order, she'll say alright, let's do it
You know, that's it that's why I say it's important that when you before you get married you establish those core values
So who's in charge?
By the way, don't tell her who's in charge
You think you're gonna run me
I'm not henpecked, you know, no, but you know say what do you believe about God's order?
You know as far as marriage is concerned, you know, who would be considered the leader in this relationship if we got married?
What would you say, you know and be honest, okay?
now
In church, how do we resolve these problems in church go to Matthew chapter 18?
So what if someone wrongs you in church
okay, and they they do you wrong or something and they did a fraud you for whatever reason and
It it causes a big problem. Well look at verse 15 moreover if thy brother trespass against thee
Go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou has gained thy brother
If you will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more
Then in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established and if you neglect to hear them
Tell it unto the church
But if you neglect to hear the church let him be unto thee as a heathen man and as a publican
Now, so what is it saying there? These are your chances right here that you're getting? Okay now
Samuel has been emailing and texting me saying, you know, you didn't use Matthew 18 on me
Oh, yeah, cuz you're heathen in the publican
And I already got the witness of two or three people about what you said
and by the way
Samuel if you really want to go about it a biblical way
Why are you texting Chris Camacho saying brother? He is wrong. You and I need to stand together on the truth
You know what that's called? That's called you railing
So you're doing this same exact thing that I threw you out for you're just confirming and solidifying my decision
And by the way, Samuel everyone in our church agrees you should not be here
So that's how we resolve conflicts, okay now have we have we done that in times past within the last year, of course
But have we done it a lot? No, you know why because at the end of the day mature people can just resolve conflicts
And look if you have a problem with someone
Go talk to them
Okay, I'm gonna use this as an illustration Paul, right
Paul and I had a little bit of conflict in the morning
But you know what? You know what Paul did afterwards you say hey, man
Can we talk we talk right afterwards and we squashed it and it was all good
We did the gangster, you know
It was all good
You know, but I'm not what you know why because there's two mature people
Who are willing to just put things aside and say, you know, this isn't important. Let's just squash and move on
You had conflict with someone in the church, yeah, you're gonna have conflict too
You know why cuz we're all sinners
It will all say things that we shouldn't say do things we shouldn't do
It becomes a problem if you don't know how to resolve it
You know, you're beefing with someone so therefore you're sitting on this side and that person's sitting on this side
You don't say hi to them when you come to church. You don't even want to look at them. That's childish
The right thing to do is say hey man, can we talk?
Okay, and by the way not through text messages either
Don't squash anything through Facebook or message or text messages. That's not the way you resolve problems
By the way, what would people do before text messages, you know
You have this long thread of text messages of you were trying to resolve conflicts with someone else face to face
You know why because people are more bold
behind a phone
You say things behind the screen that you wouldn't say face to face
That's why it's important when you're resolving a conflict go talk to them to their face
Okay
now
First Thessalonians 5 excuse me 5 verse 15 says but ever follow that which is good both among yourselves and to all
Men and this is just in reference to basically going in the right direction
You know
We ought to ever follow that which is good
Our life should be characterized as being those who are trying to follow that which is good
Going in the right direction always growing always doing that which is pleasing in the eyes of the Lord
It says in verse 16. I like this rejoice ever more
now
To rejoice ever more doesn't mean like yeah, you just constantly like on a high. Okay. What does that mean?
We ought to have a disposition of joy
Okay
So what would that mean to someone who doesn't have disposition of joy? You should never be characterized as being a moody person
You know where your feelings are always hurt day in and day out
everyone
has
You know everyone you couldn't have a bad day. We all have bad days. Okay, how many having a bad bad day this week?
Raise your hand. Yeah, I'll be honest. Okay. Yeah, we've all had a bad day
Okay, and we have a bad day you're in a bad mood
But you know what? You should not be characterized as being someone who's always in a bad mood
Why because rejoice evermore, that's why
Because your name is written down in heaven, that's why because at the end of the day no matter how much you lose
You're still going to heaven
So God is giving you something to really look forward to so no matter what bad things happen. You could always be rejoiceful
You see those those are teeth you should use those to smile
okay, and
Be a joyful person. Don't don't wear your emotions on your sleeves
Okay
Don't be the kind of person is just constantly moody constantly mad constantly upset and there's no one like that in our church
But this is an admonition here. Hey rejoice evermore
Be someone who has a joyful disposition and look let me be honest with you is
Part of having social skills in life is that people like to be around those who are happy
Right. They don't want to be around moody people
Like I don't want to be around this person because they look like they can blow any moment
You like to be around the people who are joyful and I'm not saying like joyful as in like you just got to be
This eccentric person. It is like
Roses and daisies every day nothing bad ever happens, but someone who obviously no matter what they're going through
They're gonna have a joyful disposition. Okay, that's contagious. By the way, when someone is happy, they're joyful that rubs off on other people
All right
Commandment number 10 pray without ceasing
Now
Again, praying without ceasing. What does that look like?
It doesn't mean you get down on your knees every single day throughout the day and pray
It means you I think a good example is this of this is Nehemiah
Where you see throughout the book of Nehemiah as he's talking to the king or he's going through an issue. He's constantly praying
I mean the verses literally jump from a conversation with a man to a conversation with God and then a conversation with the man again
What is that? He's praying without ceasing just having the mental
Understanding that God is always present
You can always reach out and talk to God and ask for wisdom at any time that you need
Look at commandment number 11 verse 18 says and everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you
I'm gonna skip that one because I think that's pretty self-explanatory
Let's go to verse 19 quench not the spirit
Now, what does it mean to quench it means to eliminate? Okay
Now let me explain something here when you get saved
The Bible tells us in Ephesians 1 verse 13 and 14 that we're in dwell with the Holy Spirit of God
The Bible calls him the earnest of our inheritance unto the redemption of the purchase possession. What is the purchase possession your whole body?
Your whole self is completely purchased. Okay, that's what the Bible tells us that you are purchased by the blood of Christ
But what is the earnest of our inheritance of the purchase possession? It's the Holy Spirit
Earnest simply means like a down payment to deposit
so what does God do before he purchases the entire thing he puts a down payment and he puts his Holy Spirit within you and
Romans 8 it says that we wait to wit the redemption of our bodies
Okay, so our flesh is not saved yet
Our spirit is and we're waiting for that salvation of our flesh that redemption of our bodies. That's why we still sin
That's why we struggle with certain things now
That's the indwelling of the Spirit but then God gives the command to walk in the Spirit, okay
Look at Galatians chapter 5
Galatians chapter 5
The Bible tells us in Galatians chapter 5 and verse 16 this I say then walk in the Spirit and
Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that you cannot
Do the things that you would so it's telling us there. Hey, if you walk in the Spirit
What does that look like reading the Bible?
You know
Saying no to certain sinful
temptations that you may have
Praying doing those things which are pleasing unto the Lord that is walking in the Spirit
The Bible says if you do those things, you're not gonna fulfill the lusts of the flesh
What does that mean if you're tempted to do something bad and you decide to pray
For God to help you to overcome that that's you walking in the Spirit
Okay, but the Bible also tells us to be filled with the Spirit Ephesians 5 18 says and be not drunk with wine
We're in his exes, but be filled with the Spirit now
So what does it mean to quench not the Spirit in other words when you're reading the Bible, for example
And the Bible tells us that his words are spirit and they are life when you're reading the Bible or you're hearing a sermon
All right, because the sermon is it is a manifestation of God's Word
And you know that it's right to do and you don't do it. Guess what? You just did you just quench the Spirit
Okay, because he that knoweth to do good and do it than not it is sin
So if you see something in the Bible and it contradicts something that you're doing or you know
You're supposed to change in a certain way or you hear a sermon and it's hitting on your sin
And you're like that sounds right, but I'm not gonna do it. You just quench the Spirit
I'm not gonna submit to my husband. I don't care what he said. Okay, you just quench the Spirit then
Okay, and look the more you quench the Spirit the harder it is to obey God's Word
Okay, the more you quench the Spirit and you give in to sin the easier it is to give in to sin afterwards
See the Bible tells us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might
That's not a cliche verse
That's reality when you're obeying God
Guess what you become you become strong in the Lord and in the power of his might
Strong to overcome sin strong to preach the Word of God strong to have mental acuteness to discern
What is good and what is right inside of the Lord?
These are strengths that people need but if you're not if you're constantly quenching the Spirit and you're not obeying these commands
Guess what? You'll be weak
See the Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak
So what do we have today if someone is constantly quenching the Spirit then you have people who want to do, right?
But they have a hard time doing right
You know why because they're not strong in the Lord and in the power of his might
Okay, so that's a hard position to be in because you know, you're supposed to be doing right
You know you're doing it wrong, but you have a hard time doing right. It's because you're not walking in the Spirit
You're not asking God to fill you with the Spirit. You're quenching. The Spirit is what you're doing
All right, so that's why that command is there
Now look at command 13
verse 20 says despise not prophesying
Now what a prophesying that doesn't mean foretelling the future. Okay. Now I despise that kind of prophecy
You know TD Jakes and whoever else false prophet out there that says they have dreams and they give you extra biblical revelation
I'm against that
Every Pentecostal pastor that gets up from behind the pulpit and starts talking about his dreams. I have a dream. I
despise those prophesying
But when the Bible talks about prophecy I was talking about preaching God's Word that's what that's referring to
Okay, go to 2nd Timothy chapter 4
2nd Timothy chapter 4
Look at 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse number 1
It says I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing in
his kingdom preach the word
Be instant in season out of season and look at these elements here of preaching reprove
rebuke
Exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. So what does preaching have to have has to have reproof?
It has to have rebuke. Oh, those are two negatives
It has to have exhortation longsuffering and doctrine
So, you know what kind of preaching I despise
That which lacks any of those elements right there
So if you have exhortation, but you don't have doctrine reproof or rebuke I hate that kind of preaching
That's Joel's thing preaching right there
All exhortation and no rebuke no reproof. Oh, but they love people
God says the way you preach is by reproving rebuking and exhorting with all longsuffering and doctrine who knows more Joel's thing or God
This is the kind of this is the kind of preaching that is needed today
You can't run a car with positive only batteries
You need both positive and negative to get that thing going
You know when you eat food you need something that's savory but you also need that which is bitter like vegetables
You need that contrast why because that's what's needful it's imbalanced if you don't have reproof rebuking and you only have exhortation
But it also says there do you have to have doctrine what is that teaching?
You got to teach what the Bible says
So this is the kind of preaching that is actually despised today, isn't it?
We're proven rebuking exhorting. They'll say oh, you know, you're unloving. Yeah, you're right. I am unloving towards sin
I'm unloving towards those workers of iniquity. I'm unloving towards the things that God wants me to hate. Absolutely
But God says here this is the kind of preaching so if you're not supposed to despise this kind of preaching
What are we supposed to do? We're supposed to love it
You know
We're supposed to say I love this preaching the kind of preaching the rifts my face off and calls my sin and tells it like
It is that's what I love. Okay
Verse 3 for the time will come
When they will not endure sound doctrine
But after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers?
Having itching ears and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned onto fables
So any kind of preaching that's lacking those elements is considered what a fable?
And look, what's a fable? It's a story and what's most of the preaching out there story time
Where they give one verse and the rest of the sermon is just an entire story
No, we need more Bible than we have stories. We need more doctrine than stories
The Bible tells us in Titus 1 3 but hath in due times
Manifested his word through preaching which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior
now
Let's look at the one of the last commands here commandment 14
Prove all things hold fast that which is good and I'm gonna I'm gonna skip some of this because we're already out of time
commandment 15 the last commandment
abstain from all appearance of evil
Okay
Now, what does that mean?
So when you it doesn't say abstain from evil, that's pretty obvious. So we're supposed to abstain from evil, right?
It tells us to abstain from the appearance of you. You see abstaining from evil
Benefits you
abstaining from the appearance of evil actually benefits others
Because the appearance is referring to the people who are actually watching you do that what you're doing. Okay now
Go to first Timothy chapter 3
The Bible tells us in Philippians 2 3 let nothing be done through strife or vainglory
But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves
So look at first Timothy 3 7 it says moreover. He must have a good report of them which are without
Lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil
So what does it mean to abstain from all appearance of evil? It means to basically have a good report with people
Okay. Now it doesn't it doesn't say that you're involved in evil
It says you shouldn't do things that even would appear to be evil
Now, let me give you some tips here. Now. This is not the Lord commanding here. This is my opinion
These are some of the standards that I've had in my personal life in order to abstain from the appearance of evil
If you do these things you're not a wicked person you're not a heretic but I would say you're just not wise
Okay, you're not abstaining from the appearance of evil
So what are some ways we can abstain from the appearance of evil never ride alone in a car with the person of the opposite?
gender
Unless it's a close relative or spouse
You're weird. All right, whatever peculiar I prefer peculiar, okay
Never ride alone in the car. Why is that?
You might not be doing anything evil
Okay, you might not but who knows that?
You see back in my days as a young person people who rode alone alone together in cars never did anything right in there
Okay, and no one knows that so the way you can abstain from that is don't ride in a car alone with the girl
After I got saved I never rode alone in a car with the girl
Why because first of all, I didn't trust myself
You know what I'm saying if I'm riding alone in a car with a girl I'm not a homo I'm a red-blooded man
Okay, and I don't want to put myself in a position where I could potentially do something that can damage my walk with God
Okay. Well, I don't agree with it then, you know then don't do it then whatever do whatever you want
I'm just giving you some tips to abstain from the appearance of evil. Okay now
the Bible tells us
Also or excuse me another another way that can help is this never go to places of ill repute to win souls
for example a bar
Okay, don't go to bar
Bars to win people to Christ or to pick up on chicks
Okay, it's just a wall. I'm not drinking. I'm sure I'm having a cup of milk
Yeah, but if you're going into that bar, guess what if a Christian drives by and sees you going in there
They don't think you're getting a glass of milk
Oh, it's just you know, so-and-so they're just gonna go grab milk. They're gonna have a soda
They don't think that you're going to a bar
And by the way, if you really want to win souls go with us
We get more done. Anyways going door-to-door. I don't care what anybody says and how they try to downplay soul-winning the door-to-door doesn't work
Okay, we have more success if we door-to-door works great
In fact within the last year, we've almost seen 2,000 people saved door-to-door
That works you don't need to go to some bar
And by the way, if you're going to a bar to pick up on a girl's crying out a good girl
Probably some whore drunkard
Who's been who's been sleeping around her entire life? I
Don't like that. You're saying whores in the Bible
It's the right phrase for that person, you know
Don't go to a bar and you may not be even drinking there, but it's the appearance of evil
You know and look
It's never good to go anywhere like at 12 midnight or 1 o'clock in the morning, which is when people are at the bars
Okay
Now this third one is a sin. So I misspoke in the beginning
I said some of these are not are all these they're not sinful. This one is sinful. Okay?
abstain from any participation in Halloween festivities
Why but I have my frozen costume already I
Got my my clown I got all these things ready. What are you talking about? We're having fun
Look study the origins of Halloween. It's wicked as hell
pun intended
Okay
Halloween comes from Satan they have see and look you go to any front lawn of any person celebrating Halloween
Why are there corpses in the front you think that's godly?
You
Know I think someone just told me recently who was I think Paul. Did you tell me about that?
The grim reaper that had a child
He was telling me that now they have this grim reaper who's like killing a child as one of those props that you put on
your front lawn
That's wicked
Abstain from any participation in Halloween and people say this
We're just trying to have fun
You know the dressing like frozen
You know that rebellious little girl on Disney by the way all the princes in Disney are rebellious
Stole that in there. Okay, you study any of those princesses. They're always going against authority
They're always going against their dad's authority. No one should be a part of that. But you know, they'll say this
Well, we're just trying to have fun. You know, it's not bad. You know, we're just trying to have recreation
Well, you know what alcoholics when they drink they're just trying to have fun
So does that mean it's not sinful?
You know when people start for indicating they're doing it because it's recreation
Does that mean it's not sinful? Of course it is
So just because you put the label of recreation. Oh, okay, go for it and do it
You know what?
I'm sick and tired of
Pastors who don't preach on this and in fact, they permit their church members to go and do certain do Halloween
You know why because their own kids are doing it. That's why and in times past they actually preach against it until they're
15-year-old 18 year old started doing it and going back snatching and dressing up to
All Halloween is not that bad. No, it is bad. Even if your children are doing it
You know what and if you want to do something for Halloween come to church we're gonna eat here
I'll even have candy for you if you want
You want some candy? I'll give you some candy
Okay
But you know the costumes why would you want to pretend like someone that you're not?
Why don't you put on the Lord Jesus Christ
You know put on the Lord Jesus Christ and don't fulfill the lust of the flesh
I'm certain instead of trying to act like someone who you're not
You know these ghouls and goblins with these satanic and demonic origins
Okay
abstain from the appearance of
evil
Doesn't even if it's a princess she's evil to
Her and her rebellious self who can be under authority who's teaching other little girls to be just like her
Okay, well Disney is it's just like, you know little child children's fun thing and no they're teaching their kids how to be rebellious I
Don't care how innocent Beauty and the Beast is sick. It's called bestiality is what it is. That's what they should call it
The Bible says in first Timothy 611
But thou old man of God believe these things and follow after righteousness godliness faith love patience
Meekness, that's what we should be following and look
I'll admit it man. I used to celebrate Halloween
I was out there with a knife in the chest and portruting out of your chest cavity
I was out there trick-or-treating but you know when I came to the knowledge of the truth and I was reproved
You know then I changed that
Because I want to go with what God says now what the culture is doing
okay, and
It's not necessary recreation. Anyways, because Halloween is prime time for pedophilia and
Predators to go out and snatch kids
Why would you send your child to a a stranger's door who you don't know to give them candy and apples?
How you know, they're not putting syringes and you think wicked people don't exist
That's prime time for pedophilia
You know wisdom have some wisdom
Abstain from the appearance of you don't even be a part of those things
So what's the sermon today? Let's obey these 15 Commandments a man. I know it's a lot
No, it was a lot tonight, but I think I think the chapter is great
And it has a lot of meaty things that we need to be reminded of. All right
So that's pretty much let's bow heads and have a word of prayer father
We thank you so much for first Thessalonians chapter 5
I pray God that you'd help us to apply these doctrines to our lives and
I pray that you'd help us especially to abstain from all appearance of evil and
And in order to obey that it requires us to be mindful of other people
Obviously, we don't care what people think about us
But we don't want to cause someone to stumble based upon an action or an event that we're a part of
That would cause them to think that we're doing something bad and I pray God that you'd help us Lord to be mindful of others
And to obey these commandments and in Jesus name we pray. Amen