man all right the title of the sermon this morning is when envy is rottenness
up to the bones when envy is the rottenness of the bones look down at
your Bibles of Proverbs chapter 14 and verse 30 it says a sound heart is the
life of the flesh but envy the rottenness of the bones now this is a
good Christmas sermon amen talking about envy and the rottenness of the bones now
I'll find a way to apply it to Christmas okay we'll make it applicable
to that now what is what does it mean to envy well envy is when a person
disdains another for their advantages successes and or achievements okay and
the twin sister of envy is actually covetousness now there are two sins in
the these are two sins in the Bible that the Bible talks about extensively and in
fact the sin of covetousness is so grievous in the eyes of God that the
person who is guilty of covetousness who refuses to repent of that sin merits
being excommunicated from their local assembly that's how grievous that sin is
in the eyes of God according to 1st Corinthians chapter number 5 now what
is covetousness well covetousness is when a person eagerly desires riches
wealth whether belonging to them to another person or you know this is just
something that they see whether it's ads that they see or people's things they
see whatever it may be it's possessions that they desire eagerly okay and the
Bible tells us go with me if you would to you're in Proverbs go with me if you
would to Proverbs chapter 27 I'm gonna reach you from 1st Timothy chapter 3
verse 9 it says but they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare
and it's in many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and
perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some
coveted after they have erred from the faith and have pierced themselves
through with many sorrows so what is a covetous person it's a person who wills
to be rich they want to be rich that is their main focus they desire possessions
wealth and riches and it causes them to have a covetous attitude a covetous
spirit and you know what when you're around covetous people you become
covetous yourself you know when you are around people who know the name brands
and know all the the current styles and everything that's how actually you end
up becoming because you're around those types of people now the Bible tells us
in Exodus 20 verse 17 thou shall not covet thy neighbor's house thou shall
not covet thy neighbor's wife that nor his manservant nor his maidservant nor
his axe nor his excuse me nor his ox nor his ass nor anything that is thy
neighbors and this is important today because of the fact that we are in the
Christmas season and during the Christmas season there's a lot of
shopping taking place and you might be one of those people who are just broke
okay you're like I can't afford presents I can't afford possessions I
can't afford to buy purchase things for my children you know I can't afford it
and yet my neighbor who's wicked this this sinner who's my neighbor you know
they have the finances for these things they seem to be living it up and they
seem to be doing well well envy not the sinner amen fret not thyself because of
them who prosper in the way the Bible tells us you know and the answer to a
covetous attitude is contentment being content with such things as you have
okay you know but envy is the summit of covetousness it is the acme of the sin
of coveting because it is the act of disdaining the person whom you are
coveting so when you begin to covet someone because of their possessions
because of their successes their achievements you begin to cover what
they have eventually it turns into envy you begin to envy the person whom you
are coveting and it's actually worse because you actually want them to fail
you don't want them to succeed you don't want them to go forward and prosper
because you envy them this is a wicked sin and this is why the Bible tells us
that envy is the rottenness of the bones why is that well because covetousness
starts in the heart and it begins to flesh itself out because of envy you
know what it does it destroys you from the inside out that's what it does
that's why envy is rottenness to the bones because it destroys you from the
inside out it will eat you up it starts in the heart when you covet and
culminates into the actions towards the person that you are envying look at
Proverbs 27 in verse number one it says boast not thyself of tomorrow for thou
knowest not what a day may bring forth let another man praise thee and not
thine own mouth a stranger and not thine own lips a stone is heavy and sand is
weighty but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both and by the way wrath is
sinful too is it not when you have wrath towards someone you want to harm them
you desire violence upon that person we're not talking about you know false
prophets and reparations I'm just talking about the regular sinners it's
sinful to have wrath towards a person right because they they're your enemy or
because they did you wrong they defrauded you so here it's telling us
that a fool's wrath is heavier than both the stone and the sand that is weighty
verse 4 says wrath is cruel anger is outrageous but look what it says but who
is able to stand before envy you know why because the envious person is
capable of both wrath and anger because of the fact that they're coveting so
earnestly they're coveting so their their desire towards another person's
possessions their position or their accomplishments it's so great that they
disdain the person who's actually accomplishing those things or is
successful who's able to stand before a person who is envious you know who's
able to actually befriend a person who is envious how can you even have a good
relationship with the person who's constantly envious towards you or
towards others you know they don't have your best interest in mind these people
are not loving or caring you know these people want your position or they want
your accomplishments and your successes and it's scary to think that they'll be
do they're willing to do anything to get that and here's the thing their equation
is this they want to bring you down so they can go up right whereas what did
John the Baptist say I must decrease that he may increase humility is what's
important right a person who is envious is a person who is prideful and arrogant
so who's able to stand before the envious person you know you can't reason
with someone who passionately covets your successes and your accomplishments
they are green with envy you guys ever heard of the green-eyed monster you know
what does that mean it's a person who is basically like possessed with envy is
what it is to the point that they just give you the evil eye the envious eye
they don't like you and they befriend you to see what they can get out of you
okay but they're not putting anything into the friendship them in the
relationship they're filled with resentment go to first Corinthians
chapter number three if you would first Corinthians chapter number three look
what it says in verse number one and I brethren first Corinthians 3 verse 1 and
I brethren could not speak unto you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal even
as unto babes in Christ so the Bible's telling us here that a babe in Christ
obviously we understand that a baby in Christ is someone who is new in the
faith they're not really grounded in the Word of God they're saved but they have
not matured spiritually they're not they have not let go of childish things and
often someone who is a baby in Christ can act carnally fleshly okay not
spirit-filled and not walking in the spirit and even Paul's telling them look
I can't even speak to you as a spiritual person as a mature person I have to
speak unto you like a baby verse 2 I have fed you with milk and not with meat
for hitherto you are not able to bear it neither yet are yet now are ye able
for ye are yet carnal for whereas there is among you envying and strife and
division are ye not carnal and walk as men so what is something that is
synonymous with envying strife when people want to fight people criticize
slander you know lie about people this is known as railing and strife and it's
often coupled with someone who is envying them okay so he's saying look you
guys who are babes in Christ you guys who are carnal are those of you who are
striving and envying one another the Bible tells us in Romans 13 verse 13 go
with me if you would to go to Matthew chapter 27 if you would Matthew chapter
27 Romans 13 13 says let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting
and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying
the Bible tells us in Proverbs 23 verse 17 let not thine heart envy sinners but
be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long for surely there is an end and
thine expectation shall not be cut off so what does this tell us about envious
people envious people have an immediate expectation of something they want
something from a person they want something out of life they want
something from God but the Bible's telling us here that the remedy to that
is that you fear God amen you fear God you serve God and he tells us look thine
expectation shall not be cut off don't envy others now you think of Jesus
Christ our Savior and the Bible tells us that the Jews were envious of him you
know why is that look at verse 15 of Matthew 27 it says now at the feast the
governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner whom they would and
they had then a notable prisoner called Barabbas therefore when they were
gathered together Pilate said unto him whom will ye that I release unto you
Barabbas or Jesus which is called Christ verse 18 for he knew that for envy they
had delivered him so when who's he referring to when he talks about they
he's referring to the Jews the Jews envied Jesus Christ why did they reject
Jesus Christ as their Savior as their Messiah because they wanted something
that he had and they had a fear of being replaced okay look at Matthew 21 Matthew
21 holds a parable that clarifies why is it that the Jews were envious of Jesus
Christ because look even Pilate knew this is commonly reported apparently
when the unsaved governor Pilate knows that these people delivered Jesus Christ
for envy it's something that was obviously notable that they knew about
look at verse 34 look at verse 34 of Matthew 21 it says when the time of the
fruit drew near he sent his servants to the husband men that they might receive
the fruits of it and the husband men took his servants and beat one and
killed another and stoned another again he sent other servants more than the
first and they did unto them likewise but last of all he sent them to them his
son saying they will reverence my son this is obviously figurative and
symbolic of Jesus Christ but when the husband men who is symbolic of the Jews
by the way saw the son they said among themselves this is the heir come let us
kill him and let us seize on his inheritance and they caught him and cast
him out of the vineyard and slew him so what were the envious of well because
they are these people were children of the devil the devil wants to be like the
most high they wanted to they didn't want Jesus Christ to rule over them they
didn't want him as the Messiah what did they envy the fact that he was God they
envied the fact that he was deity that he's the son of God and for that reason
they delivered him now think about this because we're talking about envy how
much disdain should these people are these people had towards Jesus Christ
when they envied to the point that even crucified him they were willing to even
seize him kill him just completely make him to humiliate him and strip him of his
garments crucify him lie about him rail on him
why because they envied him and it goes to show you the lengths that people are
willing to go to towards people that they envy okay this morning I want to I
want us all especially of course during Christmas to to make sure that we avoid
this as much as possible this is a wicked sin and this is a sin that could
actually take place even within church you know you can be envious of someone
in the church because of their accomplishments because they win souls
or you know whatever it may be and you become envious that that person because
of how they look of their family or their possessions that they may have
this is a wicked sin and it'll destroy you okay now go to Acts chapter 7 if you
would Acts chapter 7 Acts chapter number 7 why do people envy well they
envy because they fear that others will succeed and that they themselves will
fail so it's it's a it's a complex that people have where they feel insecure
right but a person who is secure wants others to succeed right because people
who are secure in themselves they know that they're serving God they obviously
see the bigger picture okay and people who are envious on the other hand fear
others succeeding because they fear that everyone else will get the praise and
they won't they're afraid that others will get the pat on the back and that
they won't they're afraid that others are gonna get the thank you great job
brother great job sister and they won't who cares the envious person is the
carnal person the babe in Christ who is afraid that others may receive
acknowledgement from leaders or from regular church members and they don't
want that okay they envy other person's vision and dreams and goals look at Acts
chapter 7 in verse number 8 it says and he gave him the covenant of circumcision
and so Abraham begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day and Isaac
begat Jacob and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs and the patriarchs moved with
envy sold Joseph into Egypt but God was with him and delivered him out of all
his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of
Egypt and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house now let's go to
that story Genesis chapter 37 Genesis chapter 37 the patriarchs is referring
to Joseph's brethren and Joseph's brethren the Bible tells us were moved
with envy to the point where it moved them to sell him to a foreign people
into slavery eventually went to Egypt God worked it out together for good he
became the vice-pharaoh and what happened he saved much people alive
because of it okay but why were they moved with envy well look at Genesis 37
in verse 18 it says when they saw him afar off him referring to Joseph even
before he came near unto them they conspired against him to slay him good
night this is his brother this is their brother right they're watching them from
afar off and what are they doing they hate him they're conspiring to kill him
to slay means to kill him that this is wicked and remember acts chapter 7 is
telling us why because they were envious of him why is that verse 19 and they
said one to another behold this dreamer cometh so they're mocking him so
what are they really envious of their envious of the fact that God imparted
vision and dreams unto Joseph and not to them they're envious of the fact that
God is using Joseph and he's not using them that's what they're moved with
they're moved with envy because he's a dreamer right come now verse 20 therefore
let us slay him and cast him into some pit like that's gonna fix the problem
right you know killing him is not gonna help you get a vision and we will say
some evil beasts have devoured him and we shall see what will become of his
dreams man like here's here's a good solution let's just kill him and then we
don't have to worry about him dreaming and having visions and God using them
because God can't use a dead person right and Reuben heard it and he
delivered him out of their hands and said let us not kill him and Reuben said
unto him shed not his blood and but cast him into this pit that is in the
wilderness and lay no hand upon him that he might rid him out of their
hands to deliver him from to his father again and it came to pass when Joseph
was come unto his brethren that they stripped Joseph out of his coat his coat
of many colors that was on him and they took him and cast him into a pit and the
pit was empty there was no water in it and they sat down to eat bread and they
lifted up their eyes and looked and behold the company of Ishmaelites came
from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh going to
carry it down to Egypt and Judah said unto his brethren what profit is it if
we slay our brother and conceal his blood come let us sell him to the
Ishmaelites and let not our hand be upon him for he is our brother and our flesh
and his brethren were content they should have just been content with the
fact that God was using their brother now obviously Joseph is figurative and
he's symbolic of who Jesus Christ because of the fact that his brother
delivered them and it was for the same exact reason because they were envious
of him okay so God was using Joseph to impart a dream in order to save much
people alive he was a vessel that God was using now how can we apply that
principle today well the equivalent would be when God begins to use people
in our church you know God begins to exalt someone in our church that God
begins to use them in our church to do great works and you become envious of
that person how is that fleshed out criticizing them trying to downplay
well I don't really know if he really knows how to soul it how do we know if
they're really getting saved you know we got we got we got we got to check out
like oh he's really are you being envious why don't you just rejoice with
them you know why don't why don't you just rejoice over the fact that God is
using this person exalting them and God's hand is upon that person and
rejoice over that and look the work still getting done whether it's you
who's doing it or someone else in our church the work is still getting done
you know we need to rejoice with them there don't have this I'll behold this
dreamer coming right and look we want to be the kind of church that we're
dreaming we have we have not like visions like the Pentecostals okay we
want to have vision right where there is no vision the people perish but he that
keep it the law happy is he we don't want to be a church that's going
backwards we want to be thriving reaching people and dreaming and having
vision but look guys that doesn't mean that some other independent fundamental
Baptist Church can't dream and also fulfill God's will also you know oh
there's no good churches around here and in Southern California they're all lame
and whack and all these things okay yeah maybe they're preaching is a little lame
I get that but that doesn't mean they still can't do something great for God
and we don't want to decrease other churches that we may increase how do we
increase by us decreasing in the eyes of God by making sure that we stay humble
by you know reflecting the praise to others and to God when we get to
accomplish great things you know don't take all the credit recognize that the
reason that God is even blessing you it's not by your righteousness it's not
because you're upright in heart because often just like the children of Israel
we could be stiff-necked and prideful arrogant stubborn God uses the people
who remain humble or who are willing to be used by him okay and same thing with
churches and look if you're to ask me what church would you recommend I don't
I'm sorry I don't have a church that I can recommend I'm sorry in this area I
don't okay you're like well what church would you recommend if you just like had
to recommend you know I would say then go to my old church that's what I would
say I think God's still using the people there you know you know obviously
a lot of things that are going on in that church I don't agree with and I
think it's becoming like a deck of cards that's gonna come crashing down
eventually okay but there there's still a few names and Sardis there that God is
still using that are still going out so winning they believe right they're doing
right that's what I would recommend but here's the thing is we never want to
become this church where we think where we're just like God's gift to God
thank God that he found me you know thank this church better be thankful
they got me you know I'm like I'm a gift to this church okay I'm the gift that
keeps on giving don't ever think that you are just so high and mighty because
God can just take the carpet out from under you and just cause you to just
lose everything and we never want to be that kind of a church either I don't
think we are that kind of a church but less we should you know get that
attitude we should never have that attitude that we're just better than
everyone else okay and envy people if they do great works you know if we hear
about a church seeing a bunch of people say oh yeah but how do we even know
they're really gonna say it you know only we know how to preach the gospel
right they don't know how to do it right well you know if they have a false
prophet for a pastor I give you that okay if they have some wicked pastor
who believes in who preaches a repent of your sins he's some hyper dipstick who
believes in different Gospels okay duly noted but if he's a safe pastor who's
just watered down who just really watered down you know there's hope
there's hope because they got the Holy Spirit living within them they don't
have to be our stripe they don't have to be our flavor now look I like our flavor
I promote our flavor this is our flavor of church if you know I wasn't the
pastor here this is the church that I'd be going to okay but not everyone has to
be just like us okay you know the Bible tells us let us consider one another to
provoke unto love and to good work so what's the remedy to that we need to
provoke others to good works then you know don't criticize others what we
should be doing is by is provoking one another into good works by our example
and thank God even over the last two years of our existence of this church
there's a lot of churches who didn't agree with us now they're doing the
works they're doing the soul winning you know and it's because of what's going on
here and thank God for that and I'm not gonna downplay that you know if there's
a church out there that their main soul winning is through bus ministry so be it
so be as long as actually winning people because look I was in a bus
ministry I was a bus captain I was a bus worker and I got my bus kids saved I got
them baptized I got them saved I tried discipling them I loved them okay and
and then guess what I wasn't the only one who was doing that where did you
know there were not the only church you know this side of eternity in all of
history of mankind that has gone soul winning and preached right and believe
the poster at pre-wrath rapture no we're the ones no we're not it's in the
Bible that means they were teaching it in the Bible hello right we're not the
only one well yeah but we're like this is the most fiery soul winning no there's
probably people in the past who've done even more fiery soul winning than we
have sorry to burst your bubble there yeah but you know we're some of the
hardest preachers well you know I agree for this era but there's people who
preached even harder in times past okay and no one can out preach Jesus right
so don't have this this weird mentality that we're just like unique and like no
one's ever been like us and you know we got now obviously as we near the end
times knowledge will increase of the Word of God more works can be done
because of technology etc but don't have that attitude okay or it's just like no
we're the real deal you know Christianity hasn't really been the way
it's don't have this dispensational mentality that's dispensational right
this dispensational dispensational you know laid to see in church era where
everybody's been just lukewarm and and they just been cold and they're lame
Christians until we came along until the new IFB came along it's not the way it
works by the way look parents don't douse the flames of the zeal in your
children either you know if you weren't able to accomplish great things for God
in your lifetime don't try to keep your kids from accomplishing great things
okay let them dream big let them dream let them have a vision for God let them
just have zeal for the Lord okay and encourage that you know I'm thankful for
my wife because when my when my son begins to like talk like that she just
like go hangs on to his coattails is like can I join you can we go let's go
win people to Christ we want it we want to encourage that as much as possible
don't douse those flames church members should not douse the vision of other
churches who aren't just like us we should never have this we are better
attitude no one should ever you know no one should succeed but us okay and look
our church is growing and thank God for that and with the growth of our church
comes the the multiplication of teams so many teams okay no team leader and this
is not a problem that we're having but lest it should happen no team leader
should ever be envious of other team leaders groups oh man they're you know I
don't know if they're even really doing a good job over there if I was the team
leader or if you're just a regular church man you're not a team leader
don't criticize the team leaders if I was the team where I just do something
different well you're not a team leader so that says something right so that
that should like wake you up and show you if that's the kind of attitude you
have that's probably the reason why you're not a team leader okay this is
nonsense and look the reason why we have team leaders is so we can accomplish
more so we can get more done okay so don't be like Joseph's brethren who are
just envious at his dreams and his visions you know that God is using him
rejoice when God begins to use other people even if they use them at a
greater capacity than yourself if they see more soul saved in you great if they
preach greater sermons great if they do greater works great just rejoice don't
be an envious person go to Acts chapter 13 if you would I mentioned this but you
know the Jews had a fear of being replaced and their greatest fear came to
Florician you know we want to be replaced look you've been so replaced
that we even have we even call it replacement theology you're done you've
been replaced you're out of here you know that the Jews didn't want to be
replaced but their worst fear came to Florician when they were replaced and
what they should have done is just gotten saved and they didn't have to be
replaced they could have still been the chosen people of God but instead they
chose to do they were fearful that they were gonna be replaced they would they
try to hinder the work of God they try to hinder the Apostles and the soldiers
of the New Testament they try to you know they crucify Jesus Christ because
they were afraid of the influence expanding and look don't be afraid of
other people's influence right don't be afraid of other pastors influence I
don't fear anybody's in any pastors influence the only influence that I'm
afraid that people might have are false prophets right we don't want them to
have influence we want them to have as little influence as possible and that's
why we expose them that's why we call them out by name so people know who they
are and they stay away from they avoid these heretics and false prophets but if
someone is having influence if someone is growing in influence and God's hand
is on them rejoice over that well what if I'm replaced well the fact that
you're even thinking that you're probably are gonna be replaced because
you're not the type of person that should have influence right if you're
fearing that you're gonna be replaced and you're probably the type of person
that should not have influenced them look at Acts 13 verse 44 says the next
Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the Word of God people
began to listen to the preaching of God's Word but when the Jews saw the
multitudes they were filled with envy and spake against those things which are
spoken by Paul contradicting and blasphemy then Paul and Barnabas waxed
bold and said it was necessary that the Word of God should be should first have
been spoken to you but seeing he put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy
of everlasting life lo we turn to the Gentiles he's like man you guys are all
envious but you guys are rejecting the message you're being replaced now who
was also like this well King Herod you know he heard about the coming Messiah
the prophecy and he's like you know hey could you tell me where he's gonna be
born so I could worship him also and what did he do he just killed all the
children because he was afraid of being replaced as the king instead he should
have just been a righteous King and set up an environment and a culture there
ready to receive the Lord so God can honor him right but instead he just envy
drove him to just slaughter all the children you know in hopes that he would
kill the coming Messiah Jesus Christ which obviously he failed to do so now
how does this apply to us well you know what oh this is this whole
drama taking place this this week with these pastors just you know getting on a
Calvinist who is saved okay and you know what are their tactics well what they're
doing is they're slandering him and another pastor okay just spreading lies
about them to try to defame the character of this Calvinist why well I
think it's because they're afraid of being replaced that's why but at the end
of the day it's because of envy the strife comes from envy well what envy is
that they're afraid of not having as much influence okay this is childish
it's foolish it's nonsense and look oh you know but they came out with the
movie great that's great yeah but I'm not on it great that's great because if
you feel you deserve to be on there you probably shouldn't let me just tell you
where I stand on this whole this whole issue okay because this is our church
I'm not I don't care what's going on out there but in our church you know
obviously I stand with Pastor Anderson and even Pastor Dane Johansson now I'm
not friends with Pastor Dane Johansson I met him once and he's a really nice guy
I met him in Arizona shook hands with him and talked to him for a little bit
you know I got to edit the film that he was in okay and I love going back to the
Greek both the movie and literally okay you know I love that film I felt like it
was inspirational it inspired me well aren't you mad that they didn't take you
to Cyprus no I'm not why would I be mad about that I'm thankful that they went
they won people to Christ they created a movie that I get to watch to be inspired
to go do the same thing that's how it needs to be seen folks not trying to
pick this person apart because oh you weren't included well learn Greek and
maybe you will be included learn a different language and maybe you'll get
invited to the birthday party or something maybe you could be a part of
the club if you actually learn Greek well you weren't invited yeah well
because I don't know Greek as much as they do so there you go and you know
what we're planning to go to Greece anyways right by the police you know
once I feel I'm proficient enough in Greek where I can win Greek speakers to
the Lord I got myself a Greek right over here we're going to test on Oh Nikki and
we're gonna go win some people to Christ out there but here's the thing you know
to pick apart someone who's not a Baptist like us who's not new I have B
he's given a clear presentation of his salvation a clear testimony of his
salvation and you're just picking him apart well did it do you like having his
brother me yeah I like the ones that are saved but even then you know it's not
like I'm listening it's not like I'm sitting down in front of my computer
just oh man pastor danger has just influenced me so bad now I'm just gonna
go listen to John MacArthur what do you stand on that screw John MacArthur
that's why I stand and James White and all these heretical Calvinists who are
garbage who are unsaved reprobates look if you don't like that then go to
stinking you know Grace Wade's you know Reformed Church theology was too far if
that's what you want but you know what I'm sure there's people out there look
there's people in independent fundamental Baptist churches who are
saved who've been influenced by Calvinists okay but they're saved
obviously we don't agree with them on everything you know we it's it's
ridiculous guys you know and look this is the kind of attitude that I'm that
attitude that I was just talking about this is where that this comes from and
it's funny how these people want to talk about we're not a denomination but just
by their very actions of envying one another they're trying to make it a
denomination and look these guys are major brother house guys you know Jack
pastor Jack house right and by the way I love brother house but you know brother
house used to say he used to say I will preach for a seven-day Adventist I will
preach for a Methodist I will preach for a Lutheran he used to preach at their
churches he just said I just won't have him come preach for me sounds good to me
right I'll preach for them and in fact pastor Hyles used to have one of the
biggest conferences okay it's called the pastor school in Hammond Indiana and all
types of Christians Methodists Lutherans you name it Calvinist they would come
Presbyterians they would come to his conference to learn from him
oh brother house is ecumenical that's ecumenical you know you can't control
well people come and you know if they come to your conference and they want to
listen to you and what's wrong with reaching into the other side and
influencing them okay look we've had more Calvinists and people from the
other side whether Catholicism charismatic movement come to our
movement then people from our movement go to theirs think about that oh you
guys are ecumenical why because we're winning these kind of people to to our
movement to our churches to our way of thinking that's not ecumenical folks
nonsense and they try to compare this to like you know Billy Graham look folks
Billy Graham had a stadium of people and he had all different denomination
pastors and leaders in the front leading people to the Lord when they would come
down to the altar I don't hear pastor Anderson do that does he have like the
reform does he have the Presbyterians you have the Methodists and the Lutheran
you know just leading people to the Lord and stuff like that no this is nonsense
folks this is the result of envy and look you may stand in the same position
that I stand but you will not stand in that position if you have that attitude
of envious of being envious and thinking that we're better than ever
everyone else okay you know thank God you know we got into this anti-vax kind
of group and there's people who are not Baptists who are listening to my
sermons on vaccinations there's people who have come to our church there's
people who come to our church who are not independent fundamental Baptist who
come to our church because of the of the vaccination sermon and they get saved
there's people who contact me there's still people who are just finding our
YouTube channel literally I have someone this week you know tell me I
only listen to two pastors you know I listen to you and I listen to pastor
Anderson I'm like oh that's cool you know pastor Anderson he's the one who
sent me out and they're like yeah I just found that out they're like because I
found you through vaccinations and I just found him through something and I
was just like I like these guys I'm listening to them and then their friend
came and said did you know that that guy was actually sent out by this guy they're
like what in the world I didn't know they're associated like
yeah they're friends that's great it's great oh hold on a second are they
independent fundamental King James only Bible believe in biscuit eating you know
leather lung Baptist probably not so let me ask you do you want to start a
ministry to reach Baptist or something or what so that's what it sounds like
you know that this this this ministry of the church to just only reach
independent fundamental Baptist and look no how about this the ministry to reach
new IFB Baptist you know that's not my ministry that's not what our church is
about and look let me just go off on this a little more okay the lack of
gratitude for people like this lack of gratitude you're like oh you're good
pastor Anderson is like your Pope first of all this church and faithful
Baptist Church completely separate entities independent fundamental Baptist
churches pastor Anderson yeah he called on Thursday because he wanted to tell me
about something but he doesn't call and say hey you know I want you to do this
he doesn't do that because we're independent I'm the pastor of this
church well you said what kind of relationship do you have with pastor
Anderson we're friends we're really good friends you know I love pastor Anderson
he's he's like my mentor but more so than that he's like a friend and look I
didn't become pastor Anderson's friend to see what I can get out of it I think
oh man I could become pastor Anderson's friend you know maybe Paul
Wittenberger will put me in one of his videos maybe I can go home man what can
I get out of this I've known pastor Anderson for years and I never had if
that were the case why is that we were friends for so many years before this
church started I never thought well maybe you can send me out you laugh but
you know there's people who think like that there's people who want to become
pastors friends just so they can just to see what they can get out of that
relationship well why are you his friend because I like talking to him he teaches
me we laugh we have a great time you know we I learned from him we have good
fellowship we just enjoy each other's company and you know what it was a great
foundation for a relationship that ended eventually became a church it was like
well we could start a church and look first words Baptist Church was started
by faith forward Baptist Church pastor Steven Anderson right and a lot of the
people who are in her church were reached by pastor Anderson okay but
that's not where it's gonna end but look these other pastors that's their problem
like well why isn't anybody else moving out here to my church why isn't anybody
else joining my church I'm friends with pastor Anderson why can't anybody else
move out to my church well I hate to break the news to you don't really move
out to my church where's brother Jordan I think you like the only one and I
don't even think he did it because of our church I think it's cuz you know
California's nice okay he's like hey California's nice there's beaches first
works Baptist Church look I'm not offended by that that's hey amen you
know the there's listeners here but guess what actually there's also people
who followed me here too and look there's folks in this room who were
reached by me and reached by you there's actually people who come to our church
that did not start off listening to pastor Anderson surprise surprise oh no
no we need a church of only pastor Anderson listeners that's that's why why
do you want to just babysit look this is what folks want to do they just want to
babysit pastor Anderson listeners I'm not a babysitter you know I'm not a
daycare Center I'm not a babysitting Center I'm here to grow you and look
this is that this is the danger of having that type of mentality okay is
that when brand-new people come to our church instead of instead of saying hey
how you doing we say this so when did you hear find out about pastor I should
you just expect and by the way I've been guilty of that okay I remember Glenn
brought a visitor and I know she was a visitor and I was ripping on homos or
something and she was like with it she was like okay she's probably in the
movement you know cuz I was just getting on them and then like afterwards I was
like hey how's it going I was like so I don't maybe I didn't tell her I said
how did you hear about our church or something I was expecting her to say
why I found it the pastor Anderson but she's like Oh Glenn invited me I'm from
Temple City and she wasn't even safe so why did you say why did she like the
preaching on the homos because she was normal she's like I knew there was
people out there that were normal she ended up getting saved she got baptized
and look let me tell you what advice it's just Damien he's just stretching
guys okay let me tell you the advice the pastor Anderson gave to me even at
the red-hot preaching conference okay and look this is not a pastor Anderson
Church just know that this is not even a pastor me here church this is God's
Church this is an independent fundamental Baptist Church that's what
it is okay and all no one's questioning that no one there's no trouble in the
church with that I think we're all unified and we all believe the same
thing okay but this is the advice he gave to me he says look as I told him I
said I said I really like your sermon I really thank you for that and you know
now that we're going independent you kind of gave me like something to work
towards and he told me this he said look don't forsake me I said but just build
upon what I gave you you need to reach your own people you need to expand you
need to have vision he says don't babysit my people and I said amen I
said I wasn't planning on it but even more so now I don't want to do that we
started off with the great foundation did we not but you know what because we
started off with the great foundation to whomsoever much is given of him shall
be much required and we need to build upon that oh no no it's got to be just
us you know and you know everyone who comes here has to believe the reppery
doctrine like just spot-on go somewhere else
you're you're you have a cult like mentality is what you have you're the
reason people call us a cult with that get out of here with that mentality you
know and look when someone comes at you with one of these doctrines I'm not
against you giving them a movie but you know even more for you actually pulling
out your Bible and showing them right if someone comes to you with the question
about replacement theology or the posture pre-wrath here's a novel thought
why don't you actually pull out your Bible and show them oh wait that
causes that that requires for you to study the Bible huh that's right yeah
it does okay well are you trying to take credit away from Pastor Anderson guess
what he didn't come up with those doctrines and if you think he did you
got rocks in your head and obviously you're not reading the Bible that was
one of the best pieces of advice that he gave me you know what we're doing it
man and look these guys who are criticizing that's what they need to be
doing the reason they're so disillusioned and envious is because of
the fact they're probably babysitting people from the movement they're only
pleasing those from the movement let's get some new blood amen new people new
people who don't believe like us new people who are not Baptist new people
who are just unsaved people yeah that takes a lot of work to like disciple
them and teach them yeah it does you know I know you want them to come
ready-made I know you just want to pop the friggin food in the microwave and
just put one minute and just get it like that but you know what real Christianity
actually takes time to learn all these things and teach these things to mature
people and you know what it's only gonna mature you it's only gonna make you a
better Christian to do so are you disassociating yourself Pastor Anderson
no I just talked to this week he called me during church on Thursday when I was
preaching how you guys were you who's here when I when he did that we have a
great relationship and like I'm not I'm not saying that I will never separate
from him because obviously if he gets into false doctrine then yeah at that
point I'm not a respecter of people separation needs to take place but he
hasn't and he won't oh yeah but he's like Texas Receptus and you know he's
denying that the King James Bible is the Word of God you show me the clip
where he says something like that by the way folks you know what being Texas
Receptus does to a King James only us you know it does it actually strengthens
their faith in the King James Bible they actually become more King James when you
learn Greek you learn the Texas Receptus you know the language it reinforces your
beliefs in the King James Bible that's what it does what they're saying is a
smokescreen okay and it's built off of envy and look we don't want to become
that which we have hated this denominational mentality old IFP
mentality that if you're just not if you're not lockstep with them pre-trib
Jew loving reprobate welcoming you're not one of us that's wicked and we
never want to become that okay and look if that mentality creeps into the church
I will nip it at the butt I will make a scene about it because we don't want
that cuz look the moment that is in the church envying and strife the church is
done we become inclusive us for no more you got to be just like us not the
direction we want to go in okay if we're gonna effectively reach people for
Christ we don't do it by compromise why we do about by basically preaching the
Word of God so winning doing what we've always done but not at the exclusion of
saying well let me see do you have tattoos or do you believe this okay
you're not your denominational get out of here we are not in the nomination okay
so I just want to get that off my chest with this whole drama you know I'm
nobody okay and I'm here at my church this is my church but I just want to let
you know what I think about the whole situation this is what I think it's
stupid can you summarize that yeah it's stupid it's as stupid oh it's foolish
it's nonsense it's immature and these pastors need to get right with God and
right with their brethren okay and go apologize okay and don't try to like
slander people look there's a lot of things that they were going on but you
know at the end of the day they just need to own up and say you know what
this is dumb the guy saved praise God that guy saved you know and then you
know this whole thing with the documentaries guys come on well if I'm
not in the documentary then you know I'm not gonna watch it or I'm not gonna
promote it or maybe you maybe you just like suck and like at being in
documentaries maybe that's just it you ever think about that you know look okay
I'll be let me give you an example of this this is a documentary that came out
called the Hebrew roots movement by Matt Powell I was supposed to be on there
and I was I'm not on there now my name is on there like I'm on the credits but
do you think I'm just gonna like contact Matt Powell and be like hey dude do you
know who I am I'm Bruce McGee I was sent out by Pastor Anderson the most hated
preacher in America I was sent out by him and you didn't I professionally
recorded everything and you didn't even put me on there that's stupid and look
even if you didn't put my name in the credits it's still a great film you know
what it's gonna do it's gonna reach a lot of people only childish immature
people well I'm not on there so you know I'm not even gonna promote it and look I
don't even know why I didn't put going back to the Greek on my channel but I
did now I was like I edited the thing I should put it on my channel but I love
that film it's a great film and you know what it's gonna do it's gonna reach a
new pool of people is what it's gonna do and it has been okay so envy don't be an
envious person let's see here how do you overcome it well you rejoice with them
that rejoice be excited when people succeed you know hey be excited when
other people's churches grow bigger than ours that's great because more people
getting saved or learning you know I wish that would happen with us we don't
have friends in this area unfortunately you know hey and if there is a friend
out there contact me let's go have some lunch be my friend please but we don't
really have friends around here okay the only friend that I had first took me
like last year and hasn't answered my phone calls or text messages since we
need to rejoice with them to rejoice we need to focus on the bigger picture too
are people getting saved are the churches growing are people learning are
people getting right with God are the men leaving their homes are the women
keep being a keeper at home are the children being obedient to their parents
these are the things that we should be looking for a man the bigger picture and
then just also recognize that you know what you've already received the
greatest reward you know God told Abraham I am thy shield and thy
exceeding great reward I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward at the
end of the day you're already winning okay I'll finish you off with this
illustration because I'm old IFB amen how many know what I'm talking about you
finish off with this illustration I finished with this the Bible says that
envy is the rottenness of the bones right this is a story but it's obviously
it's a fiction it's a fictitious story but it proves the point well on envy you
know the story goes this is that there was a bird there's an eagle who was
envious at another eagle that can fly higher than he could okay so what he did
was he conspired against the eagle he went to a sportsman and he said hey who
had a bow and arrow and he said can you shoot that eagle down he says yeah I can
shoot it down he says but I need feathers for my arrow so he plucks off
one of his feathers and he gives it to the to the guy and he shoots it and he
just falls short he doesn't reach the eagle cuz he goes flying so high and he's
like yeah I can't do it it's only one feather plucks off another feather does
it again after a while it begins to pluck out one feather after another to
the point where he no longer has feathers and he can no longer fly the
archer looks at him and shoots him
what's the moral of the story you know the eagle focused so much on bringing
down the eagle that was flying higher than he was he actually ended up
destroying himself in the process and this is exactly how envy works an envious
person will pluck off their own feathers to destroy the person who's flying
higher than they are and in the long run they actually end up destroying
themselves you never want to be that Eagle where you're just featherless
because you spent your entire life criticizing people who are not your
stripe and look I will spend my life criticizing false prophets and wicked
people and reprobates because the Bible commands me to okay and I will call out
people who are watered down who defend the reprobates who defend the false
prophets and the pedophiles you better believe I'll call those guys out but
people who are not exactly like our stripe you don't want to pluck your own
feathers to try to take that Eagle down if they're flying higher than you are so
what I do will just be content with the fact you can fly why don't you just be
happy with the fact that you're able to fly don't destroy yourself don't be an
envious person let's fire heads on our border prayer father we thank you so
much for your word and Lord this is a work of the flesh and so we're also
guilty of this from time to time when we can be covetous we can be envious and we
try to destroy others because they're not like us or because they're
succeeding they're achieving something that we would esteem as being something
great but what we should be doing is focusing on ourselves if we can just
take that energy and actually put it into disciplining ourselves and dreaming
and having goals cleaning up our lives so we can be vessels unto honor me for
the Masters use maybe you can use us too and I pray God that you'd help us to
rejoice with them to rejoice help us to see the bigger picture and everything
and help us to recognize that even if we never get to accomplish something great
for you we've still received the greatest reward which is you you are
our shield in our exceeding great reward may we be content with that and we'd be
happy with that and may we reflect upon that and we love you so much we thank
you pray these things in Jesus name amen