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Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No. Yeah. Mhm. All right. Welcome to Turn The Faith Baptist Church Wednesday evening prayer and Bible study. If you would please grab your song books and turn the song forty five. Song number forty five. when I can read my title clear? When I can read my title clear, on the first. When I can read my title clear, two mansions in the skies, I'll bid farewell to every fear, and why might we be nice? And why might we be nice? And why might we be nice? I'll bid farewell to every fear, and why might we be nice? Should earth against my soul engage in fiery darts be burrowed? When I can smile at Satan's rage, face a frowning world. Then face a frowning world, and face a frowning world. When I can smile at Satan's rage, face a frowning world. Let cares like a wild deluge come, and storms of sorrow fall. May I but safely reach my home, my God, my heaven, my all. My God, my heaven, my all. My God, my heaven, my all. May I but safely reach my home, my God, my heaven, my all. There shall I bade my weary soul in seas of heavenly rest, and not a wave of trouble roll across my peaceful breast. Across my peaceful breast, across my peaceful breast, and not a wave of trouble roll across my peaceful breast. Amen, brother Jeff, would you open the service with the word of prayer, please? Amen. Now if you would just go back one page to Psalm 44. We'll work till Jesus comes. On the first. When will the moment come? When I shall lay my armor by and dwell in peace at home. We'll work till Jesus comes. We'll work till Jesus comes. We'll work till Jesus comes, and we'll be gathered home. To Jesus Christ, I fled for rest. He made me cease to roam and lean for succor on his breast till he conduct me whole. We'll work till Jesus comes. We'll work till Jesus comes. We'll work till Jesus comes, and we'll be gathered home. I sought at once my Savior's side. No more my steps shall roll. With him I'll break this chilling tide and reach my heavenly home. We'll work till Jesus comes. We'll work till Jesus comes, and we'll be gathered home. Alright, good evening. Welcome to Shield of Faith Baptist Church. If you don't have a bulletin or a song sheet or a prayer, let's just raise your hand and we'll get you one, but I think I got everybody. So we'll go through these announcements here real quick. This is the church service time, Sunday mornings at 10.30, Sunday evenings at 6, and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Underneath there is the list of soul winning times. Soul winning is where we go out into the community and preach the gospel to the lost. The only time that's consistent there is Saturday mornings at 10.30, meeting right here. All the other times, if you have not gone prior to that, just meet with us first because we have some stuff to explain to you because the location and sometimes the time will change and vary on those. Let's see here. The number to call if you have any questions. Praise reports, we finished the year with 179 salvations and 8 baptisms, so praise God for that. Back page, we'll be finishing up 1 John chapter 3 this Sunday evening and going into 1 John chapter 4. Don't forget the New Testament reading challenge. We have the sheets back here on the table. If you don't have one or if they're gone, just let me know. I'll make one for you. Birthdays and anniversaries for January. On the 16th, it's Kara. We have Kara Bear Kara's birthday, so don't forget to say happy birthday. This week's memory verse is Genesis 3.4 which says, and the serpent said unto the woman, you shall not surely die. We are a family integrated church. What that means is children and infants are always welcome in the service. If you need privacy, there's a daddy baby room right over here. The mother baby room is right across the hallway. This room back here, it's not fully set up yet, but the main danger being that table back there is taken care of, so welcome to go in there and do some donuts if you want. Spin around, do the crab walk, whatever you feel like doing before we move all that other stuff back there. Alright, let's see here. Don't forget to turn your phone off or place it on silent so it's not a distraction. And the very bottom line is when people fail to take correction, you need to go the other direction. That was from two Sundays ago and so we are going to sing the handout and then we will receive the offering. Alright, at this time we will be singing our new chorus of the month, Holy, Holy, Holy. Starting on the first. Holy, holy, holy Lord God almighty Early in the morning Our song shall rise to thee Holy, holy, holy Merciful and mighty God in three persons Blessed Trinity Holy, holy, holy All the saints adore thee Casting down their golden crowns Around the glassy sea Cherubim and seraphim Falling down before Thee Wishwords and art and evermore shall be Holy, holy, holy Though the darkness hide thee Though the eye of sinful men Thy glory may not see Only Thou art holy There is none beside Thee Holy, holy, holy Lord God almighty All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea Holy, holy, holy Merciful and mighty God in three persons Blessed Trinity All right, well, let's go ahead and pray. Thank you so much, Lord, for allowing us to be able to meet here this evening and just pray that you would bless our church service, Lord, and bless the fellowship afterwards and get us home safely tonight. We thank you again for all that you do for us in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. All right, at this time, we'll be going through our prayer sheet. Remember, if you ever have a prayer request or a praise to put down on here, just let any of us know, and we'll be sure to put your praise or prayer on the list. Now, we would all bow our heads and have a word of prayer over these things. Dear Father God, we've just come before you this evening to lift up our prayers and praises to your holy name, Lord. We just want to start off by praying for opportunities to preach to unsaved family and friends and co-workers. We pray for the health and safety of our church families. We pray for the spiritual growth and wisdom of our church. We pray that God will continue to meet our church financial needs as we grow in number and in space. We pray for the spiritual needs of our communities, that they would desire the sincere word of God and to grow. We pray for the safety, health, understanding, and wisdom of our children as they grow up in this decaying world. We pray for the like-minded churches to continue to grow and be protected from those that wish us all evil. We pray for the wicked leaders in our local, state, and national governments to be removed. We pray for continued medical freedom from vaccines and medical mandates. We pray for brother Kevin's dealings with the VA to go quick and smooth. We pray for my family in California and my grandmother. We pray for the safe and healthy pregnancies and deliveries for our expecting mothers in the church. And we also have prayer requests from brothers and sisters in Christ that are outside of the state of Idaho. Lord, we just pray for Lisa's brother for healing and recovery from the emergency surgery after a fall off his mountain bike. We also have a prayer for brother James. You know all the details in that with his family, Lord. We just pray that they meet their needs, Lord. Lord, we also want to pray for brother Jeff's stepdad Butch for his upcoming hernia surgery. We have an unspoken prayer for brother Isaiah. We also want to pray for Patty's blood pressure. Lord, we just want to pray for her and her high blood pressure. Lord, we just pray that you meet everyone's needs in all these prayer requests, Lord. And we also want to praise you for the safe and healthy arrival of Aiden Troup and Titus Akers. We thank you for the Troup family and my family, Lord. And we want to thank you for Pastor's new job and work environment. We want to thank you, Lord, for the continued good health of our church family. We thank you, Father God, for all of our church families and those who have been able to get saved. We thank you for our freedom to continuously preach the gospel every week and for you keeping us safe during the battles we fight. And we thank you for exposing those who would come into the church to do harm. And we thank you, Lord, for Joe Maple's son, Joe Jr. We thank you for stopping his bleeding. And we just thank you for keeping him healthy with the problems that he was facing with his seizures and everything, Lord. We thank you for all that. And we pray all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Alright, let's turn our Bibles to Matthew chapter 13. This is Matthew chapter 13. Matthew chapter 13. And when you get there, starting in verse number 1, the Bible reads, Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth. And forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth. And when the sun was up, they were scorched. And because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up and choked them. But other fell into good ground and brought forth fruit, some in hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance. But whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away, even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables, because they seeing see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Asias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive. For this people's heart is wax gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower, when anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not? Then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the wayside. But he that received the seed into stony places is the same as he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it. Yet hath he not root in himself, but deareth for a while, for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word, and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choked the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it, which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth some in hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field. But while men slept, his enemy came, and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came, and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay, lest why ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. And in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed which a man took, and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all seeds. But when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come, and lodge in the branches thereof. Another parable spake he unto them, The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables, and without a parable spake he not unto them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundations of the world. Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house, and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares in the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the son of man. The field is the world, the good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked one. The enemy that sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of the world. The son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and cast them, and them which do iniquity. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the son in the kingdom of their father. Who hath ears to hear? Let him hear. Again the kingdom of heaven is likened to treasure hidden a field, the which when a man hath found he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again the kingdom of heaven is likened to a merchant man seeking goodly pearls, but when he hath found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Again the kingdom of heaven is likened to a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind which when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of the treasure things new and old. And it came to pass that when Jesus had finished these parables he departed thence, and when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue in so much that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas, and his sisters? Are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him, but Jesus saith unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Brother Mike, will you pray for us please? All right. Amen. Well, we are continuing on with our series titled, Order of the Snowflake. Order of the Snowflake. And for those of you that don't know or have heard, I'm not sure who's heard and who hasn't. Well, I know who's heard, but I don't know who hasn't. We kicked someone out of our church not too long ago. And so these sermons are in a way geared towards him. And like we talked about last week, the Bible says them that sin rebuke before all that others may fear. And we talked about what that means. It doesn't mean so that you're like, oh, you know, just coming and you're just scared that I'm going to say something about you if you mess up. Because we all mess up. That's not the point. The point is when somebody just goes crazy like this individual did, you know, those things produce the fear of God when they're brought before the congregation. Because we can learn from their behaviors, learn from their mistakes, learn from their sins and the things that they do. You know, we can break those things down and see what the word of God has to say about it. And then we can be like, wow, okay. Yeah. And that does put some fear in you. You know, put the fear of God. Shouldn't be afraid of me or anything I'm going to say. It's been said, someone said this online and it's so true on our channel. It said, normal people just don't get kicked out of church. You know? And that is true. Right? That is true. We are not on a hair trigger to kick people out of here. You know, we just expanded. You know, the last thing we want is the numbers to go down. But unfortunately, some people have to be kicked out. You know, and like I said last week, if they can't be kicked out and, you know, it gets to the point to where we know but we can't prove, we try to run them out. Okay? That's how we do business here. And it's all for the better because a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. So, order of the snowflake. I was also accused online by a friend of this individual or his dad, one of the two, that I don't have any sermon content. So, I rely on kicking people out of the church. Well, if I keep that up, I'm not going to have a church. Okay? It's just going to be me here. And, you know, what's that going to profit anybody? Absolutely nothing. But as many of you know, who remembers me about a year, year and a half ago talking about wanting to make ribbons or like awards of a snowflake? Anybody remember that? Okay. That's when this idea for a series was born. I've been working on it. I've bought several snowflakes, which we've got to find that one I bought on Christmas Eve, Kaden. Remember that? Remember that? We've got to make this. I've got the ribbon and the snowflake. So, we're going to do that and mail them out to people who win. Okay? I think it's a great learning experience. And I've got several people who've been here and who haven't been here that need that, like Mr. 357 Magnum out soloing. Okay? He needs one of those and we're going to get him one. But, when I was looking up how to make one, because I don't know how to make stuff like that, right? You know, I'm trying to talk to the girls, like, we've got to go to Hobby Lobby. The only time Dad wants to go to Hobby Lobby is for something like this, right? And I found these metals, these ribbons online and I was like, wow, that is perfect, but I couldn't find them for sale. So, I started doing my research and there's actually an order of the snowflake. Okay? And I've had this information, I just forgot to share it last week, but just listen to this. The order of the snowflake is the second highest order of West Artico. The intention of the order is to honor those who have provided a service to West Artico. It was created in January 2015. Okay? And the first award, so there's four classes of the order. Knight Dame, Grand Cross, okay? The second one is Knight Dame, Grand Commander, Knight Dame, Commander, and Knight Dame. So, we've got to assess people who have gotten kicked out and kind of, I'll tweak the names a little bit so we're not completely ripping people off. So, you're getting a little bit of a, I guess, a geography lesson there, as well as whatever that means, okay? So, anyways, I've been working on this for a while, but yes, I am going to tweak it, I am going to basically gear it towards this individual, because this is something he struggled with, which we're going to talk about tonight, and it's something that we all struggle with, and the Bible has a ton to say about this subject, okay? So, let's go ahead and get into it here. The Bible says this, Matthew 13, look at verse number 21. It says this, It says, Yet hath he not root in himself, but doeth for a while, for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by and by, he is offended. Keep your place there, we're going to unpack that here in a moment, but go to Matthew chapter number 26, Matthew chapter number 26. The title of the sermon this evening is called, Going on the Offended. Going on the Offended, as opposed to going on the offensive, or going on the offense, okay? Going on the Offended, and why we do not want to become a people that is easily offended. I don't know if anybody else in here has noticed it, but anger and offenses have definitely increased over the last year, especially if not the last couple of years, if not the last, I mean, five, ten years for that matter. But people today are becoming increasingly hostile, increasingly offended over things that are just absolutely not of any concern, okay? And you guys know that, I don't want to get too far off into all the things that people get offended about, because we've got a lot of stuff to cover tonight, but you say, okay, well, what's the definition of being offended? Well, it's an emotion, okay? It's a feeling of resentment or annoyance or typically something that's perceived as an insult or some kind of a threat, okay? So, for example, who's ever, you know, walked by somebody maybe at home at work and said, hey, you know, how you doing? Or just made a comment like, what's it to you? You know, just get offended right away, right? Well, that's what we're talking about, okay? It's a feeling. Unlike most feelings, most emotions, you know, they require more than one sermon, so I will probably come back at a later date and tag on all the stuff that I did not have time to cover tonight, but what I want to do right away is I want to get into the importance of not becoming offended. I want to give us several warnings tonight, as well as several bits of application to help us to make sure that we are constantly toughening up our skin, okay? Because we don't want to be a people that is easily offended. The whole reason, the whole reason this individual went crazy and started sending me messages, rebuking me, railing against the church is because he was offended and did not know how to deal with it, or cannot deal with it because of other issues that we'll have to talk about later on, but you're there in Matthew chapter 26, look at verse number 30. Well, so the Bible says this, it says, and when they had sung in him, they went out into the Mount of Olives, verse 31, then saith Jesus unto them, all ye shall be offended because of me this night, for it is written, I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. Okay? I don't think we have this problem in here anymore. However, we need to be careful and make sure that we are not a people that thinks, oh, well, I'm saved, I go soul winning, I read the Bible, I'm not going to get offended, okay? I'm not going to get offended with hard preaching. You know, Pastor Menes will always say this, you know, everybody loves hard preaching until it comes to your front door, until it comes knocking on your issues, then all of a sudden we've got a problem with hard preaching, we've got a problem with Biblical Christianity. Last week somebody came up to me and wanted to come to the church, somebody at work, you know, and one thing led to another and I got off on a couple subjects and, you know, now it's just like, hey, you know, people are easily offended over the word, you know, it's just a thing that we have to expect and learn how to control and deal with. Let's keep reading here, verse 32, it says, but after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended, okay? So what do you think a good piece of advice is here? Never to have this attitude, okay? As soon as you're here, stop, tell yourself you can be offended, okay? I guarantee you, there is something in this book, there is something I could say, there is something someone could say in your family at work that you don't think is a problem now, but when it actually happens, it could possibly offend you and just knowing that and just expecting that and, you know, not thinking you're more higher than God can honestly help you out. Look at verse 34, Jesus said unto him, verily I say unto thee that this night before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice, meaning you will deny me three times. Verse 35, Peter said unto him, though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all of the disciples. Notice that Peter was the first one to say that here in this passage, and who got the most offended? Peter did, right, and what did he do? He denied Christ, right? He denied the Lord Jesus Christ. Did he lose his salvation? No, not at all, okay? I just like to throw that in there because it's very upsetting to me that people always want to say we can lose our salvation, but go back to chapter number 13. So all that to say this, okay, this is something that saved people definitely struggle with. You know, don't ever get this attitude, oh, I don't get offended, because in some of the messages that the Grand Wizard of Qunah, the Imperial Wizard of Qunah had sent me was basically, you know, it was so up and down and just so pancake-ish and so bizarre that it just, you know, he said he was insane and sometimes I want to believe that because that would make more sense than, you know, anything that he said. But, you know, I know I need to work on this, I know I need to work on that, but your church has relational issues, everyone's quick to tear people apart, and that's rubbed off on me and I can't be a part of that, and he constantly would say that, and then he'd say, I always took rebuke well, I always apologized to people, and it's like, no, you didn't. You never did that, okay? It's just so bizarre. But, you know what, being offended like that can just cause you to do and to say things you probably wouldn't say otherwise. Why is that? Because it's an emotion. And if you're the type of person that can't control your emotions or you have a hard time with that, then what's going to happen? You're just going to lash out, you're going to constantly say what's on your mind, and you're not going to be able to keep your trap shut. So, let's break this down here. Matthew 13, verse number 21. Again, what does it say? Well, let's back up for a second here, and let's take a look at this from the beginning here. So, look at verse 18. Verse 19. Then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth the way that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the wayside. Look, isn't it great being a soul winning church because you get to see this happen all the time, right? You're giving somebody the gospel and it's like, they're giving you the right answers, and all of a sudden they don't. And it's like, what's going on here? Like, one second it seems like you understood, now you don't. Or they tell you they understand and you ask them, well, do you believe this? Well, I believe you've got to turn from your sins to be saved and you've got to live a good life. And it's just like, what is going on? This is what's going on here. Okay, there's a spiritual battle that we can't see with our physical eyes, but that wicked one is just, you're sowing that seed, and he's just like, hmm, hmm, plucking that thing out, okay? So, obviously, what does it say in verse 19? Hear the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the wayside. So, again, when we're out there preaching the gospel and people don't understand it, you know, who knows, maybe a year from now, maybe two years from now, they will understand it because we've had that situation in this church before. So, this is why, don't ever get grieved, oh, or don't ever get offended, right? Why are we going back to Serenga again? Or why are we going back to these apartments again? You know, it's because of this, right? It's because we want to flood this place with the word of God, but look at verse 20. So, it says, But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy received it. So, why does he receive the word with joy? Because he understands it. He understands, oh, it's not by works, it's just by faith. It is finished. The sin that's been paid for, right? I have to just ask for this gift, and he'll give it to me, and I can never lose it, and it's mine forever. So, with joy, they receive it. So, these people are saved. Verse 21, Yet hath he not rooted himself, but doeth for a while, for when tribulation or persecution ariseth, don't miss this, because of the word, by and by he is offended. So, understand what's going on here. Jesus gives us these two categories here of things that cause people to become offended. He says tribulation or persecution. Now, what do they both have in common? The word of God, okay? The word of God, and we've seen these people. 2020 was the year of the single man in this church, okay? I can't tell you right now how many single guys we had come in here, and they were, verse 21, they had received the word, they had gotten saved, they were on fire, they even went sowing a little bit, and then poof, gone. It was the strangest thing, you know, but it happens. This is what we have to deal with here. But you say, why do they leave? Well, it could be because of the reasons listed in verse 22, but more often than not, it's because of tribulation or persecution. Now, you can leave your place there, but keep something in Matthew, because we will come back to Matthew a couple more times, and go to Ephesians chapter number 5. Ephesians chapter number 5. So, again, how does this happen, or why does this happen? So, Jesus says, tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended. Well, it helps to just kind of break down the difference between tribulation and persecution, okay? So, what is tribulation? Well, it's affliction, it's pain, it's hardships, it's grief, it's these types of things, right? As a result of the word of God. So, for example, what I noticed was common in a lot of these guys that got offended last year, they would come in here, they would be on fire, and then about, I don't know, maybe a month, month and a half goes by, and they'd want to start talking and rightfully so, like, hey, this person in my family is really starting to, you know, they don't want to eat with me, they don't want to talk to me, they don't want to give me a ride, they don't want to do this, and it's just snowballing, right? Now it's my mom, now it's my dad, you know, now it's my brother, my sister, and so their own family starts to create hardships on them, or the people at work start to create hardships, and because there's no root, because when they leave here, they're not going home and reading the Bible and digging that root and really getting strong and building up that foundation, what happens is they start to question, okay, is this really what we should be doing? Most Christians don't go out and preach the word of God, right? They don't have very many people and they go out every single week. So they start playing these mind games with themselves, and then the next thing you know, they talk themselves into a frenzy, they're offended, they're annoyed, and they're at a church, and they're out of the will of God as far as his work and his discipleship program goes. And then the other category, obviously, is persecution. Well, that's pretty easy to sum up, it's ill will or harassment, okay? Really along the same lines here. You go to work and people just start making fun of you, or you have that friend, right? Everybody's got their friends, and sometimes you get saved and that friend just gets irate. They just cannot handle it. Or you have one spouse who's on fire for God, one who isn't, one who's saved, one who isn't, and you have this problem here, okay? You have this issue because now they're like, wait, oh, you don't want to do this anymore because of your Bible, and they start just harassing you constantly, unwarranted harassment, okay? It takes a tough person, it takes somebody who's dedicated and committed to the Word of God to be able to overcome that, okay? And that's what Jesus is saying. It's because of the Word. And that's why we hammer the Word of God so much in this church. You've got to read the Bible. That's why we have our New Testament reading challenge. The reason why we decided to do two months this year is pretty obvious, is to promote endurance. We're just trying something different. We'll see how it works. If you can read it faster, more power to you, okay? But if you want to take that extra time, that's great. After that, we've got another challenge that we're going to release for you. It's the Word of God. That is what is important. That is what we are about. That's what we are commanded to be about, and I'll show you that here. Ephesians chapter 5, look at verse 26. We read these verses all the time. Look at what it says. It says this, that He might sanctify, talking about Jesus, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the water by the Word. What is the it that is being talked about right there? It's the church, right? It's the body of Christ. You know, there's this idea today that's out there, that's growing, that's gaining a lot of popularity. You don't need church. You have no need that man teach you. They'll say stuff like that, right? You don't need church. All you need, you know, wherever two or three are gathered together, there is in the midst. Well, that's true, but that's not church, okay? Just because you get together with your friend at a coffee shop does not mean it's a church service. Okay? Or, you know, you got elders, you got deacons, you know, all these different things are even talked about here in the epistles. All those things are missing when you throw out church, okay? And so, with that being said, what does the Lord want us to do? What is the point of the Bible? Well, He's saying that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, okay? No Word, no life, right? You don't have the Word of God, you're not getting saved, okay? You don't have the Word of God, you're not going to grow, okay? You're going to be, you know, messed up all over the place. Look at verse 27. That He might present it to Himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. If you want to see an example of the opposite of that, go read Revelation chapter 2 and 3. Go read the letters to the seven churches in Asia. Go read the book of Corinthians. Go read Galatians, and it will show you why we have to have church the way the Bible tells us to have church. Why the Word of God absolutely has to be the center of church, of your life, of everything that we do. This is how we grow. This is how we live as God's children. These are the marching orders. So, go to Matthew chapter number 11. But I want to say this. It's because of that. It's because of the Word of God and the emphasis and the preaching and the living by and all the stuff that we do. This is why people get offended, especially in these types of churches. Now, people get offended in all churches. People get offended at the bowling alley. I mean, people get offended at the grocery store. They're getting offended all over the place. But especially in churches like ours, where we preach the Word of God, where we preach the Bible. Look, this is why another person decided to leave here and go to Treasure Valley Baptist Church. Look, I'm not making fun of him. I'm just saying that that's why. Because he was offended. And it's not our fault. It's his fault. And don't let anybody tell you any different. But anyways, I don't want to go off on that. Matthew chapter 11. Let's look at an example of this. And it's really along the lines of what we read about Peter and the disciples. This is about John the Baptist here. Let's pick it up in verse number 3. It says this. So this is John the Baptist here. And he's sending his messengers to the Lord Jesus. And he says this. And said unto him, verse 3, and said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Why does John the Baptist ask this question after everything he'd done, after everything he'd seen, after everything that he had heard? Yeah, because he's going through tribulation. Okay? Look, tribulation is going to make something out of you. Either a quitter or a winner. Okay? And which way you're going to go depends on your love for this book right here and the words therein. That's the truth. Look at verse number 4. Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see. Again. Right? If you feel like you're on the verge, like I'm just always offended when I'm coming to church or I'm always offended at this or that. You know what? You need to read these things again. You need to think about these things again. That's what we need to do. Okay? That's the key and that's the solution. Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see. Why? Because it has power. This is why we do the praise and the prayer list on Wednesdays. Right? Because it gets to show us the praise and the power of God. All of those praises are praises because they were once on the prayer side of the prayer list. Right? Verse number 5. The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear and the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached unto them. Or to them. Look. Stop right here and think about this for a second. This is the same Jesus Christ who rose from the dead. He is alive. Okay? He was helping people during this time. He is helping you during this time in 2022. Okay? And we ought not to ever, ever forget that because when you forget that, you bury that, you push that aside, guess what? You're out the door. You're done. Verse number 6. And blessed is he who so ever shall not be offended in me. Well, what's the opposite of that? What happens when we do get offended in him? Well, you're out the church. You're out of discipleship. You're out of fellowship. You're out of all sorts of blessings. Okay? No one wants to be there. Nobody thinks that's a good thing. At least I hope not. Go to Matthew chapter number 18. Matthew chapter number 18. Matthew chapter number 18. Let's look. Let's see here. Let's look up at verse number 15. Everybody loves Matthew chapter 18. Anytime there's trouble in the church, you know, when someone gets kicked out almost every single time the question arises, did you Matthew 18 them? Did you Matthew 18 them? Did you Matthew 18 them? The question that I have, though, for those individuals is have you read Matthew chapter 18? Do you even know Matthew chapter 18? I mean, be honest. Have you read the whole chapter? Okay? Have you read the whole Gospel of Matthew for that matter? Okay? Are you saved for that matter? But let's take a look at some stuff here because this is important. Especially in regards to offenses. Matthew 18. Look at verse 15. It says this. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. Now, depending obviously on the severity of the situation, okay? You want to handle your beefs one on one, right? It's been said about this church by the person that we kicked out that this is an unloving, ungodly, prideful church. And so is the whole new IFB, right? That's what he said. That is what he said. And that is a railing accusation because it's not true. Because I'm looking into a crowd of several people who tried to help this young man and tried over and over and over and over again. And not to mention, okay, he actually sent me that message saying that he was quitting for a while. Now, if that's all the message said, that would have been the end of it. Okay? It's the 18,000 other words that he said that got him in trouble and got him kicked out. Okay? And what does that tell you? That tells you that he's a fool. He's an offended fool. Okay? And he believes he's entitled to all sorts of special treatment like we talked about last week. But again, what is the context here? If thy brother shall trespass against thee. Okay? It doesn't say if he trespasses against the whole church because he's a fornicating drunkard or he's, you know, doing whatever online. Okay? That's not what it says. Verse number 16. But if he will not hear thee. Okay? So these are steps. This is a protocol. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established. This is where we get the two witness protocol from. Okay? And I will tell you right now, there are people who are very good at playing this game. They will tell one person one thing, another person another thing. You bring two or three guys together and they'll just, it's just like computer overload. Computer overload. You know, it'll just talk in a way where it's very difficult to figure out what they're actually saying or what they're up to. Which is a huge red flag and puts you in the position where you know but you cannot prove. Right? We have a protocol for that. It's like I told you last week. Obviously we're going to pray to God. Hey, Lord, would you please get this person right or expose them for who they are? And if that doesn't work, you know, we just keep knocking. We keep asking. And, you know, we knock. We ask. We seek and knock. Ask. Right? We ask the Lord. We seek for solutions and then we knock. We just keep trying that cycle over and over again until something works. And praise God, it worked for our church very recently and now we are relieved of that burden. But let's see here. Verse number 17. And if, okay, if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church. But if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. I wish these bozos online that want to bring shame on our Bible Way to Heaven video. Right? I wish that these bozos would read this passage here. Very, very clear. Three strikes and you're out. Three strikes and you're out. But those strikes have to match up with this passage right here. Okay? You don't just go to verse 18 and we don't do that. Right? We don't do that. Everybody who's gotten kicked out of here has gone through all of these procedures. All three of them. Someone has gone to them. Hey, I don't think what you're doing is right. In fact, they know it's not. You know, let's, you know, can you stop? Okay, then they come get a couple other guys. Right? And then they come tell me and then we talk about it. And we have to, you know, give them a chance. I don't think I did anything wrong. Well, you're gone. Fine. Okay? Okay? Are we supposed to have a bleeding heart towards them after that? Well, what did Jesus say? These, look, if you got the red letter edition or that green letter edition in that cabinet over there, it says and what, I'm sorry, verse 17, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Okay? And it was also brought to my attention that an individual may try to go out and embarrass our church through the means of so-called soul-laying. Okay? And if that happens, I'll sue this individual. Because at this point, we are allowed to treat you as a heathen man or a publican. So there's not going to be any of this, oh, you can't sue a brother. Well, first of all, I don't believe he's a brother. My personal opinion is I don't believe he's saved. I could be wrong. And I'm man enough to admit that. But I'm pretty sure I'm not wrong. And I don't know anybody in here who thinks that I'm wrong because many of you came to that conclusion without even talking to me. Okay? So, again, this is very, very serious stuff. Now, why would somebody go through all three of these rebukes and these reproofs and not change? Because they are offended and because they are entitled. I shouldn't have to do any of that. Right? That's the attitude that a lot of people have. I'm not really the one that's wrong. You rubbed off on me. That's what he said. That's what the Grand Wizard said. Your people rubbed off on me and I can't be around that. He even said that God had showed him that he shouldn't be around that. Look at verse 18. Jesus continuing on here. He says, Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Think about this. When this church or when a church, a body of believers makes this decision, that binds in heaven. God's like, that's righteous. That's what I told them to do. That is bound up here. And you know what? To those people who've been kicked out of here that are saved, they will get heavy chastisement. And if they don't, we were right. They weren't saved to begin with. That is what he's saying. Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth. Why would he say that in the midst of this protocol here? Because he's saying, I've got your back. The naysayers will come out. The people who are bleeding hearts and those that are offended, they will come against you with their prating and their malicious words, but don't worry, I've got you. This stands up here as well, and we have your back. Verse 19, Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything, that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. And then he says this in verse 20, for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Right? Kind of interesting how he talks about the church, right? And then he talks about that at the end of the protocol, saying he's always with us. Okay? So when two or three witnesses go up against that individual, guess who's coming with those two or three witnesses? The Lord Jesus Christ. Again, look at verse number 17, and if he shall neglect, or actually verse 16, but if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more. Look at verse 20, for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them. Obviously that's true if nothing like this is even going on, because God is omnipresent. He's everywhere, right? He's always with us. And if two or three of us get gathered together and we just want to have some fellowship, he's with us. And we know that and we can be confident in that. But in the context of this chapter here, talking about how to deal with unruly people, people who want to lie and slander and rail against a body of believers, which is in Christ, this is the body of Christ sitting in this room today. It's not the walls. Hey, we're thankful that we have lights, we're thankful that we have heat, we're thankful that we have space, we're thankful that we have each other, and we're thankful for the technology, right? But it's the body, and when you transgress against the body, it is not going to go well for you as an individual. Verse 20, for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. So just remember that. When you guys have this issue come up and you are going to go approach somebody, don't let that old man be like, oh, you know, turn around, don't say nothing, just let it go, just let it slide. No. You have the Lord Jesus Christ's support. What you bind on earth is bound in heaven. We need to realize that. That is powerful. And we need to be able to explain this to other people because there are a lot of idiots out there and a lot of people that are saying a lot of hurtful things about this church and we're not going to let it stand. I'm sick and tired of it. Go to 2 Corinthians chapter number 5. 2 Corinthians chapter number 5. Look at verse number 10. It says, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Let's stop right there. Our unbelievers are people who are not saved. Will they go to the judgment seat of Christ? No, they go to the great white throne judgment. They go to a whole other program. And that program is extremely hot and extremely scary and you don't want anything to do with that. But look what he says, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. This is important. That everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done. Whether it be good or bad. People that are in the body of Christ, that are harming the body of Christ, they will reap what they have sown if they don't get it right. If they don't turn around. Now the individual that we've kicked out of here, I'm never letting him come back. Some of you know and if you don't know, the reason why is because the messages that he sent when they're really looked at and compared and contrasted with the last 9 months or 8 months, however long he was here, it is clear there is more going on than just an unruly or just a teenage boy that was misbehaving. And again, we don't have time to go too deep into that. But the point is, we need to remember this as believers. We will be judged on our works. Now obviously I've talked about this before. You're not going to get to heaven and the Lord's got the white screen up. Hey, I saw what you did on Cole and Fairview down here. I saw what you did at Taco Bell up there on Cole and Overland. I saw that. No, he's not going to do that. Look, when you're doing this type of stuff, I mean, it's going to have some kind of eternal effect on you. We don't know what it is, but praise God people that do harm the body of Christ, sometimes they are saved. There are people who are saved that just don't get it. And we all know that. There are people that believe the right gospel but they come in here sometimes and it's just a mess. It's a mess or they just can't get things right and they have to leave or whatever. It's sad. But just again, knowing this, that we will be judged by our Savior, right? Why not make it a good one? Why not just go for it? Again, you've got to have this eternal mindset. You will not be in the physical for long compared to eternity. I mean, you're going to look back and think man, I could have done so much more. But again, that's a topic for another day. Let's go to Matthew chapter number 15. Matthew chapter number 15. So let's move on from that. How should we treat those that are quote unquote religious but not saved and get offended? What does the Bible say about that? And since we're talking about the subject of being offended let's see what the Lord says about that. Matthew chapter number 15. Look at verse number 10. It says this, And he called the multitude and said unto them, Hear and understand. Of course, anytime you see that, you know, you want to, okay, hold on, let me slow down and read this, which is another reason why we did the Bible challenge the way we did. We're trying to give you some time to read and then just think. I purposely put a lot of Matthew in here because a lot of us, if you're following the plan, you should be what, chapter 20, 25, somewhere around there. So you should have read these already but if not, you're getting a preview. You can still get caught up. You've got tons of grace days. You can get caught up. Look at verse 11. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Verse 12. Then came his disciples and said unto him, and this is so funny, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying? Now this is where most people, if they even get this far or even if they just randomly flip open the Bible and read this verse, they'll just stop right there. You go ask a new evangelical Christian, you know, what do you think Jesus did after this? Here's what they'll tell you. He dropped down and he prayed for them and then he went and ate a meal with the prostitutes and then he, you know, saved a bunch of homosexuals, you know, they'll say crap like that. Is that what he says? Verse 13. But he answered and said, Every plant which my Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Uh oh. That doesn't follow the narrative today, right? Look at verse 14. Let them alone, they be blind leaders of the blind, and if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. That's what he said, right? Now that doesn't mean that we don't contend for the faith and preach against false prophets. Of course we're going to do that. Of course out so when we're going to say, hey, you know what? You know, I'm not trying to be rude, but what you believe is wrong. You know, as tactfully as possible. You know, we want to say those things. But in this context here, Jesus knows these people. A lot of these people have already rejected the word of God to the point where they can't be saved anyways. Go read John chapter 12 for further clarification. But what is his overall solution? Nah, let them alone, right? They're offended. They are offended. How come he doesn't, well, let's enable him. Because he's perfect. He's not an enabler. Okay? What does he say? Nah, leave him alone. Let him go to hell. Let him fall into the ditch, right? Is he talking about a ditch like on the side of the road out here? Or is he talking about the pit? Okay? What are they? Let them alone. They be blind leaders of the blind. Okay? The blind love the blind. Right? At work. A lot of times I'll be talking to these faux Christians and they're just like, all the time. John Piper? John MacArthur? Paul Washer? I'm just like, are you saved? Hey, if you were to die, you know, we've got to have a conversation here. Obviously, in a work environment, there's a different way that we have to approach that. But the point being, okay, those people flock to these Pharisaical type people. Why? Because they preach their religion, human achievement. And they preach their plan of probation. And so it makes sense. They're going to flock to those types of people. But anyways, is he like, oh, I can't believe we offended him. No. What am I trying to say? Sometimes we are going to offend people. In fact, a lot of times we are going to offend people. That's not our mindset. We don't leave here before soul winning. Like, all right, I got it all mapped out. Whoa, we're going to get all kinds of people mad today. All right, we're going to offend the people. No, we're just like, hey, here's an area I think looks kind of poor. Let's go over there and hopefully get some people saved. Right? That's the mindset. Right? That is what I'm talking about. But when it comes to these types of people, you know what? The word of God is going to offend them. And to them, hey, oh well, let them go. Let them be offended. Because we are in control of our emotions. See, you change your perspective, and I'm serious, you will change your life. Go to Proverbs chapter number 18. Proverbs chapter number 18. So we'll look at a verse here that kind of goes along with Matthew chapter number 18. And it's just another warning, another reason why we want to do everything that we possibly can to not offend a brother or to make it right. Okay? Proverbs 18, look at verse 19. It says this. It says, a brother offended is harder to be one than a strong city, and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. If you've been in this game for any length of time and have seen a Christian brother or sister offended, you know it's a very difficult thing to gain that trust back, to gain that relationship back, and to put everything back together. So the point being, you know, we have to tell people their faults. If somebody trespasses against you, and you know it's wrong, you've got to confront them. Right? Because here's the thing, if you don't, you know what you're going to resort to? You're going to resort to more anger, more built up frustration, and it's going to come out in other ways. And in today's day and age, how it comes out is passive aggressive attacks on Facebook or YouTube or you'll start speaking in a way, and you might not even realize it, where you're just taking jabs at the person all the time. Because you have something you want to say, but you don't want to say. You just got this conflicting thing going on, and it's terrible. Go to 1 Corinthians 8 but keep your place in Proverbs because we're going to come to that neighborhood again. But we are getting close to being done here. Let's take a look at another verse along those lines. I just want to make sure that we're all clear, and I've preached this before, and our church now, we don't have this problem. And when people say that we do, they're lying. They are lying. 1 Corinthians 8, look at verse 9. Look at what Paul says. He says, But take heed, lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak. Verse 10 says, For if any man see thee which has knowledge, sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols? And we broke this down not too long ago, so I don't want to go too far off on it. But basically Paul's like, look, I know some of you guys know that idols are nothing. You know, the little stupid idols at the Chinese restaurant. You know, the fat Buddha or whatever, or the dragons. We know those are garbage. But back in this day and age, I mean, that was the culture. That was the thing. And you know, you've got these believers springing up, and some of them are so weak-minded, they're like, you ate at that Chinese buffet. You know, they just go crazy. Or it just sends them over the edge. You know, and it just sends them over the edge like, well, if he can eat there, well, heck, I can go over here and do all this other stuff, right? Because the old man loves to reason, doesn't he? He just loves that. Well, if he could do that, hey, if he could play that game, then I can watch this at night, you know? You see how this thing goes? That's basically what Paul's addressing here in verse number 11. And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died. But when ye sin so against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. And again, this is what we're trying to avoid here, right? But this is what this individual that we kicked out of here did. He sinned against Christ because we are the body of Christ. You know, and I just can't get over this accusation that he said, well, I'm going to go over here to South Valley Baptist Church because they're godly and you're not. I'm kind of paraphrasing what he said, but that's what he said. It's like, hold on for a second. As far as I can tell, they have the right gospel and they use the King James Bible, so praise God for that. But they don't have a soul-winning program. They preach wrong on prophecy. So how are they more godly than us? And there are people in this room that have gone there and no one talked to them. Okay, this is a small church. Everyone who comes in here gets talked to. Every guest that this idiot brought into this church, someone talked to them, but they did not want to talk back. Why? Because they wanted to cast shade on this church. That is why they did that. It's a manipulation tactic and he's too dumb to recognize that. He's like, oh, he's a teenager. Shut up. Come do something about it. Look at verse 12. But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Verse 13. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. Go to Psalm chapter 119. Psalm chapter 119. And so again, that's the attitude and mindset that we want to have. That's the culture that we want to have in this church. A love and a care for one another, right? John the Baptist, not John the Baptist, the Apostle John, right? We're reading through 1 John on Sunday nights and this is a big theme, right? Love for the brethren. Fellowship with one another and fellowship with Christ. These things go hand in hand. Who's ever been to a church where after the service everybody just bolts? Okay, oh yeah. You start digging around in those closets and you're going to find all kinds of skeletons, I'm telling you, because there's no fellowship with Christ there, okay? They're in church typically for just show, just for pretend, just to say I go to church and that's it. Look, if you can't fellowship with the brethren, how are you going to fellowship with our Father? How are you going to fellowship with our Savior, okay? It doesn't make any sense and it's impossible. You've got to have both. So again, when someone comes in here and it's just constant, man, for months and months and months and months and they just can't get along with anybody. They're just pissing people off all over the place, pissing people off out in town, pissing people off here, pissing people off on the way to church, on the way to where it's just like, man, okay we've got a serious issue here. Whatever, man, let's keep reading. Psalm 119, okay? 165. Psalm 119, Psalm 165. I love this verse here. We've had this on the bulletin at least twice since I've been a pastor here. We're going to put it on again. Look what it says. Great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them. You say, Pastor Jones, how do you know that they don't love the Bible? They watch sermons. They read the Bible. They say they did the challenge. You can scan words all day long but when you read, do you take heed? That's the question because I believe the Bible and the Bible says great peace have they which love love thy law. Anybody can read it but do you love it? Do you apply it? Anybody can read but it takes a strong person to take heed. Great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them. So if someone really loves the Bible and they really love the word of God, they're not going to come into a church like this and not be able to get along with just anybody. It doesn't work like that, man, okay? There's no way that that works. But you say, how do you get to that point though? I'm just struggling with all this stuff. Look, I get it, man. I totally, I understand it. We've got struggles. Everybody in here, okay? We go through our ups and we go through our downs but how does the psalmist get to this point? Well, let's back up to verse 161. It says, princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart standeth in awe of thy word. Remember what we learned? What did Jesus say? Tribulations and persecutions because of the word? When you love the word, those two things just bounce right off of you. Verse 162, I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great spoil. Do you have that attitude when you're reading, right? And you're taking heed and you're thinking about what you just read and you're like, oh, that makes sense. That clicks. Hey, that would be a good sermon idea. That would be a good idea or a concept to explain to somebody. That's where you guys need to be. That's where we as a church, you need to be here. And look, how do you get there? What did Jesus say to John the Baptist? Go show him again. Read it again. Deny self. It's not easy. It's not. And see, that's the problem today is we think, well, it should be easy. Some people just love the word of God because they were No, it's not easy. Understand that. It is hard to read the Bible every single day. You need to make it a habit. You need to read it. You need to fight yourself to read it. Look, at least read the proverb of the day. Spend a month just doing that and that will change your life. I promise you. Verse 163, I hate and abhor a lie, but thy law do I love. Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. How often do we praise God because of the things that are written in this book? When you hear the news and you hear about all this garbage going on, do you ever stop and just praise God because his plans are working as he said they would? This isn't the Koran. This isn't some stupid Buddhist book. This isn't the Talmud. This is the word of God. Skip to verse 166. Lord, I have hoped for thy salvation and done thy commandments. You see, a big part of this, like I always say, if you're not applying, you're dying. You've got to do these commandments. You've got to set forward and do something for God. Look, just stop what you're doing sometimes and visualize someone in this church or someone in your family and just pray for them. And that will start to turn the momentum of your day around. Verse 167, my soul hath kept thy testimonies and I love them exceedingly. He's explaining to us, this is how we get to love the word of God by doing. Show me a soul winner, someone who's saved, an out soul winning, who just doesn't like the word of God. It's not going to happen. It's not going to happen. I've got to get rid of this stupid thing. But anyways, verse 168, I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies for all my ways are before thee. So what he's saying is, hey, when I hear a sermon preaching like, yep, you got me, right? He's like, hey, my ways are before thee. I accept the rebuke. I accept that chasing or you're reading the Bible and you know, you and God both know, us and God both know that we're not doing what it's saying. Yep, you got me. That's the attitude. Yep, that's me. Right? That's me. Not like, oh, Shield of Faith Baptist Church made me do it. That's not acceptable. Go to 2 Samuel chapter number 16. 2 Samuel chapter number 16. So we're going to wrap this thing up here, but I want to leave you with an example of what we just read. So there's a king in the Bible by the name of David and we spent over a year studying 1 and 2 Samuel and he displays this actually perfectly in the midst of tribulation which he brought on himself. Understand that. David is on the run from Absalom, his own son. His own son is trying to usurp his power, his position, and trying to kill him. Okay? So keep that in mind when you read these verses here. Look at verse number 6. 2 Samuel 16 verse 6. So there's this individual and his name is Shimei. And this guy's a devil. Look what he says. And he casts stones at David and all and at all the servants of the king, of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, thou man of Belial. Okay? So he's throwing rocks at David. David's, you know, they're hungry, they're cold, they're on the run. They don't know what's going on. I mean, this is absolute chaos. It's horrible. Right? And he calls him a devil. He's calling the king of Israel a devil. Look at verse 8. The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou has rained. And the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son. Behold, thou art taken and I mischief because thou art a bloody man. So this guy doesn't even know what's going on. He has no idea the true story. He has no idea why David's even really running. And he's making these lying, railing accusations. Okay? Verse 9. Then said Abishai, the son of Zeruiah unto the king. This is, this is typically, this is a lot of times, this is how I am. This is how a lot of us are. And there is some truth to that. You know? Then said Abishai, the son of Zeruiah unto the king. Why should this dead dog curse my Lord the king? Let me go over. I pray thee and take off his head. And he would have done it and done it well and went and ate a brisket sandwich. Okay? That's what would have happened. He probably would have forgot about it by the end of the night. Okay? This is, look, this is, this is how we can get. Okay? But David being a man after God's own heart. Verse number 10. You know, inside he's like, I'm with you, but now's not the right time. Look at verse 10. The king said, what have I to do with you, you son of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David? Who shall say, who shall then say, wherefore hast thou done so? And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, behold my son, which came forth of my bow, seeketh my life. How much more now may this Benjamite do it? Let him alone and let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. So David understands his chastisement. He understands why this is happening to him. It's hard. It's rough. But if anybody should have wanted to chop a head off, it should have been David. Okay? And obviously it should have been these guys. And look at verse 12. It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day. Go to 1 Kings chapter number 2. Like I said, we're almost done 1 Kings chapter number 2. So, does that mean he's like, okay, well I'll just pray for him and we'll just kind of see what happens and pray for the best for Shimei? No. No. David gets him. Okay? David gets him. Just look at this. Look at verse number 8. 1 Kings chapter number 2. So now David is old. He's stricken in years. He is about to go to be with the Lord and his son Solomon is going to take over and he's getting his briefing from his father and David is giving him instructions on certain people and what to do with them and why. But look at verse number 8. David says, And behold, he's talking to Solomon, and behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gerah, a Benjamite of Baharim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I swear to him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword. Okay? Sounds like David hadn't forgot about this, has he? Look at verse 9. Now therefore, hold him not guiltless, for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him, but his whorehead bring thou down to the grave with blood. Why does David wait till this time to go and get rid of Shimei? Because David was a person, and this is what we can all learn from this, when we adopt the right mindset. See, back in 2 Samuel 16, though David was in tribulation, though he was just in all these afflictions and hardships that he brought on himself, though he was in the midst of all that, I mean, he had the right perspective. Again, if you change your perspective, you can literally change your life. You change how you look at a situation, and it changes how you view things, which controls your emotions, which puts you in the driver's seat. He's saying inside of himself, I'm not going to let this slide, but I'm going to do it right. And that's going to save us from reacting to acting. I don't know, if you're like me, look, I have a tendency to just want to react. Like, you said what? You know, I'll be honest, I have that problem. I do. We all do, to a certain degree, but sometimes I'm like, you see me at home, I'm like, I can't believe it. He said, what? And it's just like, okay, you know, and thank God I have Jessica and she's like, hey, just slow down for a second, what am I to do with you? Go to Proverbs 19. Proverbs 19, then Ecclesiastes. But again, David had the right perspective. He looked at the situation and said, you know what? I can't afford any more grief. I can't afford any more pain. I can't afford any more of this heartache. Or this trouble. I've got to change this situation. And he does that. And he still gets the result, because if you know what happens next, what does Solomon do? He puts a boundary on Shimei. He breaks that boundary and winds up getting put to death by Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. And one of the interesting things about that too, not to get too far off on the subject, but one of the things that Solomon said to Shimei is he said, you know the wickedness that your heart is privy to. Keep that in mind. That is why the individual that we kicked out of here will not be allowed to come back. Because I know the extent of the wickedness that his heart is privy to. So just wanted to mention that. Keep that in mind. Look at Proverbs 19. Look at verse number 11. Proverbs chapter 19, verse number 11. It says, the discretion of a man defereth his anger. Is that not what we just saw? I mean, that's David and Shimei. Okay? Look, depending on what side of the bed I wake up on, I may not act like that. Many of us can relate. The discretion of a man defereth his anger. And it is his glory to pass over a transgression. Why would that be a glorious thing? Well, first of all, if you pass over a transgression, you're the type of person that just doesn't let stuff bother you. You know, you're going to wind up influencing people and you're going to wind up just helping your brother out and not causing them to be offended. You're mature. Okay? So that's glorious in that sense. Go to Ecclesiastes chapter number 7. But there's another big thing that I keep mentioning that's going on here. When you pass over that transgression, it's a glory to you because you are in control. That's what we want. We want to be in control of these situations that we don't bring on ourselves. So when someone says something to you, you will feel the emotion of annoyance. You will feel the emotion of offense. But here's the thing. You've got to learn how to control it so it doesn't come out. Okay? That's the ticket here. You know, I saw the title of this book. I didn't read it, but it was like something like, you can learn to never be offended again. To never feel offended or something like that. And it's like, no, you will always feel that. Okay? We will always feel that because we have the old man. We have the old nature and he's offended about everything. All the time. Okay? You have to learn how to beat that guy down. And this is how you do it here. The discretion. So the wisdom. Okay? The mindset that says I'm not just going to react off of everything. Cut me off. I'm going to get out and fight you. Okay? No. It's the acting. And we all fail at this all the time. But do we have the intestinal fortitude to know that we have this problem and to continue to try to work on it? That's where we need to be. Okay? That is what he's saying here. So, to further prove this, Ecclesiastes 7, this is the last three verses we're going to read here. Look at verse 21. So, Solomon says this. He says, also take no heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee. Okay? Why does he say that? Saying just don't listen to anybody? No. He's not saying that. But what he's saying is, don't be so quick to find out everything that someone is saying about you. This is especially true for anybody who's a boss or a leader. Because, you know, on some level, you could start reading into what people are saying. You could get so worried and so paranoid about your image that you're just like, oh, what do you think he meant by that? What do you think he meant by that? What do you think he meant by that? Right? You're going to start to develop paranoia and just all kinds of problems, right, that we don't need. So he's saying, hey, don't give too much attention and don't take everything so serious. Now, obviously, David took what Shimei said serious, but he used discretion. He used wisdom. He used choice. He slowed down and thought about this for a second and said, I don't know how we're going to get this guy, but God will avenge me. Right? And he did. And that's exactly what happened. Look at verse 22. For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise has cursed others. Why does he say that? Because here's the deal. When someone offends you and you start to feel that emotion of offense and you're like, ooh, right, and you start to get spun up, think about the times that you've done that and you've been wrong and it will calm you down. This works. Test it out and the next time someone offends you, this works. And what does this do? It changes your perspective. It changes how you're seeing the situation which is going to change the result for the better and you will come out on top. You will be the wise person. You will be the one with discretion. Last verse, verse 23, all this have I proved by what? By wisdom. I said I will be wise, but it was far from me. So again, we don't want to just say these things. We want to do them because that is what changes hearts. That is what changes minds. And by the way, this is just another thing here that's going to help improve your relationships with people in general. You change your perspective. First thing you want to do is just look at yourself, okay? I've done that before. I'm going to let the Lord deal with it and then you can go back and you can process and you can think about that. That's what I did with the person that we kicked out. I sat there. I read the message. I was mad. I got up. I read a little bit more. I was like, you know, this is definitely railing. This is definitely rebuking an elder. You're kicked out. At first it was three months. Then I was like, I read a little more. It was six months. And then I got here and he called and said some more stuff and I was like, forever. You're done, okay? Right? But I took my time with that, you know? That's what we need to do. That's how we need to be. Just change your perspective. You say, okay, how do I stop being offended? You're not, okay? But you're going to stop showing that you're offended. You're going to stop letting that offense dictate how your life goes by just changing your perspective. Don't take everything everybody says so seriously. You say, how do I do that? Just think about yourself because we've all done it. Okay? Solomon's like, look, I've proved this by wisdom. And I guarantee you, if you follow these things, they work. They will bless you. They will help you. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Thank you so much, Lord, again for your word and all the application that you always give us. I just pray that you help us to apply these things to our lives, Lord, that we would not become as snowflakes and easily offended and suffer from these things, Lord, because we only become unproductive when we do so. I just pray you bless our church, Lord, and heal everybody and get sick and keep us all safe, Lord, as we travel home tonight. Thank you again. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Amen. If you would, please grab your songbooks one more time this evening and turn to song 43. Song number 43, we're marching to Zion. On the first. We're marching to Zion, the beautiful city of God. When those refused to sing who never knew our God. But children of the heavenly king may speak their joys abroad may speak their joys abroad. We're marching to Zion, beautiful, beautiful Zion. We're marching upward to Zion, the beautiful city of God. The hill of Zion yields a thousand sacred sweets. Before we reach the heavenly fields, before we reach the heavenly fields, walk the golden streets or walk the golden streets. We're marching to Zion, beautiful, beautiful Zion. We're marching upward to Zion, the beautiful city of God. Then let our songs abound and every tear be dry. We're marching through Emmanuel's ground. We're marching through Emmanuel's ground to fairer worlds on high, to fairer worlds on high. We're marching to Zion, beautiful, beautiful Zion. We're marching upward to Zion, the beautiful city of God. Amen. Brother Kaden, would you close the service and order a prayer please? Amen. Amen. Amen.