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