(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

Amen. Alright, the part of the chapter we're gonna focus on this evening is verse number 19, Joshua 24, where the Bible says, And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is an holy God, he is a jealous God, he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If ye forsake the Lord and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you after that he hath done you good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay, but we will serve the Lord. Verse 20 says, If ye forsake the Lord and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt. The title of the sermon this evening is The Discipline and Mistake of Forsaking. The Discipline and Mistake of Forsaking. Here we see that God is basically telling his people, look, there's some conditions when it comes to serving God. There's some conditions when it comes to your relationship with the Lord. And the fact of the matter is, God wants to bless you, God wants to help you, God wants to bless your family, the land, he wants to help you in all your doings and prosper you. There's some conditions to that. There's some things you have to do in order to do that. And if you choose to forsake God, guess what, he's gonna turn and do you hurt. And by the way, it has not changed in the New Testament. If we choose to forsake God, if we choose to do things that are contrary to God's Word, we're gonna suffer the consequences of it. We can't just, well, you know what, I have grace and, you know, I'm saved by grace, and by the way, we are, but the fact of the matter is, if we choose to sin, if we choose to continue in iniquity, God will punish us. And God is not an unrighteous father. An unrighteous father does not chastise his children. A righteous father, a father who loves his children, will spank his children. And God will chasten us, and thank God for that. Why? Because it's the fear of God that's placed within our hearts, knowing that God will punish us, if we sin against him, that keeps us right with God. And here he's saying this, he's saying, look, if you forsake the Lord and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt. And by the way, hurt helps us to repent. Amen? To forsake is to abandon something or someone. It means to leave something, to completely turn away from. We would use the word repent, to leave something behind, and we see this word over and over in the Bible used both in a positive and also a negative action. Forsaken ought to be a discipline that we as Christians exercise, but it's also a mistake that we often make. And I'm gonna explain what I mean by that. Go with me if you would to Proverbs chapter 28. Proverbs chapter number 28. We're gonna talk first about the discipline of forsaking. And this is very important because the Bible teaches us to let him, the name of the name of Christ, depart from iniquity, right? And we as Christians, when we first get saved, the Bible says that we're saved by grace through faith, that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. And the moment we receive Christ, guess what? We're justified. But the Bible teaches us that our spirit is saved, but our flesh isn't. The Bible says that we're waiting to win the redemption of our flesh, and our flesh desires to do those things that are contrary to God's Word. That's what we're gonna struggle in this world. We're gonna, we're still gonna sin. There's things that we've done that, sometimes even when we confess our sins, we're not even confessing everything that we've done. Why? Because sometimes we don't even know the things that we do. We have presumptuous secret sins, and we're gonna struggle with that every single day until we reach glory, until we reach heaven, the Bible teaches us. But you know what? That doesn't mean we just give up, right? That means every single day we need to die to self and have the discipline of forsaking that which displeases God. Look at Proverbs 28 verse 12 says, When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory. But when the wicked arise, a man is hidden. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh, the Bible says, forsaketh them, shall have mercy. Now look, 1st John 1 9, the Bible teaches us that if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And praise God for that. But you know, the Bible teaches us we have to forsake it if we're gonna obtain mercy. That means we just not, we don't not only come into agreement that we've sinned against God, that means we also repent of our sin. And by the way, we don't repent of sin to be saved, amen? And thank God for that. But you know, as born-again believers, those who are saved and justified, now we need to repent of sin. Now we need to clean up our lives. Now we need to look inwardly and see how the filthiness of our heart and evaluate our lives and say, man, what do I need to forsake in my life? Because we don't come complete, you know? We don't, when we get saved, it's not like we have everything down to to a team, you know, right when we get saved. No, we have to get right with God. There's things that we have to forsake, there's habits we need to get rid of, there's sins that we, sins of the mind, sins of our motives, things that we do in our lives that don't please God, we need to forsake those things. Go to Ephesians chapter 4. We need the discipline of forsaking sin. And we don't do that for our sinless perfection because we're never gonna reach that until we get to heaven. But while we're on this earth, we need a life that, we need to live a life that's pleasing unto the Lord. How do we do that? As we come across and evaluate the sins that we have committed, we need to work on forsaking them. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 17, the Bible reads here, This I say therefore and testify in the Lord, that he hands forth walk not as other Gentiles walk, and the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. Who being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ, if so be that you have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, that he put off concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. What is the Bible teaching us there? We have an old man, okay? Ladies, they're not talking about your husband, okay? We have an old man, all right? And that old man has old habits and bad things that don't please God. The Bible says we need to put that off on a daily basis. You know, I've heard some people say, you know, once you get saved, you don't have a desire to do any wrong anymore. That's a lie out of hell, okay? And you're prideful if you think you don't have any desires to do wrong, okay? You're a prideful Calvinist who believes you don't have any desire to do wrong. Of course we have a desire to do wrong. We still live in this flesh, and the Bible says for me, the Bible talks about how, for me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. We still, look, we're still in this shell, and the desires of the mind and the heart are still there. But you know what? We need to die to self every single day. We need to ask God to help us to die to self and to die to those desires, forsake the deeds of the old man, and not give in to the desires of the flesh. You say, well, Brother Bruce, you know, the spirit in thee is willing, but the flesh is weak, but the Bible says be strong in the Lord and the power of his might. The Bible says that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his spirit and the inner man. We need to pray for that, to God strengthen me so I don't give in to this sin. Help me to forsake it. Help me to repent. Help me to have integrity of heart, not to do those things that are displeasing to you. Be strong in the Lord. We need to do our due diligence to forsake the desires of the flesh. Go with me, if you would, to Romans chapter 7. Romans chapter number 7. We need to be a holy people. You know, if we're not careful, especially in our type of movement, we just, we come to church, we read the Bible, we sow in, but once we go home, we live some pretty bad lives. We live worldly lives. We live lives that are unholy. And we try to justify ourselves by the works that we're doing for the Lord, but guess what? God wants a clean heart. He wants a clean life. And he wants your life, that you're living here in this church, to match up the life that you're living at home. To what you're watching, what you're listening to, what you say, what you think. It all needs to match up. Because guess what? If it doesn't, you're a hypocrite. You're a hypocrite if you don't. And the fact of the matter is, God doesn't want a hypocrite. We ought to be the same person everywhere, okay? Romans chapter number 7 verse 14, the Bible says, for we know that the law is spiritual, but I'm carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do, I allow not. For what I would, that do I not. But what I hate, that I do. And then I do that, excuse me, if then I do, that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. For to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would, I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do, that would, excuse me, that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law that when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man, but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body, from this body of, excuse me, from the body of this death. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord, so then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin the Bible says. And by the way that flies in the face of what people say that you know once you get saved you never have a desire to sin. He said it right there. The things I would like, I would like to do sometimes I don't. What is that? The sin of omission. The things that I don't want to do, I do. What is that? The sin of commission. We're always getting, that's the Apostle Paul talking right there. How much more us? O wretched man that I am. Right? But the Bible says there with the mind I myself serve the law of God. Go back if you would to Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter number 4. Look we need to learn how to forsake sin in our lives. Clean up your life. Clean up the immorality. Clean up the bad thinking. Clean up your bad habits. Clean out your filthy mouth. You know clean out the things that you know displease God and work on that thing. The Bible says be holy for I am holy save the Lord. We need to work on living a holy life. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 23. How do we do that? The Bible says here and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that you put off the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. You know you got to change the way you think. And I'm not talking about the power of positive thinking. Okay? I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. No this isn't. What's that book called? The little train that could or whatever. Whatever. The power of positive thinking. We don't believe in that junk. You know what we do? The renewing of our mind is when we clean our minds with the Word of God. That word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against thee. The Bible says. You need to put God's Word in your heart so you can renew your mind the Bible says. Go to Romans chapter 12. Romans chapter number 12. Romans chapter 12 verse number 1 the Bible reads here I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service and be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. You need to clean your mind and change the way you think. You know why so many Christians are given into this humanistic and this this this humanistic way of thinking is because their minds are not in the Word of God. They're not reading the Bible enough. They're reading books about the Bible. They're not reading the Bible enough. You know why some of these things are offensive to even our brethren because they're reading books about the Bible by unsafe people who don't have a biblical perspective. And they're filling their mind with a bunch of junk. No what we need is the Word of God to clean our minds. You know it's it's offensive to me that you would think it's offensive to say well you know for David to say do not I hate them they hate thee oh Lord I hate them I hate them with the perfect hatred. You say man that's offensive. No you're offensive. You've been influenced by this world and people who are unsafe writing books acting like Christians trying to influence us. No you need a renewing of your mind. You need to change your mind. You need to transform your mind. How? By the Word of God. Go with me if you would or keep going in Ephesians 4. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. They put off the new there you put on the new man which after God is creating righteousness and true holiness. You know it ought to be that we as Christians you know as we read the Word of God we forsake sin we forsake bad habits and we're just getting better. You know living a holier life. Two steps forward one step back over we're going forward for the Lord. We're doing things that are pleasing to God. Look what the Bible says in verse 25. Wherefore putting away lying the Bible says. Look here's where the forsaking takes place. As God begins to change our perspective to the Word of God then we have to put our feet and start working at it. Put away lying. We as God's people we need to be honest. Don't lie. Okay don't lie. You say well it's a little white light. White light, black light, pink light it's all a lie. Don't lie. Lying lips are an abomination unto the Lord thou shalt not bear false witness the Bible says. We ought not to lie we ought to be honest people reflect an honest God. Living righteously doesn't just happen overnight. It's not like we just get saved and boom everything's just the way it's supposed to be. No it doesn't work that way. Verse 25 says wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his neighbor for we are members one of another. I like this verse this is my life verse be angry. No it's not my life verse but it's a good verse. Be angry and sin not. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labor working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needed. Notice all these practical things come after the renewing of your mind. As you renew your mind you're like man stealing is bad. The Bible says that stealing is bad. I shouldn't steal. Guess what happens when you renew your mind then you say well I guess I shouldn't steal anymore. Don't steal the boss's time. Don't steal anything that doesn't belong to you. Don't be dishonest. Live an honest life. Look what verse 29 says. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying and administer grace into the years. Hey stop cussing. We need to stop cussing. Christians are not to cuss. Okay and we're not talking about the biblical words that people that our brethren would accuse us of cussing. No I'm talking about the other words. Okay now I think all of us because especially the millennial generation we have we struggle with this. Okay we use cuss words as like verbs and adjectives and it's like part of grammar. I'm surprised it's not in the in the like books you know at school because they use it so much. But you ought to stop cussing. Why? Because you're a Christian and as a Christian you need to clean your mouth with soap. You know you get that bar that biblical bar soap and shove it in your mouth and clean it out and if you're a Christian especially if you're a Christian the filthy communication are not to be coming out of your mouth. Why? Go with me if you go to Colossians chapter number four. That was to minister grace into the years. That which is good to the use of edifying. Colossians chapter four and verse number five the Bible reads here walk in wisdom toward them that are without redeeming the time let your speech be all way with grace seasoned with salt that you may know how you ought to answer every man. There ought to be grace that comes out of our mouth seasoned with salt. We ought to know how to speak as God's people. Why? Because the Bible says let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. The Bible says evil communications corrupts good manners. When you just let everything just fly out of your mouth the Bible says out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. It shows what's in your heart. Go to Titus chapter number two. So why are you talking about cussing? Because I know Christians cuss. You know we're safe people but we live in the flesh and you know what we need to learn how to speak correctly and I'm not talking about grammatically correct although that's important too. I'm talking about saying the right words. Saying the words that reflect the Word of God. Okay because the Bible says if any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God. Why are we speaking what the Bible says? Titus chapter 2 verse number 6 says young men likewise exhort to be sober minded and all things showing thyself a pattern of good works and doctrine showing uncorruptness gravity sincerity sound speech that cannot be condemned that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed having no evil thing to say of you. We need to have the right kind of speech when we talk. Okay go to Matthew chapter 26 Matthew chapter 26 and this is something that's important because you know the world could look at us as being Christians and then like they hear us slip and say a cuss word and it's like whoa hey you say you're a Christian you know and the matter is to let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. You know the world scrutinizes us especially faithful word you know they scrutinize us like crazy and you're looking at everything that we say they're here and everything we say looking at everything we do why because the Bible says that we're ambassadors for Christ we're representatives of God so we need to be careful how we talk. Matthew 26 verse 69 the Bible says here in verse 69 now Peter sat without in the palace and a damsel came unto him saying thou also was with Jesus of Galilee but he denied before them all saying I know not what thou sayest and when he was gone out into the porch another maid saw him and said unto them that were there this fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth and again he denied with an oath I do not know the man and after a while came unto him they that stood by and said to Peter surely thou also art one of them for thy speech be raised the the Bible says that would be raised means he it exposes who you are so you know how I know you were with Jesus because I can tell by the way you talk your speech be rated it exposes who you are maybe set up us that when we go into the world is like just by the way you talk I can tell that you're a Christian I can tell that you're but with Jesus of Galilee just because of the way you talk right but we need not be said it's just like man you must be of the devil you know because of the way you talk they're not not to be said of us we need to forsake the way we speak we need to forsake the cussing we need to forsake the filthy communication that proceeds out of our mouths why cuz out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh we ought to forsake sin it ought to be a discipline of ours and by the way this is something look you may have Victor over today but tomorrow could be different so every single day you need to die to self every single day you need to take up your cross and follow the Lord that's how it works you can't just see we can't live off of yesterday's victories you know what I mean look we saw 18 people saved today praise God but guess what tomorrow's another day and next week is another week and next month is another month and next year is another year and every single time we need to work on these things these are things we constantly have to discipline ourselves to do you know I don't want to be someone who just lives in the past you know the victories of the past I used to know someone that only talked about is all the glory days of the past I remember we used to do this we used to have this many on the bus and this on them and just like what are you doing in the future you know what what is it that you're doing now how many souls are you seeing saved now what are you doing now how many how much Bible you're memorizing now because now's what's important amen but it's a daily thing we have to do look today was a real successful day but the most successful days are ahead of us amen and I'm gonna tell you hey we saw 18 people saved yesterday tomorrow I'm gonna tell them but guess what I want to see more people say the following week we don't want to be someone who lives in the past why because it shows if we live in the past it shows we're not renewing ourselves constantly try to better ourselves as soul winners as Bible believers as Christians we need we need to better ourselves renew our minds constantly and we never get to a point where we can say well I've arrived you know Paul said I haven't apprehended you know he said I haven't reached that point we need to constantly be getting better at our Christian lives and look at the areas that you fail in or where you have faults and say God help me with this help me to forsake have the discipline of forsaking this habit so forth Second Chronicles chapter 7 please forsaking is a good discipline to have look at verse 12 of 2nd Chronicles chapter number 7 the Bible reads here and the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said unto him I have heard thy prayer and have chosen this place to myself for in house of sacrifice if I shut up heaven that there be no rain or if I command the locusts to devour the land or if I send pestilence among my people if my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land you know why it's good to forsake sin because it comes with blessing it's not just a matter of why I forsake sin so I can just live a righteous life that's a part of it but God's blessing is found on the other side of that obedience if we forsake sin God's God's not just like okay you need to forsake sin and just so you can live a miserable life you won't have fun it doesn't doesn't go that way God's blessing is on the other side when we choose to live a righteous life God's blessing is there and we need to keep that in mind when we're struggling to forsake a certain sin a certain habit God's blessing is on the other side that's where the pleasure is the true pleasure that's where the righteousness is that's where the joy is found and living a holy life for the Lord God's blessing always has conditions though it's not like you live your best life now you can you can live the way you want nothing's gonna happen and you can live continue to live in sin listen to your stupid music and your stupid rap and you can watch those dirty movies and all this and nothing you can God's gonna bless you it doesn't exist God's blessing always has conditions with it and we need to take that in mind when we're living for God it's not just well God is just this some heavenly father who's just gonna give us everything we want everything we want no it comes with the conditions we need to live right conditions of obedience conditions of turning from our wicked ways look we're not talking about salvation here okay we're not talking about says we obviously know salvation is by grace through faith all we have to do is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved we understand that but we're talking to Christians right now amen and as Christians we need to learn how to repent clean up your life because look let me say this I'm sure everyone here wants to be a good soul winner amen we all want to be a good so we want to be used of the Lord but you can't be used of the Lord if you have sin in your life all the time God can't but doesn't want to drink out of a dirty cup you know what I mean I mean I don't think you want to drink out of a dirty cup right that's like the nastiest thing ever no we want to use clean vessels God wants to use clean vessels too and I'm not saying you can't be used of God if you're struggling with something but what I'm saying is this is that God's blessing do come with conditions clean up your life so you could be used of the Lord mightily look turn from pornography turn from wickedness hey single man turn from some from lust not just single man but all men why because we want to have a clean heart before the Lord we want God to be able to look down on us and say this guy's not perfect but he's trying his best I want to bless this guy and use him you know the big especially with the internet now you got to be careful don't just have unfettered access to the internet you need to be careful what you watch David said I shall set no wicked thing before mine eyes I hate the work of them to turn aside it shall not cleave unto me and man you ought to memorize that verse hide that thing in your heart what shall we say shall we continue in sin that grace may I bound God forbid how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein yeah pure hearts turn from fornication turn from adultery turn from drunkenness look and there's things that are turned from cigarettes I don't think anyone smokes pot here I hope not you know on a Sunday night when everyone's tired they look like they smoke but let me say this yeah no Christian ought to be involved in that kind of stuff okay we ought to be holy clean vessels unto the Lord look turn from worldly music amen yes if I wasn't speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody and hearts into the Lord turn from the song of the full when I think of the song of the full because of my generation I think of rap okay I'm a confession to you I used to listen to rap all right I still like ice to wrap myself okay that was just part of my generation but this stupid music it's foolish it's stupid it's filled with debauchery fornication on holiness uncleanness it's ugly we ought to hate that stuff may no Christian no Christian ever be involved in listening to rap it's ungodly talk about murder and drugs and fornication and all that filled and you putting that stuff in your ears and into your mind into your brain you're gonna write yourself you won't be used of God that's the bottom line maybe God hasn't blessed you because you still listen to that rap crap okay you need to you need to forsake that he said well just you know ever once in a no forsake it get rid of it amen look my old pastor used to say this you can control what you put in through your eyes and through your ears but once it gets to your ears and through your eyes you can't control what it does to your heart you know you said well you know I'm a Christian I think I could do it I get no no no no no no the Bible says we need we need to keep our hearts with all diligence for out of it on the issues of life and rap on no Christian ought to be listening to rap that would that ungodly music by the way most rappers are homosexuals anyways yeah okay so you want to listen to a faggot okay we talk about homos all the time and then you put you throw on the CD and start listening to a homo yourself he said well he's like a gangster I don't care that guy's listening to that guy's involved in the worst wickedness of this world yeah they think of this guy Drake I don't even know who this guy Drake is I never listened to him but I've heard about him this guy made some video who and he was dancing like a homo and he even said it himself he says man I don't know what had what got into me he goes I think like a homosexual demon got into me yeah you're right it did the only difference is he didn't leave he's still there and you're gonna listen to that nonsense shame no that I don't not to be a part of your life right still listen to Eminem you know I don't even know who I'm calling up the guys who I used to listen to I don't even know if they're still famous Snoop Dogg okay dr. Dre yeah but it kind of you know it didn't post me up why don't you get pumped up by the word of God all right not by this fleshly carnal drug abusing whore abusing lifestyle but these guys talk about and these guys are gritty a filthy lucre and you think that's not gonna affect you in any way you ought to forsake that nonsense that's a song of a fool the Bible talks about look back in the day I was like rock music and I think rock music still still is still popular that's the devil's music no Christian ought to be involved in those things and shame on you if you are you say why is that because you are a Christian you are a saved person you are a child of God and I'm not saying you may not struggle with it and you know you may not want to listen to it but you know you ought to have some fortitude and some guts to say no I'm not gonna listen to that junk look you said well you know you're not loving no I'm telling you the truth I'm telling you the honest truth all right and as I mentioned most rappers are homosexuals anyways I don't think you want to listen to a homo all right you might as well be listening to Ellen John rap is of Satan if you're taking pleasure in that music you're not right with God you're not now you may fool yourself into thinking that you are and by the way this crowd you may not even be struggling with rap you might struggle like country music cuz I don't know but anything that's not of God that's not a spiritual song is of Satan there I said it right because it's true I said but you know it just sounds so it doesn't matter how it sounds speaking to yourselves in Psalms hymns spiritual songs a spiritual song is not a carnal song you need to forsake it go to Ecclesiastes chapter number five Ecclesiastes chapter number five excuse me Ecclesiastes chapter number seven verse number five so what are you listening to on your iPhone you know we listen to on your iPad and your computer when no one's around you know it's just like yeah that's true and then you go home and then you as soon as you get in your car when you hit the corner and what are you listening to look at Ecclesiastes 7 5 says it is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools God says it's very for you to listen to this slobbering preacher up here yelling at you and rebuking you then you get in your car and listen to Drake you get in the car listen to Eminem you get in your car listen to Lil Wayne literally get in your car listen to whoever you want to listen to of this world these rappers these these thinking greedy a filthy look at fornicators of this world because it's better to hear rebuke it's better for you because open rebuke is better than secret love that's what the Bible teaches go to Psalms 37 we need to forsake these things and look we need to get to a point where it's just like you know what enough is enough is enough I remember when I got saved and man I look I'll confess to you I used to love rap okay there I said it okay if you could edit that from the film I'm just kidding that's the truth you know that was just the generation we grew up in and but when I got saved man my preacher preached hard on rap and I went into my car and I've had I had hundreds of dollars worth of CDs CDs you guys ever heard of CDs here as these round things anyways but anyways so I had these CDs and I remember I went into my car one by one I just threw him into the trash I'm like I'm not gonna listen to this hundreds of dollars just down the drain but I wanted to live a life that was pleasing to the Lord so I just threw them all away and I was like oh man no it's gotta go gotta go forsake those things God will bless you for us Psalms 37 verse 7 the Bible says here rest on the Lord and wait patiently for him fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass cease from anger but let me say this you know what are you learning from this music anyways you know and you wonder why you struggle with anger and you wonder why you struggle with with the desire to love money is because the things that you listen to you will become like the person you listen to that's just the bottom line so why don't you just listen to the voice of God amen verse 8 cease from anger and forsake wrath fret not thyself in any wise to do evil you know one thing we got to forsake is wrath okay now someone obviously gonna say well you're being wrathful you know when you preach you're being angry no no that's not what the Bible's talking about we're talking about the kind of rat that violates someone okay we talk about violence you know violence means to violate someone is to hurt someone it's the desire to cause want to cause harm upon someone but we're not a violent people you know I'm violent towards this pulpit but this pulpit is an inanimate object I don't need to apologize to it ever again it doesn't have any feelings okay but we're not violent people you know we don't want to hurt people we don't want to cause harm to anybody we're Christians but you know a lot of Christians they struggle with that they struggle want to be wrathful and anger and they have pride within them no you need to forsake them the Bible says he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit and he that taketh a city the Bible says and the Bible talks about how if you can if you are able to by the way says slow to anger doesn't mean doesn't mean don't be angry at all it just takes a while for you to get angry in other words you're patient okay and many we need to learn how to be patient okay don't just go off on people just at the drop of a hat now if they're in this church and they start they're like wolves or something there's a homo right there in the back yeah okay that's that's a different story all right and we need to get them out we need to get him out let me say this just at the drop of a hat you just like lose it we all not to be that way we ought to be patient long-suffering the servant of the Lord must not strive the Bible says okay go to Proverbs chapter 25 but the Bible says that if you're able to do that you're stronger than someone who's able to take a city then an army who is able to take a city as the Bible says you have more power in yourself than someone who's able to do that that's all God sees you Proverbs chapter 25 and verse number 28 look at the Bible says here he that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls you know that means that means the enemy can just come in and just mess with you and someone who doesn't is able to control themselves and they just kind of just blow up on people all the time at the drop of a hat you're like someone who has no walls and Satan can just come and use you for his purpose okay we don't want to be those kind of we want to be able to forsake wrath forsake anger go to Proverbs chapter 20 Proverbs chapter number 20 look this is the discipline of forsaking we need it we make this part of our lives this is important aspect of our Christian lives it's not just soul winning it's not just having the right type of beliefs but it's having the right type of living right and to have the right type of living we need to learn how to forsake sin Proverbs chapter 20 verse number three the Bible says it is an honor for a man to cease from strife but every fool will be meddling you know God says if you just meddle and you're angry and you're wrathful you're a fool but it's an honor to be able to cease from strife go to Proverbs chapter 23 Proverbs chapter 23 hey forsaking forsaking these things is good and it's gonna help your life it's gonna help your way of living it's gonna help you to to be absolutely can receive the blessings of God in your life Proverbs 23 verse number four says labor not to be rich cease from thine own wisdom one thing we got to forsake is our own wisdom sometimes you know sometimes we think we're smarter than God sometimes we think we're more logical than God's Word and we see a situation or a circumstance in our life and we see what God's Word has to say about it it's like no I'm just gonna go ahead and do it this way no no no cease from that own wisdom especially in the area when it comes to finances I think finances is like a big struggle for a lot of Christians sometimes and money talk sometimes even to us but you know what we got to do we need to cease from that wisdom trust in the Lord with all thine heart lean not unto thine own understanding and all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths you know and you put put if you put God's for you put God first the Bible says that seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and these things shall be added unto you you do just fine but unfortunately a lot of Christians like the brother we talked about this morning they fall away why because of the deceitfulness of riches the lust of other things entering in it chokes the word and what happens you become unfruitful the deceitfulness of riches that's what takes people out of the will of God sometimes just the love of money and that's the root of all evil we need to cease from our own wisdom have faith in God trust in God don't love money serve God and not mammon see from our own wisdom go to first Corinthians chapter number one sometimes our wisdom is just dumb too you know we think we're more we have more reason than God now we're at a crossroad and it's a financial crossroad we need to see what God has to say about that first and if we see it is just like I don't know about that you know I just don't think that's gonna work cease from that own wisdom have faith in God that you can provide and look with food and raiment let us there with be content you know we don't need all of the glitz and glamour of this world that comes in the world to come you know you really wait for those things we need to learn how to wait for God's rewards that he's gonna give us learn how to suffer a little bit learn how to be content with what you have be content with your wages as the Bible says first Corinthians chapter number one sometimes we just got a cease from our own wisdom verse 20 says where is the wise where is the scribe where is the disputer of this world has not gotten made foolish the wisdom of this world you know it's sad is when we try to go we try to pull from the wisdom of the world to live like a Christian right well I know the Bible says this but you know what's his Dave Ramsey said this I can care less with Dave Ramsey said yeah okay oh no but he made millions I don't care I want to be a millionaire right why do I care about how many millions he has or how many millions I can make I don't care about those things money's gonna burn okay it's not gonna be here forever I use money money doesn't use me right we need money don't get me wrong money is important we need to pay the bills here all right we need to purchase things with it's important obviously but money ought not to dictate our lives that why just you know a Dave Ramsey has all these things how to become a meal no no that's not important that's the love of money cease from that own wisdom and Christians ought not to be going to Dave Ramsey to figure out how to how to figure out their finances it's all right here and look let me say this if you're just content with what you have that answers a lot of the problems right there my father-in-law used to say this protect your want er you know you need to learn how to protect the thing you're watching what is that when you want something all the time no you just need to protect that okay so you don't want a whole bunch of stuff and when you don't want a whole bunch of stuff guess what you're content with what you have but once you realize oh man I said look you didn't know you needed that thing on the advertisement before you saw it you know I think I need those pair of shoes right there yeah I think I need yeah yeah you even know that existed before you saw the advertisement you know we need to protect our want er and be content with what we have go to first Corinthians chapter number two but sometimes Christians just go to the wisdom of the world for these things first Corinthians chapter number two and verse number six the Bible says how be it we speak wisdom among them that are perfect yet not the wisdom of this world nor of the princes of this world that come to not see all that wisdom all that glamour this the so-called wisdom that these financial gurus have it's gonna come to not it doesn't mean anything in the eyes of God look my God owns a thousand cattle on a thousand hills okay he owns all the silver and gold he has he has every he has unlimited resources I want to know what his wisdom is because he knows exactly how much I need no more nothing more nothing less go to first Corinthians chapter 2 go to chapter 3 yeah well I know the Bible says that but you know I read this really good book forget your book throw that junk in the garbage it's not worth it first Corinthians chapter number 3 and verse 19 the Bible says for the wisdom oh you say I'm tired of hearing people saying the Dave Ramsey is a Christian all right I don't care if he's a Christian I don't even think he's a Christian the guy loves money and we gotta be careful being friends with people who love money why because it's contagious it'll make us covetous and covetousness is a sin to desire something that doesn't belong to you first Corinthians chapter 9 verse excuse me 3 verse 19 says for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God for it is written he taketh the wise in their own craftiness he says this stuff is just foolish and we reference it's like wow look at look at what's that Kawasaki what's that guy's name another guy financial group you know I'm talking about what's that guy's name what is it rich rich dad poor dad okay keep me poor keep me poor it's not gonna be humble and I stay humble and depend more on God okay I want to be rich in faith I want to be rich and believing that God can provide for all my needs that's why I want to be rich in by the way if I'm rich in faith here guess what I'm gonna be rich in faith rich and when I get to heaven because I'm putting spiritual things first which are most important it's the temporal things of this world that takes our mind off of the the eternal things first Kings chapter 3 first Kings chapter number 3 wisdom is important but the wisdom of God is important now we gotta cease from our own wisdom when says something we have to forsake and look sometimes it's just like but it seems more logical you know what sometimes we just need to go with what God says even if we don't understand it completely yeah just trust God just trust him in every single aspect he said man well if you preach like that we're gonna get it you know they're gonna persecute us yes I know we are yeah you're right high five yeah it's gonna happen he said well what if something physically happens to you you know I cease from my own wisdom because though our outward man perish the inner man is renewed day by day okay first Kings chapter 3 verse number 9 look at look at the Bible says give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I made discern between good and bad for who is able to judge this thy so great a people you know Solomon asked for he just wanted a wise heart and instead of trying to lean on our own understanding in our own wisdom we need to ask God for God's wisdom and look at the Bible I mean the Bible teaches that when he asked for that God not only gave him wisdom and judgment he gave him a bunch of stuff as well why because when you have God's wisdom you know how to deal with wealth you know how to deal with the income that comes in you know how to deal with the blessings of God because you have God's wisdom Proverbs chapter 19 if you wouldn't Proverbs chapter number 19 talk about the discipline of forsaking we need to learn how to forsake and cease from our own wisdom forsake those things that are displeasing to God Proverbs chapter 19 and verse 27 the Bible says cease my son to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge you know there's some instruction in this world whether from unsaved people from saved people we need to just forsake that there's instruction that's just unbiblical let's just be honest commentaries okay so one you know every once in a while just like to know what Jay Vernon McGee says Jay Vernon McGee who cares what he said those stupid little books he puts out that guy doesn't even believe in tithing he doesn't even believe in the local church and you're gonna get wisdom from him you're gonna get instruction from that guy that guy questioned the King James Bible it questioned the validity of God's Word and you're gonna get wisdom and instruction from him makes no sense whatsoever cease from that go to Titus chapter 1 and look not just the way done not just the instruction of commentators but just you know sometimes instruction of safe people who are well-meaning but they don't know nothing about what the Bible says people who would discourage us from doing the God's will and sometimes that comes through the avenue of family you know family would you try to well you know I don't think that's just the best idea I don't think you're just no no no cease from that we need to not listen to that instruction and let me say this it's good to be zealous for the things of God it's always good to be zealous for the things of God oh you kind of going overboard good I want to go overboard for the Lord I want to go all the way in for God cuz I mean you might want to take it easy no I want to take it hard I want to go all in for God yeah and I don't want to stop well you're gonna burn out good good I want to be I will gladly be spent for the Lord be zealous for the Lord and somebody look family sometimes they're just like oh you go to you're just doing the church thing too much let me say that some Christians aren't doing the church thing enough but to those of you who go to church a lot is like oh you're going to church way too much it's like hey I need to be in church more I need to hear the preaching more I need more exhortation I need more fellowship I need to do God's will I need to learn more I need to go overboard on this thing I need to preach a sermon go overboard for the Lord because most Christians don't go overboard they go on the board yeah they they they like rear back in their Christian life no we need to be doing more for God more so any more Bible or more memorization we need to go overboard for God and let me say this you know back on the commentary thing is just like people are like like you know you guys are against commentaries but what about when you're preaching I've heard that said to me you know aren't you commentating on the Bible look at what the Bible says here but hath in due times manifested his word through what preaching that is the exception my friend this is not commentary I'm not commentating on this this is preaching and the Bible says that the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us which are safe it is the power of God so this isn't commentating this isn't a book I'm not preaching to you from a book a commentating book no I'm preaching the Word of God right now he said no but that's commentating no no you need to cease from your own wisdom and go with God's definition what this is I'm preaching the Word of God right now this isn't a commentary well you know these men in these button these commentaries they they've walked with God a lot longer I don't care the Bible says I can know more than the ancients because I've learned that precepts I can know more than my teachers because I meditated a nice statutes the Bible says doesn't matter how old you are look Hymenaeus he's about 2,000 years old guess what he blasphemed the name of God and I'm not gonna learn from him he was given over to the grid given over to Satan and Satan for the destruction of the flesh then you may learn that's a blaspheme I don't care how old he is Alexander sorry Alexander his name is Alex I knew this is gonna come the coppersmith he's pretty old he's 2,000 years old in fact he's even in the Bible I'm not gonna learn instruction from him so don't pull out this well they've walked with God longer than we have and they've lived a long it doesn't matter people could be thousands of years old and be wrong and this is the beauty about learning the Word of God anybody can learn it doesn't matter what age you are if you put the Word of God first if you meditate upon his precepts you memorize the Word of God you read it over and over and over again God says you can know my word he's revealed it into babes the Bible says we can all know the Word of God we don't need no stupid commentary to teach us the Bible I got I got the Holy Ghost okay that's the best commentator I could ever find yeah right the one who wrote it because all scriptures given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction instruction and righteousness that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works perfect but who's that come through to the Holy Spirit as we compare spiritual things with spiritual thing you know the reason why a lot of churches are no longer King James are there King James but they're ashamed to be King James because they're not spending enough time in the King James they're not spending enough time at the feet of Jesus learning the Word of God on their own they're learning learning from unsafe commentators teaching the Bible go to Psalms 119 don't go there I already quoted that sorry go to Hebrews chapter 10 Hebrews chapter number 10 I'm gonna reach you from Psalms 119 102 the Bible says I have not departed from thy judgments for thou hast taught me God has taught me he said I'm not gonna depart I'm not gonna forsake the Word of God for God hath taught me look we as God's people we need to spend time in the Word of God we need to spend time reading it we need to spend time memorizing it we need to spend time meditating upon it so we can know it and do the will of God now okay so those are the things we are not that we ought to forsake sinful things bad habits now we're gonna look real quick we're almost done things we ought not to forsake Hebrews chapter 10 verse 25 says not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching look you know God says have the discipline of forsaken sin but don't have the discipline in the bad habit of forsaking the good things of the Word of God don't forsake God's commandments don't forsake the assembling of ourselves together as the manner manner of some is don't join you to Baptist temple was I don't feel like going I'm just gonna watch it on YouTube no that's you're not in church okay you just forsook the assembling of ourselves right and you need to get into the habit of just being in church when the church doors are open and being here all the time YouTube Baptist temple is not looking for members right now and there is no membership for you to Baptist temple okay you need to be in God's house all the time don't forsake you say you say oh you know I just I just I know we could all come over with excuses excuses are like armpits we all have them when they all stink that's just the bottom line we need to be in church look I'm not saying if you're like I have the flu and you're like dying and stuff you need to be like okay do what you got to do okay but the fact is when it's not that case we need to be in church all right don't forsake the assembling of ourselves together go to Nehemiah chapter number 10 church is important by the way man I love church before but I really love church now okay I love being here I've always loved church since I've been saved I've been in church I go to church I've been to church every single Sunday and every single single midweek service and I loved it but I love it so much the more now let me say this if I wasn't the pastor here and I just have to sit there and listen I would still love this church it's a wonderful church I'm thankful for this church I'm thankful for the members of this church I look forward to coming here it's awesome and we ought to look forward to church that ought to be an integral part of our Christian lives is the church Nehemiah chapter 10 verse 38 the Bible says in the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites when the Levites take tides and the Levites shall bring up the tide of the tides into the house of our God to the chambers into the treasure house for the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn of the new wine and the oil unto the chambers where are the vessels of the sanctuary and the priests that minister and the porters and the singers and we will not forsake the house of our God you need some Christians who just be adamant have be determined say I will not forsake the house of God you know unfortunately a lot of Christians you know some happens you know they get offended or or some happens in their life and they just take a break from church that's the worst thing to do and the moment you decide to take a break from church because you just like I just need to fix some things in my life no you need church so you can fix that thing in your life that's how you fix it the Word of God helps us and let me say this when you're around other Christians you're gonna be around people who are going through the same thing you're going through and guess what some of them may have had victories in the areas you're struggling with and if they share that with you it's gonna help you why cuz misery loves company okay you know it's just like man I'm not alone but guess what when you're a YouTube Baptist temple you are alone okay you are alone no we need to be in the house of God and say no matter what happens I'm not gonna forsake the house of God I need to be in church I need to be here whatever good by any means necessary I need to be in church go to Psalms 89 you know David said for the day nine courts are better than a thousand amen to be in church is better than to be anywhere else there's not to be a place that we look forward to coming to Psalms 89 and verse number 28 the Bible says my mercy will I keep for him forevermore and my covenant shall stand fast with him his seed also will I make to endure forever and his throne as the days of heaven if his children forsake my law and walk not in my judgments if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquities with stripes you know the law of God the Word of God ought to be something that we don't forsake okay and don't be just content with coming here listen to me preach or listen to pastor Anderson preach that I'm not to be your time with God okay preaching is important we need to listen to preaching the Bible says despise not prophesying but you know what the fact of the matter is each and every one of us need to be spending time in the Word of God okay don't forsake the law of God if you do the rod will come why because we need to learn the Word of God and God has commanded every single individual to read the Bible on their own Proverbs chapter 3 Proverbs chapter 3 I was gonna say Proverbs chapter 3 I'm mixing my words here Proverbs 3 verse number 1 the Bible says my son of course this is Solomon speaking to his son but you know why it's basically like God speaking to us he said my son forget not my law but let then I then heart keep my commandments for length of days and a long life and peace shall they add to thee let not mercy and truth forsake thee bind them about thy neck write them upon the table of thine heart so shall that find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man look we need some understanding in this world we need to understand what the cause and effect of situations but how do we do that when we don't forsake God's law when we spend time in the Word of God some of the most wisest people that I've ever met are people who simply just are in the Word of God right because they have the wisdom of God you know I'm not talking about you know book smart okay there's a lot of people who are book smart and thank God for them but you know what God says look wisdom you just get what God's wisdom through with the Word of God don't forsake the law of God bind them about the about thy heart the Bible says go to Proverbs chapter 4 Proverbs chapter number 4 verse number 5 the Bible says get wisdom get understanding forget it not neither decline from the words of my mouth forsake her not and she shall preserve thee love her and she shall keep thee and it's talking about the wisdom of God's Word don't forsake it it's very important Proverbs chapter 4 look what verse number 1 says here ye children the instruction of a father and attend to know my excuse me that tend to no understanding for I give you good doctrine forsaking out my law you know doctrine is very important to know and I'm thankful for a church that emphasizes this matter of doctrine teaching the Word of God it's not something that is all you know oh you're one of those doctrine guys know we're one of those doctrine churches this is something we're gonna emphasize here is doctrine very much important let me show you why go to 1st Timothy chapter number 4 don't forsake good doctrine what is doctrine simple means teaching right teaching of the Word of God we want to be a church that says oh just read the Bible for inspiration not information no we want inspiration and we want information we want to be ignorant of what God says we want to know what the Bible says about a specific subject why is that look at 1st Timothy chapter number 4 let me just turn there actually right here I have it in my notes but I want to go here verse number 1 look at the Bible says now the Spirit speaketh expressly then in the latter times some shall depart from the faith why giving me to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils how many you ever heard of doctrine of a devil I mean I've heard of many right and not only have I heard doctrines of devils I've heard people embracing doctrines of devils and the Bible says that these people they depart from the faith why because they gave me to these things they listen to these things they believe these things Hitler used to say himself you listen to a lie long enough and loud enough you say a lie loud enough long enough the people will believe it and if we don't emphasize doctrine and we don't teach doctrine guess what you're gonna believe false doctrine look at the Bible says it you're in 1st Timothy chapter 4 go down to verse 7 but refused profane and old wives fables and exercise thyself rather unto godliness for bodily exercise profiteth little but godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life which now is and of that which is to come God is saying look there's some who have given who have departed from the faith given he to seduce and suspears and doctrines of Devils what you need to do is exercise yourself rather unto godliness how do we do that look at verse 13 till I come give attendance to what to reading to exhortation to doctrine you want to say till I come you need to give attendance to reading the Word of God never people say well it says give attendance to readings talk about books you know that's what Paul's talking about like so what book do you think Paul was reading back in the New Testament you think he was reading John MacArthur's book on eternal security or something you think he was like comparing commentators no he wasn't he wasn't looking at the writings of Aristotle whoever was that Greek philosopher of that time that doesn't exist well he says give attendance to readings talk about the Bible no no no no because it also says doctrine doctrine means teaching buddy it says give attendance to reading the Bible give attendance to teaching doctrine the Word of God because as we read we teach look you want to know a good way to learn doctrine once you learn it go teach it to someone that's how you learn and look what it goes on to say verse 14 neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on the hands of the Presbyterian meditate on thee upon these things give thyself wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all and look what verse 16 says take heed unto thy self and unto the doctrine how do you take heat unto yourself by giving attendance to reading and unto the doctrine what is that teaching continuing them look what it says for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee how do you save yourself from false doctrine by giving attendance to reading how do you save those who hear you by teaching the Word of God as well you know how I'm gonna save myself from false doctrines and doctrines of Devils are reading the whole Word of God you know how I'm gonna save you from believing false doctrines and doctrines of Devils by preaching the Word of God into you teaching you doctrine some people will say you see you got to save yourself and and save those this is oh no no it's talking about saving yourself from false doctrine and unfortunately a lot of people are not saved from doctrine from from from false doctrine they believe the most stupidest doctrines because they're not giving attendance to reading they're not giving attendance to doctrine they're more they want to be inspired you know they just want to feel good it's all an emotional thing man I just feel so good they want this Joel Osteen Christianity you know doesn't work that way you need to learn doctrine you need to give attendance to reading you need to teach someone else men teach your wives the Word of God okay teach your children the Word of God why because as you do that it's a double whammy you get to teach yourself also you save yourself and you save your wife you save your children from false doctrine look as my son grows man I'm teaching them post-trip I'm teaching a replacement I'm teaching them everything because you know what when he grows up I don't want someone to come you know the post tribulation dogs there's not even a real day pre-trib you know no he's gonna be like what that's stupid what are you talking about you know and they're gonna be a wall you know if I was a no man know what the day or the hour have you men read Matthew 24 it says after the tribulation buddy have you read mark 13 have you read Revelation chapter number six do you know these things and it's just like he can save himself from a lot of false doctrine because look I'm not gonna be here forever neither are you we need to train the next generation give attendance to reading teach the next generation so they can save themselves from false doctrine good doctrine don't forsake it go to Proverbs chapter 2 Proverbs chapter number 2 verse number 16 the Bible says verse 15 talk about the lady here it says whose ways are crooked and they forward in their past to the liberty from the strange woman even from the stranger was flattered with her with her words which forsaken the guide of her youth and forget at the covenant of her God you know a lot of ladies you know don't forsake and I think what it's talking about here I think the application it could be twofold well one it's just talking about obviously your parents because those are the guys guides of our youths right as our parents we need to give heed to our parents and don't forsake the guides of our youth why because even in Proverbs it says my son hear the instruction of thy father forsake not the law thy mother God's given us parents especially and by the way you ought to thank God if you have saved parents you gotta thank God if you have saved parents who live a godly life who love the Lord and love the Word of God that's a good thing don't forsake that but I think also it's just talking about the guide of our youth can be the Word of God why because the Lord of God is a lamp into our feet and a light into our path what is that it guides us don't forsake the Word of God I'm running out of time let me uh let's go to uh we'll go to one more verse here go to mark Matthew chapter 19 we'll be done here Matthew chapter 19 I was planning to preach a 30-minute sermon sorry just kidding Matthew chapter 19 you know we need to have the discipline to forsake the wrong things but we need to be careful to not forsake the right things okay and forsaking is very much important going back to that Matthew chapter 19 verse 28 the Bible says and Jesus said unto them verily I say to you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon the twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel and everyone everyone that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my name's sake shall receive an hundredfold and shall inherit everlasting life but many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first you know one thing we need to learn how to forsake is this list right here sometimes you know and that's a hard thing sometimes isn't it because we love our family but at the end of the day we need to realize look for the gospel sake we need to forsake that which needs to be forsaken so we can do God's will you know it's just like but I know I know look God will come through God will come through I remember man these last couple months and I haven't shared this very much I won't put on on YouTube yeah yeah as of yet but just this last couple months been just tough you know with with having to resign and then you know getting getting asked to leave and it was just like man the dream of ever pastoring churches died it's done it's never gonna happen and I remember when we left our church that Sunday night it was just like man I lost everything you know I lost my friends I lost family people who were really close it's just like they just forsook us people whom we loved and esteemed they forsook us and I remember thinking myself well you know we'll just go to another church and we're just gonna have to be regular church members so I want to be faithful to God and you know we'll see what God does but maybe I'll never get to start church in the next ten years you know boom the very next day you know that night you the message on on church discipline and it was encouraging cuz it's like man okay I know I was I was not kicked out for the right reason you know I think it was it was for the wrong reason I was asked to leave for the wrong reason and the next morning I text pastor Anderson and and he never takes back okay he never takes back I thought when you texted you he won't text back you know he's a busy man but I text I say I just want to and I didn't expect him to text back I just wanted to thank him I said thank you for that sermon last night it was a blessing we just got asked to leave our church and I was just an encouragement to my wife and I you know and just thanks that's it he called me immediately and we've known each other for a couple years and man just let's say this one thing led to another and he's like we're starting church next week this is like I'm like come again what you know and and you and it was just the last three weeks have been amazing just I never would have thought you know it's like we're planning to move to faithful word like in a year and a half or so they were working with us you know and it's a matter of you know what sometimes you got to forsake everything and forsake and stand for right and have integrity to just stand for what you believe in and once you lose everything then you gain everything you get everything you want a lot of Christians will never be blessed in their lives because they're not willing to just lose at all they just want to hold on to everything well you got to be willing to lose everything in order to gain everything that God has for you look man we're meeting the bill I mean good night like if you were told me if you would show me this picture three weeks ago about what is that I'm like is that camera you know who are these people you know I don't we don't know any of these things but you know what God can do it God can do it God has done it and thank God for pastor Anderson for doing that thank God for that you know it was an answer to prayer not just for us but for a lot of people for all of us waiting for a church to come out here sometimes you've got to be willing to forsake it all to gain it all and look sometimes when we forsake all we may not even see it all in this lifetime but we will see it because God is faithful we got we need to learn how to forsake the wrong things but be careful not to forsake the right things amen that's about heads in a word of prayer Lord thank you for your word we're thankful for the instructions that the Word of God gives us and God we're thankful to be saved today we know that we have this flesh that we have to war against day in and day out and I pray that as we live our Christian lives that you would continue to empower us and help us and as we read the Word of God and discipline ourselves to forsake sin to get the sin out of our lives when it when it desires to creep in and but not only that Lord help us to do right help us to live right and not to forsake the right things and not to be lax in our Christian lives not to forsake soul winning not to forsake Bible we're not to forsake prayer not to forsake the essentials of the Christian life and I just pray the Lord that Lord you would help us and of course more than anything I know there's a lot of people here and most people have the same stories like man a lot of people forsook us and it's heartbreaking but we know that when we forsake that and they forsake us you have something bigger planned for us and then I just pray you help us to have faith in you and help us to step out in faith and do that which is pleasing in your sight in Jesus name we pray amen