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🎵Piano music plays🎵 🎵Piano music continues🎵 🎵Piano music continues🎵 🎵Piano music continues🎵 You You You You You You You You You You You The strong tower Baptist Church let us all stand and please join me on our first hymn this evening Him number 91 the first Noel the angel did say him number 91 the first Noel the angel did say He feels where they lay keeping their sheep on a cold winter's night that was so deep Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel On that second Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel And by the light of that same star The wise men came from country far To seek for a King was their intent And to follow the star wherever it went Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel Then let us all with one accord Sing praises to our heavenly Lord With high faith and honor both lords And with his blood mankind has fought Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel Can I please ask brother Andre to do our opening prayer Holy Father thank you so much for this church Thank you for so many things Thank you for the people who try to listen to the gospel Who gave their time to listen to the gospel To see their own benefit We did the best we could We went and we did what we were supposed to do Just more people Thank you for the fellowship Before the morning service and in between Right before this service and afterwards Bless the fellowship Bless all aspects of this service today In Jesus' name we pray, Amen Amen If you stand there please turn in your hymnos to hymn number 87 Angels from the realms of glory Angels from the realms of glory Hymn number 87 All together in that pose Angels from the realms of glory Win your fight o'er all the earth We who sang creation's story Now proclaim Messiah's birth Come and worship, come and worship Worship Christ the newborn King Shepherds in their fields are guarding Watching all your flocks by night Godly man is now residing Yonder shines the infant's light Come and worship, come and worship Worship Christ the newborn King Sages need your contemplation Brighter visions be my fire Seek the great desire of nations Ye have seen the infant smile Come and worship, come and worship Worship Christ the newborn King Send me for the outer bending Watching only hope and fear Suddenly the Lord descending In His temple shall appear Come and worship, come and worship Worship Christ the newborn King That went with the morning message We had a couple of points straight away out of that Some great examples from those shepherds They abide in the field, they watch over their flock by night In all areas of leadership we could learn a lot from the shepherds That went with our message, lessons from heroes The shepherds abiding in the field Have a look on the inside of your bulletin That was our morning service where we looked at that We're in our Sunday evening service Where we're going to be looking at the Book of Proverbs Proverbs chapter 26 and part 2 this evening And then Wednesday we're not going to have the evening service I've remembered this time And Wednesday is going to be a morning service A Christmas morning service Our soul winning times are down there though Sunday afternoon soul winning today We unfortunately didn't get any salvation There's plenty of seed sown by the sound of it We were close with no cigar But it's still like we saw this morning It's still very worth getting out there Getting the gospel out there Getting those seeds sown There's the other soul winning times down there And you maybe just want to check with those captains About what their plans are over the next couple of weeks With the Monday evening soul winning down in Mitcham with Alex The Tuesday soul winning I know that's at 3pm in Basildon High Street On Christmas Eve there So there's going to be some High Street soul winning That's been receptive for us in Southend and elsewhere So if you fancy trying some High Street soul winning When the High Street is busy It's a numbers game as well with the High Street Because often if you've got a lot of flyers in You're just giving them out There's always someone that wants to hear and want to talk And of course you're not just giving them out You're trying to get a conversation going But you can get quick with it And then there's just so many people You're going to find someone that wants to hear the gospel So it is good It is good the High Street soul winning So that's going to be in Basildon at 3pm The Wednesday won't be on Being Christmas Day The Thursday isn't on either I mean Tilbury being Boxing Day The Saturday event is on no And the excellent Sheffield You'll have to talk to the relevant people about that as well So that's the soul winning times going on this week The praise report then We're still where we are there Those numbers are relevant We didn't get anything this afternoon We're 25 off our target for the year here And we're on 33 baptisms right now We are two off the 500 overseas groups Which hopefully maybe today they might have made We'll see soon Our total baptisms are down there Our attendance totals are down there for last week Which was a little bit quieter There's a bit of illness going around Well quite a lot of illness going around in fact So please keep everyone in your prayers for the illnesses right now We have like I said So Wednesday is going to be a morning service It's going to be 10.30am In the church here That's going to be our Christmas Day service And it will just be the morning service And then after a bit of fellowship time We'll be locking up So yeah if you'd like to come to church on Christmas Day You're able to make it I know it's a bit tough with public transport So yeah you know it is one of those things It's a bit hard around Christmas They make it difficult But you know maybe some of those people want a break as well That are working on the trains etc But if you are able to make it be great We have a Christmas Day service at 10.30 Saturday the 28th is our soul winning event And we're going to be meeting in the Asda in Belvedere And then we're going to be kind of spreading out from there I've had confirmations with that I will just remind everyone who's confirmed with that If anyone wants to add last minute then you're welcome to I have got somewhere booked for food afterwards So we're going to be eating from 5pm afterwards as well And we're going to try and hit our total Because I don't think we're going to make the 25 this week With potentially one or two soul winning times But hopefully that event is going to be where we make it And yeah that's going to be this Saturday coming up And it would be nice to have a fellowship meal as well Out together You know as the end of the year there Then Wednesday the 1st of January So that's going to be our New Year's Day services again A morning service here in the church, 10.30 And it will just be the morning service here So that's going to be Wednesday the 1st, New Year's Day We're on a new Bible Memory Challenge We're on week 2 It's a Christmas themed one It's Matthew 1.19 Which is then Joseph her husband Being a just man and not willing to make her a public example Was minded to put her away privately That's week 2 of our Bible Memory Challenge Please turn your mobile phones off or place them on silent for the service if you haven't Just to remind you there is still, I think there is I didn't check but I'm guessing there is Still quite a lot of food at the back there Please just help yourself Eat what you like It would be nice to get through it So please offer the service Help yourself, teas, coffees, there's lots of food there We had the kids Christmas party yesterday Which we enjoyed doing it By the looks of it the kids enjoyed it as well There's a lot of competitiveness there as well We had a couple of teams It was getting pretty rowdy at times between those teams No it was great, it was good fun And with that we had a lot of food and snacks and treats and things like that And everything left is over at the back there So please help yourselves to that guys And we do also We had a birthday today with Gina Marie She was here this morning Happy birthday again Gina Marie And then we've also got Evan tomorrow So happy birthday again Evan for tomorrow We sung to them this morning But happy birthday guys And then we've got Andre coming up at the end of the month But please let my wife know your birthdays and anniversaries if you haven't Let me know if you want details for online donations And everyone I think is pretty aware of how we do it with the family integrated stuff Also just a reminder that we have a lost property section at the back there It's on the top of the soul winning materials Please grab what you need And also if you're planning to soul win Maybe next Saturday You're not going to be here, you're not going to be here on Wednesday Maybe grab some stuff for that That would be quite useful It just saves me bringing quite so much But yeah take what you need for soul winning this week Whatever you need before Sunday That would be great And I think that's it So on that we're going to pass back up Fleepe over one page from your hymnals to hymn number 89 Silent night, holy night Hymn number 89, silent night, holy night All together on that first Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin mother and child Holy infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace Silent night, holy night Darkness flies, all is light Shepherds hear the angels sing Alleluia, hail the King Christ the Savior is born Christ the Savior is born Silent night, holy night Son of God, love's pure light Break your beads from thy holy face With the dawn of weekly grace Jesus, Lord at thy birth Jesus, Lord at thy birth Silent night, holy night Wondrous star, blend thy light With the angels let us sing Alleluia to the King Christ the Savior is born Christ the Savior is born Can I please ask Brother Patrick and Brother Adam to do our offering? Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing us together this afternoon and I pray, Lord, you'll bless this offering and keep this church, this holy church forever until you come back. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. In Jesus' name, Amen. In Jesus' name, Amen. Please turn in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 26. That's the book of Proverbs chapter 26. So the Bible reads, Proverbs chapter 26, starting in verse 1. As snow in summer and as rain in harvest, so honor is not seemly for a fool. As the bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back. Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet and drinketh damage. The legs of the lame are not equal, so is a parable in the mouth of fools. As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honor to a fool. As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools. The great God that formed all things, both rewardeth the fool and rewardeth transgressors. As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him. The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way, a lion is in the streets. As a door turneth upon his hinges, so doth a slothful upon his bed. The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom, it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, so is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport? Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out. So where there is no tail-bearer, the strife seeth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife. The words of a tail-bearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him. When he speaketh fair, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation. Who so diggeth a pit shall fall therein, and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you, Lord, so much for the book of Proverbs. We pray, Lord, just please help us to be attentive to the message today, help us to apply what we learn in our lives. And we pray, Lord, please fill Pastor Tavner with your spirit, and we love you, and we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Right, it's Proverbs 26, it's part two. We're looking from verse 13 today. If you remember, last week was a fool, it was all about fools. And this week it's, well, it's a two-part, it's a slothful and a tail-bearer this week. So, it's Proverbs 26, part two, it's done in verse 13, which is, The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way, a lion is in the streets. I'd like to pray then, we're going to get going with the message. Father, thank you for your word, thank you for the book of Proverbs, thank you for this chapter, Lord. Thank you for the many lessons we can get out of it. Please help everyone to have attentive ears, to hear them, not only just to hear these messages, but also to want to apply them to their lives, Lord. Help everyone to have the right heart about it as well, Lord, to not get angry at your word, to reject when it feels like it's talking to them, Lord, to just really want to improve for us all, to just want to grow and improve in the areas of our life that we all need improving in, Lord. Thank you for all the lessons we're going to get today, Lord. Please fill me with your spirit as I preach this sermon, in Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Okay, so, the slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way, a lion is in the streets. So, someone who is slothful is inactive, they're sluggish, they're lazy, they're idle. This is not a good thing to be for obvious many reasons, and of course there are levels of slothfulness. Okay, you're not either slothful or not. I believe that it's a temptation of the flesh, and some lose that battle more than others, and some will lose that battle at times, and in periods and in other times, maybe they'll be winning the battle with the slothful, the lazy flesh. But like many sins in life, okay, rather than slothful people admitting their slothfulness, they often convince themselves of the excuses, don't they? Okay, so not many people, some people do, and it's good if you can say, Yeah, I'm a bit of a sloth sometimes, or, Yeah, I'm being a sloth. But often people just convince themselves of the excuses they make for their slothfulness. Here it's said in verse 13, The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way, a lion is in the streets. And this is an example of a slothful man making excuses not to leave their home. Okay, so they're not coming out of their home because they're saying, Well, there's a lion out there, okay, I'm going to get attacked, I'm going to get eaten, it's dangerous outside of the home. Now, if you remember Proverbs 22, 13, we've already looked at something very similar, but it was a little bit more extreme. Proverbs 22, 13 said, The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. Now, you say, Well, that's a bit far-fetched, isn't it? Well, how about Covid, for example? That was a sloth's dream excuse, wasn't it? I mean, I can't leave the home because there's an illness. I mean, of course I can't leave the home. I mean, there were people, I remember knocking on a door, and bearing in mind, like, the peak of it was 2020, 2021, I knocked on someone's door, and I think it was, I think it was 2023, who said they still hadn't left the house. They answered the door with a mask on. I mean, it's sad, really, right? And this couple, a man and wife, answered the door, they both had masks on, and they said they haven't gone out of the home since. Now, they might have been just very obviously scared and everything else as well, but a lot of people, they use that as an excuse. A lot of people are like, I'm not going outside, I'm not going anywhere. Or what about the recent potential riots? And I'm sure a lot of people use that as an excuse, not to go out, not to go out in the streets. It's so dangerous, even though most people live nowhere near any sort of rioting or any sort of, you know, disturbance. And some people, it might even be the weather, right? And they'll be like, Well, you know, the weather's so bad, I don't think it's safe to be out. Oh, the wind. It's like, look, we've had 50 mile per hour wind. That's usually what it is, isn't it? And then cue, like, the weather forecast. And of course, if you watch the news, you're going to find excuses to not go out, okay? Because the news is just constantly fearmongering. And what do they always do? They have like a 50 mile per hour wind, and then they found somewhere, usually a coastal area or somewhere where it's the highest it possibly can be. They'll say, Right, you know, 80, 90, 100 mile per hour winds. They'll say, I don't want to go outside the house, look how windy it is. Yeah, just look on the weather forecast where you live, and it ain't that. And secondly, even if it was, you're not going to get swept away. You know, but people like to use excuses to not go out. The latest illness, the latest injury, and there's just, you name it, there's an excuse, right? And then what happens, though, is people convince themselves of that excuse. There are those that find a way, and there are those that find a way out. That's life, isn't it? There are people that, well, whether they're ill, whether they're injured, whether there's some sort of weather, whether there's a so-called riot or anything else, they'll say, Well, there's a way. I'm going to get out of the house and do what I need to do, and there are those that will find a way out. And isn't it the same with soul winning, though, as well? If you want an excuse, there are plenty to choose from, aren't there? Yeah, if you want an excuse, Dr Soul Wind, you find an excuse, right? Weather, embarrassment, perceived danger, and for some, you know, there is a lion in the streets, only it's that spiritual lion, the devil, right? With some, maybe they'll just cast the place off as unreceptive. They'll go, Well, there's a lion in those streets. It's just all of the devil. It's all, I ain't going there, waste of time and everything else. Where it said, The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way, A lion is in the streets. I think the proverb's a reminder of the lengths that not only others, but also our sinful flesh will go. So, like I said in chapter 22, what's the answer? Assess our motives, be honest with yourself, assess your fears, and fight that fleshly desire to be a sloth. Because if you want to be a sloth, you'll always find an excuse to be one. Verse 14, As the door turneth upon his hinges, So doth the slothful man upon his bed. Now, something that goes hand in hand with slothfulness is sleeping. It also just lazing around in bed, so it's not always sleepy, it can just be lazing around. And probably in a day where there were less sofas, it was more the bed when you wanted to laze around, you could probably apply it to the sofa as well. People that seem to do little often sleep much more, have you ever noticed that? People that do less in life, they sleep for a lot more hours. It seems that the less you do, the more you sleep, which is a funny old thing, isn't it? Maybe because the less you do, the more depressed you feel and the more you want to sleep, so there is that as well. Because the less you do, the less you're out and about doing stuff, the more depressed you end up feeling. You're not happy, you're not content because you're not doing stuff, and then the more tired you feel, and the more you end up then needing and wanting to sleep. And there is obviously that, it goes hand in hand with depression. I mean, I knew a guy that used to get bad depression. He would sleep sometimes 18 plus hours in a straight stretch. I mean, unbelievable, right? Imagine how bad that is for you though as well. Because it is bad for you, okay? We'll talk about that in a minute. But why the turning bit here? He said, as the door turneth upon its hinges, so does the slothful upon its bed. Well, I think it does indicate sleeping for long periods of time. Because you do have to turn, don't you, when you're sleepy a lot. And there is that initial wake up, when you could get up. Yeah, you notice that sometimes? Sometimes early in the morning, around that time you should be getting up. There's that wake up. And you might even have a way of glance hit a clock or something else. And then you have a choice there. And a lot of people take the rollover choice. Because really your body is saying it's time to get up. But you're telling yourself, no, my body is saying it's time to roll over. Okay? There is that, isn't there? We can all suffer with this. We all struggle with this sometimes, right? But I think also just being in bed for long periods of time, okay? Whether sleeping or not, you're going to have to keep rolling over. So it's showing just that length of time that you're in bed. And like I said, this is an easy thing to do, okay? And I think you could probably compare it like this. You could have a big, heavy oak door, couldn't you? A big, heavy, solid thing that turning it on yourself, if you were trying to lift and turn that door, might be tough. I go and work sometimes at this job up in central London. And some of the doors are huge things. And you try and lift one of those off the hinges and it's heavy. Sometimes it's a two-man lift. But you put it on some hinges and it turns easily, doesn't it? You put a big, solid oak heavy door on a few hinges and it turns just easy. It's like you don't even have to put any effort in. A baby could do it. Well, I think just being in bed for long periods of time, it's not good for you either, okay? So like there, you turn easy. Once you're slothful, you're going to turn easy upon the bed. But it's not good for you, okay? I think you need to get that blood flowing, don't you? You need to get the blood pumping. I got sent something recently and listened to a bit of it. It was a podcast about people that are bedridden after illness and things like that. And just how bad it is for you and how your long-term health really suffers as a result of it. How your heart health really suffers was really the subject of it. And being bedridden for whatever reason, it really actually affects you negatively. But you could add that, okay, so that's bedridden, people that don't get out of bed. But there's a level with that as well. People that just are in bed a lot that don't do much, they're just unhealthy, aren't they? Well, it's a vicious cycle and you have to force yourself out of it, okay? You do, because some people get in that cycle and then they're feeling more depressed and then they want to sleep more. Something has to give, otherwise you're just going to stay in that cycle. So think of it this way, okay? Like when that door turns and shuts, turning over, so maybe you could apply this to your life, turning over in that bed, turning over when you're just kind of, you know you should be doing things, you know you're uncomfortable, but you're just going to roll back over. You know that you should be getting up, but you're just going to roll back over. Well, like shutting that door, you're shutting out opportunities in life as well. When you're just lazing around, you're just getting those, when you know you don't really need that extra hour in bed, that extra 40 minutes, even less, you're shutting out opportunities, opportunities to maybe have some undistracted time with the Lord. How often do we miss out on that because we chose to roll back over? We rolled back over where we could have been praying to the Lord before the whole family got up, or before other things got in the way, before you had to rush to get to work. Undistracted time with the Lord, reading your Bible where it didn't have to be rushed and bits here and bits there, you know, or it just went by the wayside because you just didn't really, you know, you didn't take that time, you didn't get up when you should have done. That rolling over shuts out opportunities, opportunities to get more done in a day, you know, where there's a lot to get done in a day, opportunities to serve the Lord more. And you're shutting that out as that door, turning upon its hinges, shuts out things. There's something about, as well, productivity early morning, isn't there? Early morning, I don't know about you guys, but early morning I can get the most done. It's like the hours are multiplied early morning. You get up and you start, like, if I start preparing a sermon early in the morning, suddenly I'm like, wow, I'm just, I'm already halfway there. You know, it's only been like the morning time and it's, but if I leave it, it just doesn't happen so much. I think you're most alert in the morning probably, you've rested, you're ready to go, or you could just roll back over and just lose out on that productivity you could have got from the morning. And what do we often do? We often pray for God to open doors for us in various areas, don't we? That's something we pray for because we're praying for God to open doors and shut doors. We want his will in our life and we're saying, well, look, open a door that maybe I could see, okay, God's opened this door for me and whatever it is, an opportunity with this, maybe it's a job, maybe it's something, you know, a way, maybe a door open to be able to preach to someone, a family or friend or whatever it is, right? Well, you're shutting that door if you're lazy around in bed. God, please just open the door for me. Straight back asleep. You're probably shutting that door yourself, aren't you? So as the door turneth upon his hinges, so did the slothful upon his bed. I think the lesson is to get up and open doors, not closing. That's what I see the lesson from that verse. Verse 15. The slothful man, sorry, the slothful hideth his hand in his bosom. It grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. Now, Proverbs 19 24 said pretty much the same thing. It said a slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. Why are some of these proverbs repeated? I think because the message is so important. Oh, could Solomon not think of something else? No, it's because he wants you to really think about this message, okay? It's because it's an important proverb, more important than others, and they're all important, right, but this is an important proverb. You say why? Well, the message here is that the slothful won't do what's good for them. Here it's to feed themselves. And that's a powerful sin to be in, isn't it? Where you're so lazy that you won't do the necessities in life. Proverbs 19 15 said slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep, and an idle soul shall suffer hunger. So it's laziness that stops someone working, isn't it, a lot of the time? A lot of people don't have jobs, they don't get jobs, they don't try and get jobs. A lot of people, they put the bar up here, well, I wouldn't do that job, I wouldn't do that, I'll only do this job when they're out of work or something else. A lot of the time it's just slothfulness, really. Just get up and get out there and get working, right? It's laziness that stops someone working, that stops someone eating proper food. Often it's laziness, isn't it? You know sometimes people are unhealthy, they know they're unhealthy, and it's easier just to reach for the bag of crisps or the quick, easy food, the junk food and everything else. Junk food is easy, isn't it? It's quick, it's easy, but you know what, it casts into a deep sleep, doesn't it? And also, it's not good for you. It's slothfulness that can stop someone just feeding themselves on a daily basis, right? And you think, really? Well, aside from malnourished sloths, okay, it's slothfulness that stops a Christian getting his daily bread, isn't it? Okay, so there's a daily bread that we've been given, it's here. And I often say this just because I know that you'll think this when I say this. If I did ask for a show of hands for who's read their Bible this morning, I know there'll be hands that will be down, that's the sad truth. But that's our daily bread, isn't it? It's not just what you get in church, it's our daily bread, the Word of God. Matthew 4 says, But the answer said it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. We should live by every word. How can we live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God if we don't read the Bible? And it shouldn't be hard to open up the Bible and read it. Really, right? How hard is it to open up a Bible and read it? Just read. Just get some discipline and read your Bible. But so many don't. Why? Laziness, really? That's really what it comes down to, laziness, slothfulness. Just set your alarm. I mean, how hard is it to set your alarm half an hour early? Read six or seven chapters of the Bible. How hard is that? Laziness, slothfulness. The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom. It grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. So that laziness is stopping you reaching for the thing which we're given to live by. So for me, that verse, it's a warning of the seriousness of slothfulness, where it prevents us giving ourselves what we need in life. However, does that sloth, that sluggard accept it? Do they accept it? We'll look at verse 16. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. No, he convinces himself that there's a line without. He's wiser in his own ideas, beliefs, his own thoughts, his own version of why he's justified in not doing what he should be doing, why he's not getting up, why he's not getting out. He convinces himself there's a line without. He convinces himself that he needs to laze all day for maybe his whatever latest illness or something else. He convinces himself that he needs more sleep, that eating proper food is for health-obsessed freaks or something else, that listening to sermons is more beneficial than reading the Word of God. No, no, I'd be better off to just keep pressing sermons and listen to them as I don't really pay attention and I'm in and out and something else, or maybe even audio Bible. Audio Bible's cool, but it doesn't replace reading the Word of God. Reading the Word of God comes first. But it's like, oh, I'll just shove on the audio Bible. Yeah, but you know what? You should have just got up and read the Bible. Listening to sermons, like I said, is more beneficial. A lot of people would do that. I'd be like, well, yeah, but I'll learn more from this sermon. Yeah, but really, is that what God calls you to? Does he call you to read the Word of God? He calls you to read the Word of God. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. And even if seven different people pointed out maybe in a direct or maybe in a delicate, indirect way about slothfulness, there's no convincing people. And I've experienced this in life, okay? With people I've known and people over the years, there's no convincing them that maybe they just need to get up and at them. Maybe you just need to get on. Maybe you just need to break that cycle and get on with it. They're wiser in their own conceit, which is their own ideas, their views, their opinions. Even though he's lazing around too long, he's not doing what's good for him. He's convinced himself that he knows best. He's convinced himself that he knows better than anyone else, even though he's not actually doing anything all day. Which is interesting on the back of these first few verses about the slothful. I believe that we're being warned that you're not going to suddenly change the sluggard. You're not just going to suddenly change them. So don't think, well, I just need to keep telling them they're lazy. You're not going to get anywhere with that, right? These verses are more for us to improve ourselves to avoid the trap than to expect the sloth to listen to someone else. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason, so don't start telling a sluggard that they're lazy. They won't accept it from you, which in a way leads on to the next proverb. By the way, I'm the mugger that has to do it from behind here and then have people think, he's talking about me! But that's part of the job. It's fun. But the reality of it is, don't go and do that yourself. Don't go and do it privately. Don't go, maybe if I just confront my family member with this verse. You're not going to get anywhere. Just let me do it from the pulpit for people who listen to our preaching and other preachers in other places will do it and then it's up to them if they want to apply it to their lives. So, the next proverb though, like I said, it leads on, which is He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. Okay, firstly, don't test this out. I thought maybe I should apply this, you know, test this out just so I can really understand what this is like. Not a good idea, right? But I can imagine that a dog isn't going to be too happy if you take him by the ears. I've never tried this, I'm not going to ask for a raise of hands here but I don't think dogs are happy when you take them by the ears. So, most people aren't too happy when you get involved with their problems. They don't want you sticking your nose in, getting involved, telling them what they should and shouldn't be doing with their personal problems. And it's not just that the dog isn't happy. You're going to get probably barked at, probably bitten. And when you apply it to meddling with strife, often the situation escalates, doesn't it, as well. So, with that dog, you know, you've got a dog there, you think, oh, let's get rid of this dog, let's sort out this problem with this dog, I'll just grab him by his ears, well, the whole situation has escalated now. And it's the same when you deal with strife that belongs not to you. You start meddling with it, a lot of the time it's just going to escalate. Don't meddle with strife that doesn't belong to you. Now, you can apply this to many areas. Interfering in some domestic, okay, and sometimes people want to interfere. Now, sometimes you get people that feel like they want to be chivalrous. So they see a domestic and they're like, I need to go and tell this guy, maybe they see some row going on or someone getting really angry or something, I need to go and tell him to calm down. Uh-uh, not a good idea. You might be legitimately wound up by somebody. Whether it's legitimate or not, someone comes and tells you to calm down, that usually gets you annoyed, doesn't it? What's it got to do with you? And suddenly they're turning on you, right? Okay, don't get involved in that. You don't know the situation, do you? Don't meddle with that strife. And even family, okay, I would add to that, your sons and daughters, when they've grown and married, okay, don't meddle. Don't meddle. Look, you can be there for them, you can counsel them, but don't meddle. Don't start getting involved. Now, it's different when someone comes to you for advice, okay, for counsel, for maybe even mediation, okay, that's different, okay? And there, you know, if they've agreed to that, they want that, that, that. See, it's not meddling then, because meddling is when you're not involved, okay? Meddling is something that you're not called to do. Meddling is when it's not your business. If someone makes it your business, if I'm counseling people, counseling a married couple, or whatever else, then that's something that they've involved me in, right? But for the rest of it, I'm not just walking up to people and telling them what they should and shouldn't do in their marriage, right? Aside from behind a pulpit, but that's just a general thing, trying to preach the word of God, how that applies to our lives. So, meddling with some dispute between friends, family, whatever it is, okay? Often, you just make matters worse, won't you? And sadly, nowadays, okay, we have to apply it to the online world as well, where there are a lot of self-important meddlers out there, aren't there? Okay, and look, I try not to take too much notice of it, but the online world is a thing, okay? It is where people, you know, people do have a voice there, sadly, and a lot of the time, it's people that probably shouldn't have a voice as well, right? And with that, there's a lot of people that just want to meddle, don't they? With strife that belongs not to them. It's got nothing to do with them at all. Meddling with things that have nothing to do with them, and often, they just make matters worse. Verse 17 said, He that passeth by and meddleth with strife, belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. I think the proverb is teach us not to get involved with other people's business, or it might just come back to bite us. As much as you think you might be able to solve things, sometimes it comes from a good place, doesn't it? You just think, oh, I could probably help these people out. I could help this couple out. I could help this person out. But if you meddle, you're probably just going to make things worse. Let them come to you, right? Verse 18. As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, so is a man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am I not in sport? Now, being mad can refer to angry and also crazy, and often both together, which is what it is here, okay? Someone casting firebrands, which is something burning, hear likely arrows or darts, as in Ephesians 6-16. We're not going to go there, but... So this mad guy... It's the fiery darts of the wicked, that was, by the way. So this mad guy shooting and killing people in some sort of frenzy, basically, is being compared to the man that deceives his neighbour but claims that it's a joke. And it makes you think of sort of wind-ups, tricking someone to get a laugh, et cetera, that sort of thing. And we have to be careful with this, don't we? Because we might think that it's just an innocent joke, just a bit of fun, winding someone up, tricking them, making them look silly, and it was all just a bit of fun. But when it's at someone's expense, they won't necessarily see it like that, will they? And it's something... Look, I like to have a laugh, and I like to have a joke, and I like to have a little wind-up here and there, and I have to be a bit careful, because sometimes, you know, sometimes some people just aren't going to deal with that well, they're not going to handle that well, they're going to see it as an insult, they're going to see it as a mockery, and that could be a problem. As a mad man who casted firebrands, arrows and darts, so is a man that deceives his neighbour and says, I am not iron spore. So basically, he's mad at causing destruction, and often these things are... often they are malicious, though, OK? A lot of bullies claim that they're just joking, don't they? You look at the bullying across the board in schools, and you'll find the vast majority of them say that, I was just having a laugh, I was just joking, I was just winding them up, I was just winding up that poor child who's crying while I keep hitting them or prodding them or whatever it is. A lot of it is meant to be, apparently, it's just, am I not in sport, right? A lot of it is actually malicious, OK? But the person on the receiving end obviously doesn't necessarily agree, yeah? That's why they often end up being policemen and dormant and stuff, OK? Because they've been on the receiving end of that stuff all their life, all their school life, and then they're like, I'm going to get those people back. And they end up doing some sort of job where they have power over them, OK? But like I said, the person on the receiving end, they're not happy, and it's not to say that you can't have fun with people, OK? But you would be wise to be careful who you're joking with and how insulting they might find it, yeah? So that's something we should think about when you're having a joke. And it's something that I think in Proverbs, and I find in preaching a lot that I think God's trying to get across to us a lot as Christians, is to consider other people, to consider how other people respond to us, not to just be one of those people who says, well, that's the way I am, well, that's how I do things. Well, that's not how we're called to be. We're called to care about other people, to consider other people, consider their feelings, their thoughts, to try and be sensitive to people, have empathy, you know, all those things, and not just be like, well, am I not in sport? What's the problem? What's the problem that I really wound up that person who's really sensitive about these things and now has gone on to just, you know, to be absolutely full of hate for me and whoever else, to be just shamed in front of me, to feel so embarrassed that, you know, that some joke was made about them or something else. So I think the lesson is to be careful not to anger and upset people, because it can cause destruction. As a madman who casteth five rounds of arrows in death, so is a man that deceiveth his neighbours and saith, Am not I in sport? Okay, verse 20. Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out. So where there is no tail-bearer, the strife ceaseth. So if strife is contained to the people involved in it, often it gets solved fairly quickly, doesn't it? Either way, it's not going to spread at least. If it's just contained to the people involved in the strife, it's never going to spread any further. However, add a tail-bearer into the mix, which is a division-causing gossip type who tells other people's business for carnal reasons. So point being, just to remind you, and I've gone through this a few times, not a genuine reporting of something important. So you can go too far with this, where people are like, you know, the old slang terms are like, a grass, or a snitch, or a tell-tale. Different people say it's a tell-tale, some say it's a tell-tale, some it's a tell-tale, I don't know. But whichever one it is, right? Okay, whatever version of that it is, look, sometimes there is a need for that, isn't there? Some things need to be told, some tales need to be told. Okay, something important needs telling, okay? Something dangerous, something that's an important thing, does need telling. But this isn't a genuine reporting, this isn't genuinely seeking counsel, for example. Okay, true tale-bearers often flatter too, though, as well. Okay, it's said in Proverbs 20.19, Proverbs 20.19 says, He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets, therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. So they're revealing secrets, or at least their version of the secrets, for nefarious reasons. So they're flattering you, which is not genuine, it's to get secrets, to get information, to then bear to others, and it's revealing secrets about people, and interestingly, it seems to regularly go hand in hand with flattery. And like I said, it's false praise with a goal of gaining favour, influence to accomplish your purpose. So those that have such little integrity to flatter you, for gain. Okay, so again, it's not giving someone a compliment, it's not saying something nice about something, it's not appreciating something that someone's done, that's not flattery, it's to do it for gain, it's with an ulterior motive, it's in your mind thinking, if I say this, I might get this. If I do this, then I might be able to get some information out of them. I mean, that's a wicked heart that does that, isn't it? So someone with that little integrity to do that, they're therefore also likely to reveal people's deepest, darkest secrets to others. And that's a pretty wicked person, isn't it? Now here's the thing, the other thing is what these people will do is they'll take maybe someone's certain secret or certain truth, then also these people are so wicked they'll then change it as well. But it sounds like it's real because they're privy to some sort of information in the first place to make it sound believable. So basically, if someone's a flatterer, don't be surprised when they're sharing your personal business too. And the worst types will take a half-truth, like I said, change it to make you look ten times worse. And in our spiritual battle, it's amazing how so many of these tail-bearing division causes start with flattery to disarm you. So many. They start, you look back at people, you think, I should have seen it from the flattery. Why didn't I catch the flattery? And you think, why? And it so often starts with flattery. It's to disarm you, because like I've said many times, the flesh likes flattery. You think, oh well, they seem to be on side. And often, in this sort of job as well, especially when you've got people who clearly just hate you, and then you have people that then flatter you, you think, oh at least they're not like that lot. But often they're the most dangerous types. Well, they have ways and means of trying to get information out of you. Sometimes it's direct, other times it's more subtle. But for people that maybe you've had some previous strife with, your goal is to put it behind you to move on. So what we should do, when we have strife with people, when we have issues, we should just be able to just contain it. The tail-bearer doesn't want that. They want to kindle that fire. They want strife. They want to add something into it. They want to try and make it worse. Where no wood is, it says this in verse 20, where no wood is, there the fire goeth out. So where there is no tail-bearer, the strife ceaseth. So do we want strife or not? We want to avoid it, okay, where possible. Like I said earlier, Romans 12.18 says, if it be possible, as I said in this morning's sermon, as much as life in, you live peaceably with all men. So therefore, avoid tail-bearers. Avoid tail-bearers. Verse 20 said, where no wood is, there the fire goeth out. So where there is no tail-bearer, the strife ceaseth. The proverb is a reminder that if you want to reduce strife in life, keep away from tail-bearers. How do we know? Well, be discreet with people's private business, but also avoid flatterers. And then here's another kind to be aware of. Verse 21 is coals are to burn in coals and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife. So he said, as coals are to burn in coals and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife. So like added coal and wood will keep that fire going. So will the contentious man keep that strife going. In fact, it can be added, if you think, to the burning coals of strife or restart that fire like the wood. So it said, as coals are to burn in coals, that's sort of continuing a strife. Or as wood to fire, you could even say that's sort of starting that strife. So there are contentious people out there that just seem to be able to start trouble in an empty room. You might have been around people like that. There's no one else in the room and they manage to start a fight or start trouble, start a row, start an argument or something else. And they seem to find anything to fan the flames of some previous trouble as well. So when there is some trouble, they're there just like, I can't believe this, what happened? And want to get involved and want to continue it, want to fan those flames. And these people aren't a blessing. Because some think, sadly, that it's a sign of boldness to cause trouble. And there are people out there like that. And I've been around these when I was younger, who think that somehow causing some sort of trouble, getting into some sort of strife, not of trying to avoid the strife where possible, again, it's not always possible, but where possible, is somehow a sign of their boldness. It's a sign of their confidence, their toughness maybe. But to have a disproportionate response to something, and they think they're showing you how confrontational they are, it's actually the opposite. Often it's a sign of a fragile ego, it's a sign of pride. We don't have to jump on everyone and everything. Just remember that in life. We don't have to jump on people for everything. You can just let things go. It's not a slight on you. It's not a slight on you if you just think, okay, well never mind. It's not a slight on you if you don't, well, I'd better say something to that person. They said this. It's like, so? Do you really need to deal with it? Some things need dealing with, don't they? Sometimes they don't. And the thing with these people that came, they are in every area of life. Some people even fear these types of people. There are some scary people out there. They just want contention. They want strife everywhere. Maybe they don't fear them, but you have a legitimate concern about people like that. Because we can let things go. We can give people a chance. We can try to keep the peace where possible, but there are people that just won't. And that is a bad thing. We've seen a few verses about contentious women being a bad thing. You don't want to be near them. That's what the Bible teaches, right? You don't want to be anywhere but around women where they're contentious. Well, don't be a contentious man either, where people just want to not be near you. Because you're just contentious. It's constant problems, crosswords, issues, trouble. That's not how we should behave. Verse 21 said, As coals are to burning coals and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife. So when you're dealing with strife, don't share it with a contentious person. Usually they're just smarting for a fight. Now, why are all of these tail-bearer and strife-spreading proverbs so important? We'll look at verse 22. The words of a tail-bearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Because tail-bearers are so damaging. They cause all sorts of grief, pain, division, that are often hard to get over. They go down to the innermost parts of the belly, so they affect us on an emotional level. When someone is slandering you, taking things that sound believable, half-truths, lies, makes a few truths, it hurts. And it's not just you that gets hurt either. Often it's about causing strife, so they hurt others too in the process. Tail-bearers in the family will cause fall-outs, won't they? Sometimes there's horrible rifts in families, and a lot of the time it's due to tail-bearers. In the workplace they'll cause low morale, people wanting to leave the workplace, they could destroy business. Tail-bearers in the church house will cause division, with the end result destruction for those that aren't reached as a result of it all. But apparently they're justified, because they've got a real grievance that really needs to come out. At the least it will cause deep wounds that are hard to heal from. Verse 22 said, The words of a tail-bearer's wounds go down into the innermost parts of the belly, and these people nowadays are in the online world too, where there's less accountability, isn't there? So when you're sitting behind your keyboard, behind your phone, keyboard warrioring it, because there's some tough keyboard warriors out there, aren't there? They've got the big words, they've got the tough stuff, while they're sitting there typing away. I sometimes wonder, keyboard warriors, if maybe they put on an army dress-up outfit or something while they do it. Seriously, I think. Maybe they sit there and they don some sort of kids fancy dress army outfit, they put maybe some of the camo paint on while they're being a warrior. It's so pathetic, isn't it? It's like, sort yourself out. If you've got a problem, why don't you just say it to someone's face? Why don't you just come and say it to them? Why don't you come and deal with it, right? Instead of sitting behind your keyboard sounding tough. WhatsApp weirdos, pride-filled podcast plonkers, you know? They're all out there, aren't they? And so often, do you know what most of it is? It's just tail-bearing. It's tail-bearing. There are people who have these podcasts out there, who they'll just be like, right, we've got someone who's got an accusation on someone. Come on in, you know? I've got such a great legitimate podcast that here's someone with an accusation. We can't verify it or anything else. Here you go. Here's your platform. What on earth? What is that? I mean, that's worse than the tabloids. At least with the tabloids, everyone knows that it's only good for one thing. And it's not very soft, so it's not good for it. But with these guys, it's like people actually, because people give it some sort of credibility, don't they? But all they are is that they're tail-bearers, because they're just promoting the tail-bearing, aren't they? Oh, but it's okay, because it's online. Yeah, whatever. Okay, the words of a tail-bearer is wounds. This is dangerous stuff, isn't it? It destroys people, destroys relationships, destroys lives, and they go down into the innermost parts of their belly. So the proverb is a reminder of the danger of tail-bearing, why we would be wise to avoid tail-bearers. Okay, verse 23. Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. So a potsherd is a piece of a broken pot, okay? Silver dross is a waste product of silver. It's worthless, basically. What are burning lips? Well, turn over to James 3, James chapter 3, which talks of the fire that our mouth can kindle, okay? Verse 23 said, burning lips – you're turning to James 3 – burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross, okay? James chapter 3 and verse 1 says this, James 3, 1 says, My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the great condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in a horse's mouth, so that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. So this is the power of the mouth. Behold also the ships, which know they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet they are turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth, and the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell. I mean, that's the power of the tongue, isn't it? Your mouth is powerful. And in the context of Proverbs 26 verses 20 to 21, it's a destructive power of the lips, how that tail bearing with a wicked heart, okay, is like a useless piece of broken crockery, basically, covered in a waste product. It might seem okay from far, but when you get up close and personal, it's useless. Okay, it's just, wow, just a potsherd covered with silver dross, or someone with burning lips and a wicked heart. So I think burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. It's a reminder of what these worst types of people are, okay? They're useless. They're of no good, of no use. Oh, well, you know, okay, so they're a tail, but they lie about people. They've got a wicked heart. They just, you know, they make up things. They slander people, but they're probably a good person, really, because they went out soul winning a few times. I mean, they must be all right, you know? It's like, no, they're basically like a potsherd covered with silver dross, okay? They're of no use at all. Verse 24. So to dissemble, okay, is to be hypocritical, to assume a false appearance, to conceal the real fact, motives, intention or sentiments under some pretense. Okay, I think that's a good definition. So these are the fakes that are full of secret hate. They're deceiving. These are the false brethren out there, sneaking around deceiving people. It's a hard truth that was covered, if you remember, this was covered regularly in the earlier chapters of Proverbs. So we're going through some of the earlier chapters and all it was about was just seem to be like false brethren, false brethren, false prophets, false prophets, false brethren. You know, and it's like, wow, this book of wisdom is just constantly warning us of these types of people. Well, here it's giving us a bit more now at the end of this chapter. And obviously the tale bearer is usually the same sort of person there. So it said here, when he speaketh fair, believe him not. So you don't have to tell anybody, Romans 16, 18 says, for they that are such, and it's talking about division causes, those that have been marked for divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine. It says, for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly. And by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. So by good words and fair speeches, they deceive the heart simple. People get sucked in by the impressive words, the fair speeches, the holier than thou stuff, the self-promotion. Jude 1 16, or it's Jude, it's verse 16, there's only one chapter in Jude, it says these are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts, and their mouths speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. So the advantage, I believe, is that unlike normal people, they're going around deceiving you. So normally when people speak in a certain way, you're just thinking, okay, that's how they speak. But these people have the advantage because they're just full of deceit. So they're not treating you how normal people treat you, they're not treating you how you treat them. There's just all this deceit, all this guile, all this kind of, just always got like this ulterior motive to what they're saying. And that's a big advantage if you're trying to deceive people, isn't it? Especially if they're considering you a brethren, or considering you a legitimate pastor, for example, or considering you a legitimate Christian, or whatever it is, that's an advantage to have, isn't it? In terms of, for their purpose. Verse 24 said, Now what are these seven abominations then? Well, turn to Proverbs chapter 6. Proverbs 6, which lists these characteristics of the false brethren. And I think that's what he's referring to here. The seven abominations that, of course, he mentioned earlier in the book of Proverbs. I think it's no coincidence that he says seven abominations. And Proverbs 6 says this, verse 12, just to show who he's talking about. He said, A wicked man walketh with a froward mouth, which is basically something that's opposite, contrary. He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers. Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually, he soweth discord. Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly, suddenly shall he be broken without remedy. And we've had that here already, when suddenly someone is broken. The calamity just suddenly comes out of nowhere. It's surprised me before when suddenly it's just out of nowhere. It's just some clear calamity. Wow, okay. Verse 16, So it's in the same context. Yea, seven are an abomination unto him, a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, and heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. So that's those seven abominations, I believe. The pride is always high. And sometimes it's masked well, to a degree, but always when you look, with time, you start to see it, however much they try to hide it. The lying tongue. And again, just the lies that come out of people's mouths never cease to amaze me. People that claim to want to serve the Lord, to want to be like a soul-winning Christian, they're reading their Bibles, and you're just like, man, he's just full of lies. The murderous intent, which I think is probably evident by their hatred, and their hatred towards other brethren, their hatred towards pastors and whoever else, and ultimately, what are they often doing as well? They're just trying to damn people's souls in one way or another. They always, it said here, it said, sorry, it said, it said, where are we? And heart that deviseth wicked imaginations. So they always project their wicked imaginations about people. There's a lot of projecting, isn't there? And they're often, you know, just claiming kind of the worst type stuff about their enemies. And they're always swift to trouble. So they have feet that be swift in running to mischief, so they're very quick to get on board, to get involved in trouble. And it said, a false witness speaketh lies. So they're false witnesses. They'll just lie, just clearly, purposely lie about people. And what do they do? What's the seventh? Because you said, yay, seven, and I think this is basically, the seventh is a description of what they really are and what they're doing, and he that soweth discord among brethren. And that's what these people do. They're false witnesses. They sow discord among God's people. That's their goal, okay? And here's the thing is that, ultimately, what is church life? What's Christian life? It's a team game, isn't it? And the best way to destroy that is to sow discord among God's people. He said, he that hateth, dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up to seek within him, when he speaketh fair, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart. So I think that the giveaway is the extreme hatred which spills out, okay? They try to fake it, but it gets revealed in the end. Okay, you'll see it in the end. Don't believe the fair speeches for these people are fakes. Verse 24. He that hateth, dissembleth with his lips, and he that layeth up to seek within him, when he speaketh fair, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart. How do you know with them? Well, often it comes out in the end. Okay, often it will come out in the end. Okay, let's move on. Verse 26. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation. So, again, it leads on, but they might pretend that they love the lost, but eventually the hateful false gospel comes out, for example. Or they might claim that they love the house of God, but eventually they show their hatred by trying to destroy it. They might claim that they love the brethren, but they're hatefully slandering God's people the second they get a chance. And we've had people exposed here in front of the congregation in various ways, okay? And it will happen again, sadly. And this is why Solomon's constantly giving us his warnings, he's constantly telling us his stuff, because when it happens, we just don't want to believe it. We just don't want to accept it. And we should want to give people the benefit of the doubt to a degree, until it's just like, look, this is just too of it. And again, it's not a witch hunt. We don't come to church trying to like, you know, people in here shouldn't be trying to, you know, spot. And obviously I have a job to protect, to guard the sheep and to be aware of things going on. But again, there's a level you can get the balance wrong with that, can't you? It'd just be like, everyone must be wicked. But on the flip side, you could go the other way and just be like, oh, everyone's just like, oh, so they're whispering, you know, repent of your sins in the corner. And they're, you know, and they're doing all this weird stuff and trying to build their own following. Oh, probably nothing, you know, and everything. No, you've got to get the balance right with that, right? And that's the reason that he's giving us all of this stuff so that it's not so that, right, everyone here on the hunt, you know, let's hunt down the false prophet now or in the future. That's not the point. The point is that when they are exposed, because that's what we're going to see, they're going to be exposed, is not to be conned, is not to go, well, yeah, but, you know, they might have been OK. Must be that mean old pastor who just, you know, he must have just had a problem and wanted to kick him out for no reason to then have himself slandered for the rest of his life by then, you know. No, it's not nice kicking people out. And it's not it's not nice to then know that right now I've got another one who doesn't have to pretend they like me anymore and can and compare their hatred to everyone and say whatever they want and everything. It's not a pleasant thing. You don't want to have to, but you have to do it when it comes to that point. And you have to mark people when they need marking. It's not pleasant. It's not fun. It's not it's not an enjoyable thing. I just can't wait to kick someone else out to join the I hate Strong Tower Baptist Church gang and that mean old pastor, you know, and everything else. You don't want that. But when it comes, you've got to deal with it. Because it's better that than them destroying the sheep from inside. But when they go outside, they're going to destroy. That's what all of this is. It's just it's for everyone inside to be strong, to go, yeah, I know I know that this is what the Bible said would happen. I know that these people are around. I know they're going to be attacking from outside. This is just this is like and you go, well, this is all a bit rough. Maybe I should go back down, you know, the community church or something else. Yeah, but that's the thing is that nothing's going on down the community church. Well, that's why we have this stuff. That's why it happens in a proper church, because we're out saving souls. That's where the battle is. And are you strong enough to be in a battle? Are you too weak and too nearly livid? And too, well, I just you know, I don't think there could be anyone mean and nasty in the world because it should just be this rosy world where everyone's like, that's not life. And it's not life when you're in the spiritual battle for people's souls. And that's why we're constantly being warned about it. He said, whose hatred is covered by deceit. His wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation. So, like I said, we've had it here before it will happen again. OK, verse 24. He that hateth, dissembleth with his lips and lieth up deceit within him. Just last point with that. It's not just obviously like we had like a famous thing here that happened a couple of years ago. It's amongst our circles of people, you know, in this church where like a load of people got exposed just blatantly in front of everyone. But aside from them, you know, just people when they are kicked out, it's just it's just clear, isn't it? It's just like, so they did this, they did that, they did this. It showed before the whole congregation. It's like, OK, it's done, you know. And we don't do that when there's people that when it's like a sin of the flesh or something, and it's not these types of people or we don't know it's these types of people, for example, we don't have to announce it to the whole church, you know, if it's someone like there have been people in the past and there'll be people in the future that maybe are trying to work with something, you know, and try and help them through something or something else and maybe they have to be out of church for a while or something. That's separate. OK, that's different. But these types of people, these are false brethren. These type of people, it gets showed before the whole congregation because they get marked and avoided. And there are certain things which are clear when it's that, you know, and when that happens, that's it. And as much as they might try and pull on your heartstrings from outside and try and find a different ways, it's been showed before the whole congregation, sometimes even people that will leave, and then it just gets showed before the whole congregation, you know, and it's just it's clear. It's obvious. Thank you. You know, that's done. So verse 24 said, He that hated Decemberth with his lips left up deceit within him. When he speaketh fair, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart, whose hatred is covered by deceit. His wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation. So basically, when it happens, don't get conned, just believe the Bible for what it says. And although this is a standalone proverb to the next one, it also connects to the previous ones. Verse 27 said, Who so diggeth the pitch a fool therein? And he that rolleth the stone, it will return upon him. So often it's amazing how those that try to sneak around doing something wicked often end up falling by their own devices. OK, Psalm 141 10 said, Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape. So it is a weird thought to think that there are people trying to lay traps, isn't it? What a weird thing, right? Trying to dig pits, trying to roll stones on you. OK, how bizarre. It's a very real part of the Christian life, OK? However, you don't have to worry. You don't have to worry about this sort of thing. You don't have to panic. You don't have to think. Because it will happen to, look, if you're serving the Lord, it's not just it happens to pastors, it happens to pastors, pastors' families, you know, deacons and other things. It happens to everyone, right, who's serving the Lord, who's doing something for God. And you're going to have this happen, but you don't have to worry about it, OK? He said, Who so diggeth the pitch a fool therein? And he that rolleth the stone, it will return upon him. So it does connect to the previous Proverbs, because it's his false brethren who are the most renowned for this, who are the ones digging the pits for God's people, et cetera, OK? And like I said, we've had it here, we'll have it again. But that's not to say that these types of people aren't in other areas of your lives, too, OK? Proverbs 28, 10 said, Who so causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way? He shall fool himself into his own pit, but the upright shall have good things in possession. So there are people that will do that. There are people that do that in your work life. There are people that just see that you're a believer of Christ. Maybe they're not like of the devil. Maybe they're not like some, you know, wicked child of the devil, but they just kind of want to see you slip. They want to see that Christian, you know, get into the sin that they're into. They want him to partake, especially because it makes them feel even better, right? So there are those people out there. And with that, this is a part of the Christian life, but I think God's reminding us that they won't prosper, OK? They won't prosper, but again, as long as you're doing the right thing, you stay in the things of God. If they dig a pit for you, they roll a stone, it's going to return upon them. So I think, yeah, so remind us that this happens, but also that we don't have to be worried, OK? Don't fear. And verse 28. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. So when you hear these types of people lying, OK? Yes, it's often subtle, a little change here, a little embellishment there, OK? But it's still a lie. And I've said this before, most lies are based on some element of truth, because it's very hard to just make a complete whopper up. A complete whopper up that's just got nothing to do with anything. Just a claim, something that's got nothing to do with anything ever happened. And obviously, that will be less believable as well, and often, a lot of the time, easily disproven. So most lies are based on some truth, right? Based on something that they can use and something they can embellish, change, et cetera. And he said, a lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it. And here's a reminder, OK? When they're doing that, it's because they hate you. And it's not just the person they're lying about, it's the person they're lying about too. They hate you. They hate you. They're not thinking of you, they're thinking of themselves, they're thinking of their grievance, or they're thinking of their, whatever it is, their motivations, the goal that they have. It's not because I just felt like I should just say a little lie to that person, but I really love them. I really love them, really. I've got so much love and care for them, but I'll just tell them a little lie about someone. What on earth? When the workplace psycho is exaggerating what someone did or said to get a response out of you, it's not because they love you. It's not because they love you and they just want to help you get through. And they just really wanted it. When you're like, wait a second, that doesn't sound believable. No, that didn't happen like that. It's not because they love you. I say that because people, we're suckers. You can see it, you hear it, you notice this stuff, and you still want to think, yeah, but we really get on. I thought they liked me, I thought they loved me. And it's hard, isn't it? And it's hard to accept it. When the old family friend is tail-bearing, slandering someone else, it's not because they love you. They're not coming to you because they love you, and you start to realise this isn't entirely honest, this isn't entirely true. That's not a loving thing to do, is it? And some will go, oh, they're just bitter and have a different perspective. No, they hate you, and they hate the person they're lying about. It's a serious thing to do, isn't it? To just make up lies about people is a big deal. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. So remember that we get set up with the flattery, yeah? The false praise, the agenda with it, remember? And then it causes ruin because it's the same type of people, the lying division causes are usually flatterers to it. Like I said, just to remind you, it's not just about in the church house. You'll get these in all areas of life, these people are everywhere. And like I said, I think the other week, if you're a believer, you're a saved person, you're a child of God, they're going to flock to you. You're like a magnet for these people. You're like a magnet for them in the workplace, you're like a magnet for them out there, the old family, old friends who suddenly look you up who are a bit freaky, a bit weird, the fake Christians, the person who wants to pretend they got saved, and then they just lie on your case doing weird stuff. And of course, sadly in the church house as well. Lying tongue hateth those afflicted by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. So the proverb is warning us about the lies and the flatterers. Again, Solomon's constantly warning us. Probably no reason though. That even happens. He's just saying it and you know, nah, you know, just no such thing. That was back then, you know. That's the reality of it, but again, just to make it clear, this ain't Witch Hunt Baptist Church. God reveals it eventually when that does need to happen. And it doesn't mean there's always someone like that here as well. It's not like, well, they're always hunching, which one is it? That's not the reality of it. And here's the thing as well. There'll be people that do do strange stuff. They do do weird stuff in church. But you know why? Because all of us are just a little bit peculiar in different ways. We're a peculiar people, aren't we? That's what the Bible says. We are a peculiar people, aren't we? And we all come from all these different backgrounds and walks of life. So, you know, someone might not have like... I don't know. Someone might not have... I remember preaching sermon on it. Someone might not have the manners that maybe certain parts of British culture are used to. No, just so they didn't say that, they must really hate me. You know, that one's a bit wicked. Or someone else might not have, you know, whatever it is. They might not have these mannerisms. Or someone else is maybe a little bit takey. Or someone else is maybe a little bit... You know, maybe they like to compliment and stuff like that. Must be a flatterer, you know? And we all have many peculiarities and differences and stuff like that. That doesn't mean that someone's wicked, right? And of course, as a pastor and as leading a flock, you want to have your eyes open and look out for things that happen. But ultimately, what we don't want to do is just try and tar everyone with that brush. Because, like I said, it's not a good thing. And it's not really reality. We're just a lot of different people coming together in a group. But at the end of it all, as and when those people are involved here or outside or whatever else, God will reveal it eventually and have faith in that. But when it does happen, that's what these proverbs are warning us and reminding us to not therefore just think, it must be impossible. No such thing. That was Proverbs chapter 26. And that was part two. And we're going to finish in a word of prayer. Father, thank you for your word, Lord. Thank you for the Book of Proverbs. Thank you for the warnings you give us, Lord. Help us to take heed to those warnings. To not be surprised when these things happen in our lives, Lord. To be wary of, obviously, the sorts of behaviour that you warn us about. There are things which are giveaways, not compliments, but just clear false praise. Stuff that seems to have a motive, an agenda. Help us to be wary of that stuff. That is something you tell us to be aware of, to be wary of, Lord. And obviously, those are just clear liars. It just clearly proved themselves to be liars, Lord. Help us to just see that for what it is when they're lying about people, they're false witnesses. Help us to be aware of that, Lord. Help us to be wary of that and help us to see that for what it is when these people are exposed as that. But in the meantime, help us to all love each other as well. Help us to know that we're all very different. We all have different personalities, different ways, Lord. Help us to see the best in each other. Help us, Lord, to now get home safe and sound this evening. Help us to have a great Christmas. For those who are able to make it here on Christmas Day, to have a safe travel here. And for those that aren't, Lord, to just go away and have a great time. And to still keep you at the centre of that day, Lord. And help us to all then after that get here safely next week for another day in your house. In Jesus' name I pray all this. Amen. Our last hymn this evening is hymn number 403. What a friend we have in Jesus. Hymn number 403, let us all stand and finish this evening with our last hymn. What a friend we have in Jesus. To God in prayer. Oh, what peace we often forfeit. Oh, what needless pain we bear. Oh, because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer. Are we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful? Who will hold our sorrows shed? Jesus blows our every weakness. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Are we weak and heavy laden? Come wed with a load of care. Precious saviours fill our refuge. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Give our friends this fight for safety. Take it to the Lord in prayer. In his arms kneels they can shield thee. Thou wilt find us on a stand. Please allow us not to be a slothful and not to be a talebearer. Start this next week out right and start the next year out right. Please bless the rest of our week. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Hi there, my name is Pastor Ian Tabern with Strong Tower Baptist Church. I'd just like to take a few minutes today to show you how you could be 100% sure that if you died you'd be going straight to heaven. So a lot of people teach all these strange things about how you can be good enough to go to heaven, how you've got to follow a list of commandments to get to heaven. See, they're really the other religion. There's only really two religions in the world. There's good you go to heaven, bad you go to hell and all the varying versions of that. Some of them are very subtle, oh you've got to at least give up a certain amount of sin, you've got to at least try not to sin. And then there's a Bible which says no, no, no, go to heaven is a free gift and I want to show you how you receive that free gift today. A few things you've got to understand first though before you receive that gift and that's number one is that you are a sinner, I'm a sinner, we're all sinners. The Bible says in Romans 3.23, for all have sinned to come short of the glory of God. See, we're all sinners, we've all broken God's commandments in one way or another. And the Bible says because of that we come short of the glory of God. We cannot be good enough to go to heaven which means that we're on our way somewhere else. There's only two places you go, you either go to heaven or you go to hell and the Bible says for the wages of sin is death. We're all sinners and what we get in return is death and in the end that's in a place called the second death which is a lake of fire. The Bible says in Revelation 20.14, and death and hell will cast into the lake of fire, this is the second death. If the wages of sin is death and the second death is the lake of fire, that's not a very good picture being painted there. In fact, in Revelation 21.8, we see just a quick list of common sins to show that we're all on our way to the lake of fire. The Bible reads, but the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, and that's you, me and everyone else in the world, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fine brimstone which is the second death. However, God doesn't want you to go to hell. Hell is eternal, hell is a very real place, but God wants you in heaven. And in fact, he made a way for you to go to heaven in Romans 5.8, the Bible says, but God commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. So Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God in the flesh came to this world and he didn't commit any sin. He lived a perfect life and then at the end of his life, he was hung up on a cross. He died to pay for our sins. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5.21, for he had made him, that's Jesus Christ, to be sin for us who knew no sin. Jesus Christ was sinless. However, he became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. He swapped with us. He took that punishment for you. He died on that cross and he then tasted death for every man. The Bible says in Acts 2.31, he's seen this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell. Neither his flesh should see corruption because on the third day, he rose again. He showed the holes in his hands, the holes in his side. It was a bodily, physical resurrection. He wasn't a ghost. They ate with him. They handled him and then 40 days later, he went to heaven. Now, what does that mean? Does that mean everyone's going to heaven? Well, of course not. See, there's one thing we have to do to receive that gift and in Acts 16.30, someone asked the question, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? The apostle Paul and Silas answered and they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house. So what does that mean, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved? Are they saying to just believe that he exists? Are they saying to believe that there's a person called Jesus? No, they're saying to believe on or put your faith, your trust in that death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ to have paid for all your past, present and future sins and you can go to heaven. That's what it means. It's to put your trust in Jesus. Like it says in the most famous verse of the world, John 3 16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. See, the Bible teaches us time and time again that the only way you're going to heaven is by putting your faith and trust in what Jesus Christ did, not what you do. See, many people claim to be Christians and say, Oh, yeah, I'm going to heaven because I believe in Jesus and I'm a good person and I got baptized and I read my Bible and I do this and I do that. Well, they're not trusting Jesus Christ, they're trusting themselves. And the Bible says if they're not trusting Jesus Christ, they're going to hell. Ephesians 3 and 9 says, For by grace are you saved through faith and not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works as any man should boast. The Bible said it's not of yourself. It's not of your own works. It's just faith alone in Christ alone that gets you to heaven. And a lot of people find that really hard to understand. Now they look at the Bible and think, Yeah, but you've got to follow the commands. You've got to do this, you've got to do that. Yeah, look, as a child of God, when you get saved, when you become one of God's children by faith in Christ Jesus, which is what Galatians 3.26 says for you, all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, once you become that child, God's going to punish you in life, he's going to reward you in life. However, the only way you become that child, the only way that you could ever get to heaven is by what Jesus Christ did, not what you do. Once you receive that gift, that's it, it's a gift, you're saved. The Bible says, in fact, in John 10.28, And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. See, once you're saved, you've received that gift, you've become a child of God. You could never go to hell, otherwise Jesus Christ lied when he said all you had to do was believe. He lied when he said that you shall never perish. And that's the Gospel, Gospel means good news. The good news is that your sins have been paid for, all you've got to do is receive that gift. And in fact, in Romans 10.9, the Bible reads that If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised thee from the dead, thou shalt be saved. It says in verse 13 of Romans 10, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. If you believe, if you want to put your faith, your trust in Jesus Christ, just ask him. And I'd like to lead you in a short prayer. Now if you believe everything I've just said, if you believe that you're a sinner, you believe that the wages of sin is death, that you deserve hell, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that you died, was buried and rose again to pay for your sins, and that all you've got to do is put your faith and trust in him. And once you've done that, there is no way you could lose that salvation. And please just repeat after me. Dear Jesus, I know I'm a sinner, I know I deserve hell. I believe that you died, was buried and rose again to pay for my sins. I trust in you now and I need you. Please take me to heaven when I die. Amen. If you believe that and you've called on the name of the Lord for salvation, congratulations, you're saved. And I'll be seeing you in heaven one day. God bless you. You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You