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let's continue with where we're at so we are continuing it with the book of Romans and we're up to Romans chapter 13 and we finished Romans 12 if you remember with a lot of single verse commands instructions to live a godly life and all these you know these great commands there in the in in Romans chapter 12 and I hope you know like I said I could have spent a sermon on every verse pretty much so I hope that you know I did them justice in a last sermon it took us a couple of weeks to go through Romans chapter 12 and this chapter kind of continues in the same vein with these instructions on living a godly life basically and we're starting off in verse 1 with with Romans 13 verse 1 reading let every soul be subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God and I'm going to go to the Lord in the word of prayer as well so father thank you for this great chapter of the Bible thank you for the lessons that we can get from this from the instructions that we get from this and you know and help us to apply these to our lives to not just listen and then sort of forget about it and go on with our week but to actually try and apply everything we learned today help me to preach accurately boldly clearly fill me with your spirit please father and I hope everyone to have attentive ears to be alert and just just keep keep them awake keep those eyes open I'm after a long busy day and in Jesus name I pray all this amen right so this passage of scripture has been grossly misused by many to teach total obedience to government no matter what and from the liberal limp-wristed scared of his own shadow pastor you know claiming that he can't go against the government if it you know told him to do something if it told him to shut his church or something else because Romans 13 to the you know the IFB pastor shouting you know Romans 13 says obey the government no matter what and refusing to call out any of the wickedness of said government you know this this chapter has been misused it's been abused but is that what this passage of Scripture is really saying is that what Romans 13 is saying is it saying obey the government no matter what well does it does it say that it's just shut up and obey well it does say that in the NIV it does say that in the false Bible versions I'm just going to read you the NIV Romans 13 verse 1 which reads let everyone be subject to the governing authorities for there is no authority except that which God has established the authorities that exist have been established by God now you understand the difference there well that's basically saying is that every authority that exists has been established by God and it's not talking about the the office of authority that's that that base you could read that as saying well basically you name it wicked regime from past present future to come it's established by God obey you can see how that would lend well to all these apostate Christians following the Antichrist and well it's ordained by God yeah every authority you can see you know how misused that is well basically they're saying that if we were Christians living under some of the wicked regimes of the past we should have just done as we're told shouldn't we but is that is that what that passage is really saying according to the Romans 13 obey at all cost types if you lived and maybe even worked under China's Mao Russia's Stalin I'm just think you're kind of well-known bogeymen I had a few others I thought of Cambodia's Pol Pot Uganda's Idi Amin know what I mean basically sorry bad joke you should have done exactly as you were told yeah you and in fact if you were working for them you should have just done as you were told yeah you should have imprisoned tortured killed the state's enemies because Romans 13 says about all cost isn't it but does it say that according to many Christians according to the false Bible versions these men were ordained by God into those positions into that that's nuts isn't it of course this passage isn't saying that is it saying that the great war criminals of the past were ordained by God surely these same Zionists wouldn't suggest that Hitler was an ordained man of God would they yeah the enemy of Zionism would that is that what they're claiming or is it well as long as it's a foreign sounding name is that is that is that it well well it's a foreign it's those foreign leaders yeah of course you know they're wicked yeah because what they're only Christians in in Western government and look let's be honest some of our leaders are war criminals yeah so think about think about Winston Churchill Oh Winston Churchill protect the statue at all costs Winston Churchill yeah anyone hear much about the carpet bombing of Dresden is it Dresden yeah absolutely horrific yeah and I'm gonna go into a history lesson on Winston Churchill what about the modern war criminal Tony Blair that vile war criminal Tony what should should we disobey at all cost should anyone have just obeyed at all cost Tony Blair the war monger and look let's be honest probably the whole lot of them yeah the whole lot of them what's this passage really saying well verse 1 says that every soul be subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God now power can mean many things in this case it's talking about the authority or the office of authority so you could read it like this that every soul be subject unto the higher authorities for there is no authority but a God the authorities that be are ordained of God ordained here is instituted established okay so basically the authorities authority in our life is established by God okay God ordains authority in our life and whether you like it or not God instituted a chain of command okay that's how God does things God doesn't like partnerships God doesn't like free for all God likes a change of command people that are answerable to the next level up okay that's the way life works and and this is from right at the beginning in in Genesis 128 God commands Adam and Eve it says in God bless them and God said unto them be fruitful and multiply replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth so God's commanding them yeah making it clear that he's in charge he commands them to be over the animals then in John Genesis 3 16 God said to Eve and I desire shall be to the husband and he shall rule over thee well it's not popular that is it he shall rule over thee he instituted the chain of command in the family didn't he yeah he's at the top he's just given the orders out and he's saying that he shall rule over thee that the man will shall rule over the woman and this is the same in all areas of life it's the same in every area life so that when all the EU women think he is so unfair look every man in this room has a chain of a command above him in one area or another okay that's life yeah we all had there's a chain of command in life we will have to answer to someone and look that's the best way that's the only way it will work successfully in life that's the only way all areas of life work successfully and and if you're the husband the father well if you got well the king of the land even if you are the king of the land what about that what about the people right at the very top well they probably still got some money man pulling their strings anyway what if you're the money man pulling the strings well ultimately you still answer to God okay you still answer to God you should be answering to God look everyone has someone above them that's the way it works well verse 1 said let every soul be subject unto the higher powers for there's no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God and that's the point here that God instituted the authorities in our life so therefore who's the ultimate authority God yeah it's clear as day isn't it God because it's making that point here for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God okay that's the point isn't it so for example if your manager at works tell work tells you to do something one way and then the owner of the company comes along and tells you to do it another way are you gonna listen to the owner the one that pays a bills the one who's at the top yeah that's it's just standard isn't it it's simple and anyone who oh yeah but I don't know what if what if well what if the manager sacks me because I didn't do as he as he said well look I'm sure that that owner will appreciate that that factor maybe you're not going to get another job with the owner but at the end of the day when it comes to God God wants you to listen to him okay and that's the way it works kids at home mum tells you to do something and dad comes along and tells you to do something else another way who'd you listen to dad okay that's who you should listen to okay because he's the next level up it doesn't matter what mum says it's what dad says because God says you obey the higher powers and the higher powers is each level up yeah it's just it's pretty simple isn't it pretty obvious stuff I believe if anyone tells you to do something say a policeman tells you to do something what's above the policeman the law if it's against the law you don't do it okay if anyone tells you do something that God told you not to do you don't do it do you okay if your father in the house tells you to sin tells you I'll just lie or just do this well God told you not to do that okay so you obey God Turner X to this one and look I'm gonna labor the point a little bit because it's been so misused this passage and because look false doctrine needs needs defeating with the Bible doesn't it and in Exodus 1 Israel are under Egyptian rule no they weren't their own nation in case you're wondering they were under Egyptian rule so this oh well you know that's back in the old text world look this is this is the people of God under a foreign government look at Exodus 1 and verse 15 and the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives of which the name of the one was ship for and the name of the other poor and he said when you do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women and see them upon the stalls if it be a son then you shall kill him but if it be a daughter then she shall live so this wicked King is telling them to kill the male children or should they have just obeyed obeyed the government there obeyed the authority well it's a kind of reverse to China's wicked one-child policy isn't it which led to basic I'd look at this 336 million murdered aborted babies in the 40 years and has left them with 30 million bachelors what a wicked system that was wasn't it that was the China one one child policy well it's kind of the reverse of that here isn't it well the midwives feared God and did not as a king of Egypt commanded them but saved the men children alive okay so what's all that about well look basically they obeyed the higher power didn't they yeah they obeyed the high power and when I say higher power in case anyone's a bit confused I'm not talking about some make it up as you go along God yeah because you've you know been into alcohol or drugs and you went to some sort of 12-step program they said pick your own God make him what you like and call them a higher power and then you can sound spiritual okay now I'm talking about the highest power God yeah okay so they feared God look at verse 18 the king of Egypt call for the midwives said unto them why have you done this thing and have saved the men children alive and the midwives said unto Pharaoh because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women for they are lively and are delivered here the midwives come in unto them so saying that that they're basically busy up until the birth and by the time the midwives come in it's too late yeah they've already had the children by the way if you look at I was looking at this it was something like 600,000 I think we see the numbers of the children Israel and there's probably some truth in what they're saying here to be honest probably you know at least you know people try and use that to go look see they lied well are they lying there's two midwives here and 600,000 population they probably were turning up when they'd already delivered the baby because that's a lot of that's a lot of people to look after amongst two two midwives but I'm sure there wasn't all the bureaucracy that we have nowadays with the midwife where they have to come around and visit you X amount of times and all the rest of it okay so they're saying that you look by the time they come in it's too late and you know and I don't know that could be you know that can be the case and it might not be with the first child you're thinking how on earth does that work because you know many many of us when we had our first children you know we you know any sign of anything and we were ringing up and you know rushing off wherever you could rush and then being told you've got you know a long time to go but when you start going along a bit I remember I remember when we had James and you know I was more nervous on wife I say look we kind of need to get on you know I get so she's come on a cup of tea first relaxing next thing you know he's born on the front room floor but that was probably what was going on here well it says in verse 20 therefore God dealt well with the midwives and the people multiplied and waxed very mighty so the midwives well they didn't they didn't just just do as they were told what did they and too right too right but he didn't chastise them did he it's you should have done what the government said and you're thinking well that's pretty obvious by the way and we're talking about murder here well where's the line where's the line well he actually blessed him didn't he bless him he said and it came to pass because the midwives fear God that he made them houses and Pharaoh charged all his people saying every Sunday is born you shall cast him through him and every daughter ye shall save alive so Pharaoh comes up with a new plan yeah okay because the midwives didn't obey the government and God was pleased with them Turner Daniel 3 because it's not just when it comes to murder okay it's not just when it comes to murder this is another obvious example of disobeying government to obey God with Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and Daniel 3 they're told that if they don't worship the image they'll be cast into the fiery furnace okay so this is being told they're being told to worship this this image well verse 14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them Daniel 3 14 is it true I Shadrach Meshach and Abednego do not you serve my gods nor worship the golden image which I have set up so should a Christian worship some sort of idol because the government tells him to absolutely not verse 15 now if you be ready that at what time you hear the sound of the cornet flute heart sack butts sultry and dulcimer and all kinds of music you fall down and worship the image which I have made well but if you worship not you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands well how about if it's to preserve their own life that's okay isn't it wouldn't people say that well it's okay you know you got to preserve your own life so that would be okay then to break God's rules there well no Shadrach Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king O Nebuchadnezzar we are not careful to answer thee in this matter they don't even consider it yeah we're not we're not thinking about this okay got to work this out maybe we could get it right we could justify it as it's going to keep us alive then we could do more for God or whatever else no they just said no we're not even careful to answer you in this matter if it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fire furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand O king but if not be it known unto thee O king that we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou has set up so they're saying even if we die we're not worshipping your stupid golden image yeah and in the same way we should say even if we die we're not worshipping your stupid pride flag are we yeah we're not going to worship the pride flag and when I say worship the pride flag you're thinking well of course not brother Ian well what about your stupid NHS pride flag how many people worship the stupid and I mean we see it when we go knocking on doors they go up on their front windows and really it's a pride flag isn't it they've just merged it all together how about the clapping like seals clapping like seals on a Thursday night worshipping the the false idol of the NHS what a load of nonsense that was but we shouldn't be doing that should we no worship the other way even it was that what even were people clearly you know what they're clapping today but again like how easier the masses brainwashed into this nonsense no we're not worshipping your your stupid climate change science gods yeah who even are these people he's no named people out there that we meant to just worship and just agree with everything they say do what they say and keep coming out with stupid statements like save the planet and and when I was young it was save the whales they still do that save the whales he's come out with that one a lot when I was young I don't know what that was about everyone used to just walk around like save the world you stickers save the whales how do you even save them I don't know but save the planet yeah but again it's just idle worship isn't it it's nonsense but okay so some people say okay well we shouldn't go against the Ten Commandments yeah they always love to give a level here don't they because they want to justify still just falling in with the government so you okay thou shalt not kill okay yeah obviously thou shalt not bow down myself to the graven image okay but it's not just so thou shalt nots is it there are a lot of our shouts too yeah turn to Daniel 6 because we're commanded to pray to God aren't we yeah first Thessalonians 5 17 says to pray without ceasing okay well in Daniel 6 Daniel is told that he cannot pray or basically worship his God verse 5 Daniel 6 5 then said these men we shall not find any occasion against his Daniel except we find it against him concerning the law of his God then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king and said thus unto him King Darius live forever all the presidents of the kingdom the governors and the princes the counselors and the captains have consulted together to establish a royal statue and to make a firm decree that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for 30 days save of thee I King he shall be cast into the den of lion so just a little 30-day break yeah it'll break of praying to God you could justify that couldn't you or you don't want to you know be cast into the den of lions now Oh King established a decree and signed the writing that it be not changed according to the law of the Medes and Persians which altereth not wherefore King Darius signed the writing in the decree now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed so Daniel knew full well what they had done he went into his house and his windows being opened in his chamber toward Jerusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did a four-time then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God where's Daniel in the wrong did God say tough Daniel he should have obeyed should have obeyed the government Daniel got it all wrong no he sent his angel to shut the lion's mouth didn't they now go back to Romans 13 because some say oh that's just see the Old Testament that's the Old Testament because this is a New Testament command isn't it well Hebrew 13 8 says Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever yeah and that's why when filled with the Holy Ghost in fact sorry go to go to Acts 4 just to see it quickly that when filled with the Holy Ghost Peter and John with him said to their rulers in Acts 4 and verse 19 but Peter and John answers said unto them whether it be right in the sight of God to harken unto you more than unto God judge ye for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard and by the way that's why the angel of the Lord broke them out of prison in the next chapter he didn't say tough should have obeyed then afterwards when told and go to Acts chapter 5 verse 29 when they're told you were commanded not to teach in Jesus name what do they say in Acts 5 29 then Peter and the the other Apostles answer said we ought to obey God rather than men because they were obeying the higher power they were obeying God okay and hopefully you know that's this kind of strength you resolve on that and I'm sure no one here was wondering about it maybe you were maybe you're thinking yeah but what about Romans 13 don't we just have to obey the government no matter what we should obey the government we're in Romans 13 hopefully again now verse 1 says that every soul be subject unto the higher powers there's no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God so with that all of that in mind though unless the authorities in your life are commanding you to disobey God you are subject to them okay so we don't want to go too far the other way now go well no you know we're Christians here we don't have to obey the government we disobey God yeah well God did put government he put many many positions in your life chains of command that you must be subject to unless it goes against the higher power yeah and it's not obviously just unless it goes against God because you know if the government I would say the highest power in this land is is the law if the government goes against the law we obey the law obviously same with the policeman there if I don't know like I said if if if mum tells you to do something at home and father's told you not to do that then you obey your father okay and there are many other areas you could see that okay verse 2 says whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation now damnation isn't always held but it is condemnation that means you'll get punished in life so if you are resisting the authorities in your life you're going to get punished okay you're going to get punished so hear that you bolshie rebellious wives out there yeah you don't impress anyone okay if any of you are if you are there is no bolshie rebellious wise but if there are you're not impressing anyone no one's thinking oh what a strong independent woman they're thinking no you're you're just a rebellious woman yeah that's not a good thing the rebel team yeah the rebel team cuz our rebel without a cause isn't that cool yeah probably my day it was like white t-shirts and jeans James Dean yeah you know that sort of that carry on yeah you're not cool you're a fool yeah you're a fool cuz you're just gonna get whooped you're just gonna get punished you're not gonna be happy you don't look at these these rebels you look at these rebels in years to come now sometimes the punishment takes a little while okay but I look at my old rebellious friends well they'd be they'd be a good advertisement to basically obey the authorities in your life because these people are an absolute mess yeah drug addicts drunkards in and out of prison and the rest of it what I mess yeah oh but they were so cool when we were young oh in the side school these are the cool guys yeah and when you look at those at the the most cool the real cool ones are most rebellious because that's what they consider cool most them are just just deranged drug addicts now okay that's what it comes down to well how about church member that won't submit to authority because you just he don't need to submit I'm you know I don't submit to anyone well you're resisting the ordinance of God the Bible says you're resisting the ordinance of God and other people just look at you and think what a fool what a fool here that anti-authoritarian anarchist types with weird colored hair and long green jackets you know it's that I always love those long green army jackets in those types I don't know if they still have those anymore when I was young it was like these anarchist types in long green army jackets yet none of them could have lasted five minutes in the army because I can't they can't get told anything they're gonna get how they're gonna hang out in the army they can't even cut their hair but but yeah they ain't gonna make it yeah they're just gonna get punished your life and they do again you see these guys now and they're just some you know a lot of the time conspiratorial messes aren't they just sitting at home with the tin foil hats on and everything else but this is just one passage though is this just the one passage of Scripture that says that well turn of 1st Peter chapter 2 Titus 3 1 says put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey magistrates to be ready to every good work and 1st Peter 2 13 1st Peter chapter 2 and verse 13 reads submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the king of supreme or unto governors is unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well for so is the will of God that with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men because they want to find fault in you don't they they love finding fault in you that's what they want yeah you notice we were talking about this just the other just earlier we were saying you got soul winning brother Dan knocked on someone's door earlier and they wanted to criticize him because he had his child with him aren't you cold it's June and I know it's England but it's still June yeah it's not exactly cut because they're just looking for anything to go you know so-called Christian you've got a child outside you got a child outdoors what sort of wicked parent are you and then it reminded me how many times when I've been with my kids you know they'll go are you okay oh you poor thing you know because it's trying to lift themselves up above you because people love to do that don't they love to find a way why they're holier than you oh wow you come to the door you know with a tie on and a Bible oh your poor children your poor children because how dare you come to my door and and you know even look like you maybe might be doing more for God than I am and it's that sort of attitude isn't it but look you're a Christian they want to find fault in you and you know what they they gonna find fault in is whether or not you're a good citizen yeah are you are you obeying the law so are you paying your taxes are you doing as you know as you're meant to do in this country unless it goes against God you better be doing that Christian yeah you better be doing that they want to find fault you so-called Christian but look at what how he breaks that law look at how look what he's like at work so called Christian but he can't even do what the boss says so-called Christian behind the boss's back he's putting his feet up so-called Christian but at school he doesn't even lift a finger yeah so-called Christian but in his you know in his home school studies you know when the family member comes round they're refusing to work or they're not doing much or they're finding ways to slack look whatever it is we want to make sure that we're obeying all the authorities in our life unless it goes against God for rulers verse 3 says for rulers back sorry where you were in in Romans 13 for rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evil wilt thou then not be afraid of the power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same okay so what about when rulers are commanding things against God you don't have to be afraid because there are two options aren't there two options if you're following God number one the big boss intervenes like with Shadrach Meshach and Abednego but with Daniel like with the Apostles in the prison cell or number two you become some form of example maybe even a martyr and then it's a case of blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake yeah so one of the two either way you come out you come out smelling arises verse four says for he is a minister of God to thee for good but if they do that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain for he is a minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil that means except except for the rare rare instances when the law contradicts God's law obey yeah obey but like I said it also includes all the other authorities in your life kids obey your parents wives obey your husbands husbands obey your boss Christians obey your pastor pastors obey the Lord Jesus Christ if only pastors would understand that around the world obey the Lord Jesus Christ do what he says and maybe their churches wouldn't be the mess that they are today verse 5 says wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake okay so not just for the fear of punishment but also to have a clear conscience yeah you want to have a clear conscience do as you're told for for this cause pay ye tribute also for they are God's ministers attending continually upon this very thing hmm render therefore to all their Jews tribute to whom tribute is due custom to custom fear to whom fear honor to whom honor now tribute being a general personal tax where custom is more specific for goods yeah so I think a custom more like your sort of VAT yeah rather than your tribute being like your income tax yep now although on a on a can be financially it can also be esteem and respect as well okay so basically pay your taxes pay your taxes but but they spend them on xy they spend them on sodomite whatever it is they spend them on whatever it is that you don't agree with well then move somewhere else yeah go to another country if you really can't deal with it go to another country but we need to be model citizens we can't decide what they spend it on and by the way look all the anti-government types out there yeah the go we did we have a pretty wicked government yeah and there are even more wicked governments around and there may be some slightly more righteous governments around there is no perfect government okay but look if none of us if there wasn't a government you do appreciate yeah that this country would be absolute mayhem and most of us here probably wouldn't last a week yeah without fully being butchered and and and the rest of it look look and that's what what part your taxes are paying for yeah okay they're paying for the punishment of evildoers and the punishment might not be how we want them to be punished but at least there is a police force at least there is a government at least there is all these things which that's what we're paying for and you don't get to choose what that money spent on you're told you're commanded to pay you tribute also for they are God's ministers attending continue upon this very thing render therefore to all their Jews tribute to whom tribute is true custom to him custom fear to whom fear honor to whom honor look we might look we want to be upstanding citizens okay don't we yeah we don't want people to find fault in us and we don't want God to find fault in us either so that means not trying to get cash deals on things okay that's custom isn't it okay we shouldn't be trying to do that we're Christians it is it more important that you save a bit of extra money than obeying God's law God's God's made it clear what we should do yeah it's not so I don't know look it's pretty clear isn't it that means not trying to find cash work that's tribute okay we shouldn't be trying to find cash work we shouldn't be doing that sort of thing because the Bible is clear about that isn't it and when we do that we're gonna get worked okay that's what's gonna happen your wealth isn't more important than honesty it's not more important we should be honest we should be above beyond reproach and look don't get me wrong I look sometimes it can really like gripe carne the amount of tax that you pay and what some of that tax goes on but that's how we're commanded to live okay we want to be we want to be model citizens where possible okay there's a tribute that we pay that is non-negotiable as well okay and that's the tithe the tithe now there's a lot of confusion about the tithe and it's not something that I preach on very often why don't I preaching it very often because we we don't want to be grouped together with the preach on the tithe and the offering every week type of wicked false churches trying to basically just take money off you because of so many false churches out there but when it comes up in passages of scripture it needs preach you on why does it need preach you on because it's for your own good okay that's something we need to understand about the tithe it's not for me it's not for whoever you know is works in the church or eventually is paid by the church or anything else the tithe is for the Christians own good turn a Malachi chapter 3 not paying taxes is ultimately stealing not paying the tithe is also stealing but guess who you're stealing from with the tithe God you're robbing God tithing is not optional giving okay because you're so generous tithing is paying what you owe God what you owe God okay tithe is 10% it means 10% it's the first 10% of all your income Proverbs chapter 3 and verse 9 to 10 while your turn to Malachi 3 reads honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase so shall thy bonds be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine okay so there's there's a promise there from that as well isn't there Malachi chapter 3 says will a man rob God yet you have robbed me but ye say wherein have we robbed thee in tithes and offerings so God says that not paying the tithe is robbing him yeah I don't think anyone could argue that what's the result first line says you are cursed with the curse for you have robbed me even this whole nation getting cursed for robbing him and I think you could apply that to a church instead of a nation can you yeah you could apply that if I don't know say for example if half the church didn't tithe and by the way you know if anyone's thinking oh man like maybe we just got like a real look honestly we have a church of a lot I know a lot of people type here okay I would say the vast vast majority problem maybe all the whole maybe the whole church does okay look that's a great thing but it's not I don't have to thank anyone for that yeah pastor Thompson doesn't have to thank anyone for that you're paying God what you own yeah you're paying God and if we didn't know say we had a church where maybe only half the church tithe maybe hardly any of the church tithe well what do you think might happen maybe there would be cursing maybe you know there would be issues with the church maybe we'd be like scrambling to get the money and you know not knowing what you know how we're gonna provide this or we can't give out materials when we so win or we can't we won't have this or when we do move again we won't be able to move what have the deposit or maybe instead of instead of preaching the gospel instead of preaching preaching out of the Bible every other week is going to be like some sort of fundraiser oh we better like sell more stuff we better ask for more money we better do more things to get more money to do look but we don't have to do that do we because we have faithful tithers okay but it is important he says here ye have robbed me even this whole nation bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now here with saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pull you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it so it's not only to avoid curses it's to gain blessings too and that's blessings upon individuals and I would say there'll be blessings upon a church that just has faithful tithes and that's what does the preaching sometimes that I'm not honestly I know that the Lord will provide what the church needs really ultimately anyway but for your own good for an individual Christians good they need to pay the tithe otherwise they're robbing God and it's not giving you're not giving a tithe you're paying you're paying what you owe to God so with that in mind if it's what you owe God it comes before anything else doesn't it so and look I've done both sides of this yeah I'm gonna hold my hands up I've been at churches where I'm thinking man I you know I find it hard to even give money to that church and and pay and really I should be thinking I'm paying it but I'm thinking is this even a church you know you start to you know you're having doubts they're not really doing anything for God if I'm going there I should pay the tithe yeah so then before maybe I've paid money out to another church and then I've got a bit slack or I did it I stopped keeping track of what I paid and what I haven't and believe me the curse has come yeah the things break the car breaks down the the the washing machine stops working out and I think it just you start to pay out more than you would have just paid in the time okay that's what happens you end up just constantly where's all this money going just like where's my money going I should be able to afford this where's my money going and I've been on the other side where I've just faithfully paid the tithe and just things work out and sometimes you're thinking I don't even know how I can afford it this month but it comes first it comes before anything else because you're paying God what you owe God yeah and I look people people then they they where we up to by the way have we got to verse 11 verse 11 says no rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground now let's show your vine cast our fruits before the time in a field saith the Lord of hosts look the devourer will hit your income is what it's saying here okay the devourer really we're talking about the devil here okay he will just basically be given away it's like okay well look you're refusing to pay the tithe now there's a way in for him to be able to attack you to be able to hit your hit your finances hit your income okay but if you do and all nations shall call you bless for you shall be a delightsome land saith the Lord of hosts applied to the nation but people who tithe still get by sometimes against the odds don't know and I've heard many testimonies of people I know are saved and I've got my own testimonies with that as well like I was just saying where where things just work out things work out when you pay the tithe and look with that as a church we look at the blessings on a church churches with faithful tithes have full-time pastors that benefits everyone okay that benefits the whole church not just a pastor they have nice facilities they do nice things people look and call them bless they go what a blessed church you know they seem to always be able to afford this do that you know have a nice building all those things would go which go with it they're not constantly doing fundraising events like I said yeah just constantly trying to raise cash instead of concentrating on the things of God yeah they don't have a pastor it's just sitting there constantly crunching the numbers go I don't know how this is going to work and everything else and ultimately that's going to affect the church as well isn't it which affects you now here's the argument that we don't live under the law yeah you heard that one before that's the law we don't live under the law yeah just give what you like well neither did Abraham did he turn to Hebrews chapter 7 Abraham didn't live under the law Genesis 14 20 talking of Abraham and Melchizedek says and he gave him tithes of all now this is over 600 years before the law was given to Moses 600 years before that Abraham gave tithes of all and Hebrew 7 talks of this event and from verse 1 it says for this Melchizedek king of Salem priest of the most high God who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings and blessed him to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all first being by interpretation king of righteousness and after that also king of Salem which is king of peace without father without mother without descent having neither beginning of days nor end of life but made like unto the Son of God abideth a priest continually for me Melchizedek is the Lord Jesus Christ now consider how great this man was unto whom even a patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils okay so like we said Melchizedek is for me the Lord Jesus Christ and Abraham gave him a tenth of all and that's who we're paying through the local church so don't forget that as well when you when you tithe at a church again people get this funny idea like they're they're paying the pastor if the past is employed or the evangelist if the evangelist is employed they're giving money to the church now let's sit down and talk about what you're gonna spend it on now let's whisper amongst each other about I wonder you know you know they're gonna get a new building they're gonna do this no you're paying God yeah you're paying God and you know what yeah you might think all right for you then you know well you know what we don't we don't get to question you or anything else so you could question if you really want but you're well out of God's will there because look do you know what responsibility it is to handle God's money yeah you all want that responsibility because that ain't a good responsibility to have okay in terms of that's not an envious responsibility to have if you're saved and if you're not they're just going I'm in it for the cash I'm in it for the money and by the way this would probably be the wrong denomination or not even denomination because it's not really whereby we'll believe increases but you'd be the wrong type of church to be into if you're in it for the cash yeah okay you might as well be promising blessings and wealth and prosperity and the rest of it cuz then you're more likely to get more cash yeah okay look you're not paying the pastor you're not paying the church okay you're paying God what you owe him okay and then the person who has to basically steward that money has a massive responsibility there okay look I don't want to mess that up because I know I'm gonna get a whooping and a half if I got slack with that money if I got if I got covetous with that money look I would be in big big trouble okay so like I said it's not yours to dictate how it's spent you get churches like this they'll sit down and have meetings and they're again they're not pastor led churches by any stretch of the imagination they'll sit down and try and explain you know talk to her this is what you should be like that's not how it works in the church like us and if you don't like that if you don't like that go to another church yeah honestly I go go because people who are there just trying to constantly find fault and finery I want to get involved and want to basically run the church and lead the church whether it's whispering to each other behind behind the leadership back or anything else well just go to another church then but you know I could say hand on my heart that everything we do at this church between myself pastor Thompson is honest and above board and and we're you know I have not one thing to hide about money here but the problem is when it comes to money people just start getting suspicious and sometimes a lot of the time it's projecting isn't it it's projecting their own this a lot of the time it's around dishonesty as well because they know what they would be doing if they're in that response if they're in that position and they were handling the money now people say well what about second Corinthians 9 7 which says every man according as he purposeth in his heart so let him give not grudgingly not all of necessity for God loveth a cheerful giver but that's talking about an extra offering for the Saints that's an extra offering like giving to a missionary or a love offering we've done love offerings here before as well giving an extra offering for maybe if you're supporting a missionary somewhere or something else like that the tithe is non-negotiable okay the Bible's clear about that the tithe is non-negotiable there's nowhere in the New Testament to suggest that the tithes ended if you want to give extra you want to give to a particular cause great God loveth the cheerful giver that's what it's saying yeah and look look if you want to give above and beyond great but the tithe is non-negotiable okay now like I said none of that affects me one bit okay it's up to you okay if you want to you want to you want to please God you want to you know the the devourer to be rebuked you want to you want to be blessed by God and I'm not saying that you're gonna be rich give more money you know let's send around the offering plate now that's not what I'm talking about but it is a clear clear part of the Christian life here is paying God what you owe okay it says in verse 8 oh no man anything but to love one another for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law because if you love your neighbor then you're not going to sin against him okay that's what it's saying here fee that loveth another has fulfilled the law for this thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not kill thou shalt not still thou shalt not bear false witness thou shalt not covet if there be any other commandment it is briefly commanded in comprehended in this saying namely thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself love worketh no ill to his neighbor neighbor therefore love is a fulfilling of the law it's so simple yet can be so difficult can't it people say I love you whilst trying to hurt you don't know yeah many people do that and say I love you whilst trying to hurt you will turn in Leviticus chapter 19 real love is not wanting any bad to happen to that person and it's definitely not doing any bad to that person as well isn't it okay and and look this isn't just a New Testament concept okay this isn't you know a change from all those strict laws of the Old Testament because I don't know if you ever notice the kind of either the person's not even claiming to be a Christian that wants to tell Christians how they should behave and you'll get that a lot when you see comment sections on videos calling out sodomites and things like that which sometimes can be amusing reading can't they and frustrating reading at the same time and people liked it well Jesus said love thy neighbor how dare you quote Leviticus 2013 how dare you quote any of these Old Testament passages you've heard that stuff before yeah yeah I've heard that a lot well Leviticus 19 and verse 16 onwards is where this comes from it says thou shalt not go up and down as a tailbearer among thy people okay tail bearing isn't loving your neighbor by the way neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor I am the Lord thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor and not suffer sin upon him so he's saying instead of hating your brother rebuke him but don't sin against him so rebuking isn't sinning is it here okay sometimes people need rebuking don't they okay that's not an act of hatred rebuking someone in fact a lot of the time it helps sort things out because a lot of time when you don't rebuke them when you let it lie that's when it starts to build up doesn't it and that's when the tensions start building up more and then you start to hate that person because you didn't rebuke them sometimes someone just needs a good old-fashioned rebuking don't know well it says rebuke him but don't it says sorry in any wise rebuke thy neighbor and not self sin upon in the verse 18 thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against children thy people but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self I am the Lord now Leviticus chapter 19 if you know much about the book of Leviticus this is a chapter before Leviticus chapter 20 and Leviticus chapter 20 sets out the death penalty for many wicked sins including sodomy and including many other wicked sins but according to this loving your neighbor is not avenging nor bearing grudge against the children of your people loving your neighbor is also rebuking your neighbor yeah not suffering sin upon them not hating them in your heart but loving your neighbor is in the same passage of Scripture where we're also shown how you deal with the people that destroy your neighbor yeah how you deal with people which do vile things disgusting thing and that includes adultery in there because it breaks up families because it destroys families it destroys homes it distill it destroys children's lives but it's within the same passage of Scripture which is telling you to love your neighbor okay there's no contradiction there that's part of loving your neighbor isn't it and it is basically punishing wickedness punishing wickedness which hurts your neighbor it says in back where we were let's go back to back to Romans 13 in verse 11 and that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed okay so I either way here either way so you could look at that and say well you know the the the end times are coming closer someone was telling me that their pastor this is one of their proof texts for the pre-trib rapture don't know how you work that out but yeah our salvation is nearer than when we believed yeah but also look every day your salvation is getting nearer ultimately as well because life is short isn't it okay life is short and you don't have long to start doing things for God do you okay and and everyone here oh yeah but but and we all have buts don't we on certain things of God well but life is short now is our salvation near the nearer than when we believed and it's high time to awake out of sleep yeah just get busy start doing things for the Lord the night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light now turn to Ephesians 6 because you could be sitting there thinking I'm a lousy Christian okay well yeah but I'm just you know I'm just not like that I wasn't born like that I I had a worse start in life I'm just you know not as into it as whoever else it is well not now's the time to get right isn't it yeah now's the time to cast off the works of darkness and defend yourself by putting on the armor of light well let's have a look at the armor of light here Ephesians 6 and verse 14 says stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace above all taking the shield of faith wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God praying always with all prayer and supplication the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints okay that's that for me is the armor of light isn't it and the armor of light comes from the Word of God doesn't it and and loins girt about with truth breastplate of righteousness and that's trying that's I don't think that's just salvation as well that's also trying to live right isn't it because the the more righteous you live the harder it is for those fiery darts to penetrate and and that same obviously with that shield of faith as well and feet shod with the preparation of gospel of peace you are not out preaching the gospel then you've got you've got some some armor missing on your feet don't you the helmet of salvation okay and I've thought about this before the helmet it's also called the helmet of the hope of salvation as well and it does keep you sane at times doesn't it it does help you at times you just remind yourself look I'm saved I'm going to heaven okay nothing can change that and this and and look remind yourself of salvation verses if you need to and when you're out preaching a gospel regular you don't need to do you okay it kind of goes hand in hand you you protect your head and your feet without and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God okay and it all obviously comes down to the Word of God praying always with all prayer and supplication the spirit watching them too with all perseverance supplication for all saints and you must be in prayer as well something a lot of people do find sometimes their prayer life lacks they might have all the other bits right but a lot of Christians would say they just feel like their prayer life is lucky a bit and you know we should be in prayer and that is part of that I think that is part of that armor of light you know it's included in there you know it's continued with that colon there to praying always with all prayer and supplication spirit watching down to with all perseverance supplication for all saints go back to Romans 13 it says in verse 13 let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantedness not in strife and envying now chambering is sexual immorality basically okay he said let us walk honestly as in a day not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying wantonness is lewdness okay like no restraint now is he saying you automatically not going to do that no is he saying you're gonna lose your salvation if you do that no it's like an encouragement an exhortation let us walk honestly because Christians can do this stuff yes saved men and women of God can do this stuff yeah and he's saying let us walk honestly as in a day not in rioting and drunkenness because Christians can do that not in chambering and wantonness sexual immorality lewdness not in strife and envying and look look this stuff you look at well come on brother in you know we'll say Bible believe in Christians here we all read the Bible we come to church you'd be amazed yeah you'd be amazed what people can fall into and what people get up to and and that's why he's encouraging them not to okay and look you're gonna get you're gonna get punished ultimately in one way or another if you do get involved in stuff like this and this list obviously rioting drunkenness chambering wantonness but it goes to show that that can happen doesn't it yeah it goes to show that that can happen and you need to be on guard against that stuff because there's the other side of it you've got you've got the one side where you've got obviously the the the churches that preached and if you do this stuff that you're gonna lose your salvation or something else and then you've got the other side you got people that like the fools that make a mock at sin yeah you've been around those types of people before laugh about it's all a joke that you know that preachers like myself or others are some sort of you know uptight fuddy-duddy types you know I don't tell brother whatever this or that you know like he's just a bit too uptight he's not as you know understanding as I am he's not as that laid-back you know grace through faith type you know the people that come out with that sort of stuff yeah it is grace through faith yeah you can't lose your salvation yeah of course you're still gonna go to heaven but this stuff is serious stuff yeah it's serious stuff and we shouldn't mock at it yeah we shouldn't we shouldn't you know try and act like it's just you know all a bit of a joke and that's why I you know I know and I'll keep preaching that's why in a nation like this and that's why in this day and age he's preaching more and more and pulls preach it back then and and I don't I don't really know you hear lots of different things on the state of obviously speech the Romans there the state of Rome in those days and you know obviously it descended and all civilization is pretty much descend into just wickedness at some point or other but look in this nation yeah this stuff needs preaching more than ever and that's why we preach on standards a lot that's why we preach on these sort of sins that's why we preach on clothing standards because I was preaching earlier about going out preaching the gospel because look we shouldn't be we shouldn't be trying to get that sort of sexual attention ladies out there okay because because you're gonna put a stumbling block in your brother's path yeah that's what's gonna happen we shouldn't be we should be trying to utmost not to you shouldn't be men you know out there's in the same way you get men that are trying to you know charm and schmooze and everything else it's it's wicked yeah that's not that's not the sort of attention that's not how we should be behaving in life is it and and all the rest of this stuff drunkenness that's why we preach it loud and clear from this from this you know from this pulpit and people have such a problem with it don't they have such a problem so-called Christians and some of them are Christians yeah don't get me wrong I'm not saying oh well if you're saved you're going to understand that you shouldn't even look at alcohol but the Bible says not to look at it so they love to mock and oh well what about this what about that well well marry that up with with Proverbs chapter 23 then yes somehow someone explained that to me then but look not thou upon the wine when it is red when it giveth its color in the cup when it move with itself all right how can you look look not upon it but then justify drink it and they love to my trying to say Jesus just put down water into fruit juice yeah he did yeah he did because Jesus wasn't a pissette and he wasn't trying to encourage people that had well drunk already to get even more drunk and look you can mock it you can you know it based on your wicked worldly view on life but it's ridiculous in the same way that you know that the sexual immorality stuff you can mock the way that we try and encourage you know dating amongst Christians but it's for good reason okay because all this stuff is stuff that Christians can fall into not in writing drunk is not in chambering of wantedness not in strife and envying okay and and a lot of strife comes and that's why we have certain rules that's why we try and I'm constantly feel like I'm just constantly saying rules and rules and rules because they need to be in place because we are all capable of wickedness every single person in this room is capable of wickedness that's why there's rules in place that's why it needs preaching time and time again okay and that and envying the the envy that you see in life and it's such it's that it does so much damage doesn't it and you see it in people you see that green-eyed vehicles they don't admit it to themselves and I'm not saying oh you know I think everyone's envious to me I see it with other people I see people I'm being other people and it's wicked and it causes so much trouble and that's why Paul talks about it a lot and he talks about this stuff a lot he talks about sexual sin a lot and we want to abstain from all appearance of evil yeah abstain from all appearance of evil okay you don't want surely you don't want to come to church and have myself or other people going I wonder if they're into this I want like they just don't know it just there's something a bit suspicious you don't want that do you you know I wonder if he's just you know trying to usurp you know the authority of the church I wonder if she's just trying to you know back bite or slander this I want you just want abstain from all appearance of it don't you surely surely you would unless you've unless well there's there's a couple of reasons why you might not and you don't you just don't want that about you just want to be a good church member you just want to try and be a good Christian you just want to try and just behave as the Bible clearly says in the how the church which you are under the subject you should be subject unto tells you to behave and if you can't and if you don't want to then just don't come to church just don't go somewhere else because it's simple isn't it and and you know I talked about it with with you know it's not just like clothing's on the outside there's so many things on the inside as well and we just look let us walk honestly as in a day let's just just try and put all that junk aside not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantedness not in strife and envying but put you on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof that there are so many things in life that if you think about it they would make provision for your flesh they will there are so there are things that you just need to be sensible about and and sadly a lot of Christians just won't do that will they and that's look and there are things and that's why we have certain things in this church to avoid that okay that's why we that's why we talk about these rules that's why we preach the Word of God that's why we preach on these sins it's not to be mocked at it's it's to not make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof because that's what Christians do that's what people do the world over if something puts you in the flesh avoid it and there are many things that put us in the flesh and we all have our individual things and individual you know individual challenges and we need to just do our best to avoid those things yeah okay be wise yeah we should be wise yeah it should be wise and Paul's constantly exhorting them just to put away these things be wise and that for me I think that's a great chapter of the Bible yeah it's a great chapter of the Bible it can be an uncomfortable chapter can't it some of those you know those those those parts about being subject unto the higher power some people find that really hard in certain areas of their life some of the parts of Romans 13 about you know about paying honor to whom honor paying taxes all that stuff can be uncomfortable it's not comfortable preach I don't you know as you notice I've barely ever preached on the tithe yeah but because it's not that comfortable but it's in that it's in that passage for a reason isn't it okay all these things are some of them are uncomfortable truths for people but they're still truths aren't they and then I hope that you know I hope that people go away from that and go okay like that's could maybe convict me or something today that's maybe made me think twice about this about that and I hope so and don't don't just be a hero of the law be a hero and a doer too and on that let's let's let's go to the Lord in the word of prayer to finish off father thank you I thank you for such a great chapter the Bible so thank you for for all the great messages there I know that I didn't spend the time on the loving your neighbor just you know we hear that so much around us that there's so many other passages and subjects that we need to preach about as well and but that's something that we should also think about as well that we should be loving each other we should be loving our neighbor we should be doing our best for each other but that doesn't mean that we don't rebuke when things need rebuking in fact that is loving our neighbor because then it stops at that building up of strife and and all those issues that come from not just just dealing with things as and when they come up and look we pray that you just you know that you help this church just to to want it want to serve you to want to just just be good church members to want to just be good Christians we pray that in all the all the areas that we'll all just try our best to just serve you properly to be how you want us to be and we pray that you help us to do that this week going forward that will go away and and keep you at the center of our lives not just on a Sunday but but for the rest of the week to make Wednesday evening so find a way of making Wednesday evening work as it you know being in your house is something that we should be striving to do and we pray that also we'd all return back either Wednesday or and if not Sunday for another day in your house in Jesus name for all of this amen