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So tonight I want to talk, I want to preach about a royal priesthood, a royal priesthood. Let's look at verse number nine. The Bible says but you're a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation of peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. I'm gonna pray real quick. Lord we thank you so much for the men of Steadfast and Pure Words Baptist Church and for Pastor Shelley and I just want to thank you Lord for the opportunity to be here tonight. I pray that you fill me with your spirit and I pray that the men would be edified by the message. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. So when it's talking about a royal priesthood, you know royal means what? What would that mean to you? I mean like kings, princes and when the Bible says that we're a chosen generation, you know in a royal priesthood, I take that to mean that we're a priesthood of kings and in the Old Testament they obviously had kings and they had a priesthood but obviously that's all changed in the New Testament and but I would just like to preach to you guys tonight about the fact that you guys have a great responsibility as being kings and priests unto the Lord and it's not like it's just something that's coming down the pike. Like we're already kings and priests. You know we're already in that priesthood and we should behave that way. We should live that way and it should be something that we take very seriously because it is a great honor to be called a king or a priest, isn't it? And let's turn, we're gonna look at some scriptures tonight and of course you guys know I usually go Bible heavy but I want to just show you some things out of the Old Testament too real quick and let's go to Exodus chapter 19 there. Exodus chapter 19. So as royal priesthoods, as kings and priests, we have a special calling unto God and we are supposed to be separated from the world. We're supposed to, you know, would you think that priests would pray? Yes. Priests would win souls. Priests would sacrifice and you know in the Old Testament they they had like specific things that they had to do as priests but it's different in the New Testament. Like I said look at verse 5 in Exodus chapter 19 it says, now therefore if you will obey my voice indeed, see it was it was a stipulation. They had to, it was an if and a then. Look what it says, if you will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant then he shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people for all the earth is mine. So that priesthood in the Old Testament was by stipulation. It wasn't something that lasted forever. The Old Testament was going to end but it is obviously picturing the believer because the nation of Israel pictures the new nation which is all nations of the earth who are saved, right? And you had to be in a specific family to be in the priesthood back then and you also had to be chosen by God to be the king. And then it went to succession after Saul and David but you know God would just set up and take down kings as he pleased and there was a lot of wicked kings back then. Look at verse 6 it says, and he shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. So back then they were supposed to be a kingdom of priests so they had the priesthood which was the Levites but like really he wanted them to be a holy nation. He wanted them to be a kingdom of priests but it was stipulated by if you obey my voice and if you keep my covenant. Obviously we know that they didn't and so we're in the New Testament now. They could not maintain what they're supposed to do. So go ahead and turn to Revelation chapter 1. Also I'm gonna read for you Revelation chapter 5 verse 10 where the Bible says, and has made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth. There's coming a day when we will reign on the earth. Right now you know we're kind of like downtrodden by men you know men hate us because of the things that we preach and the things that we believe but there's coming a day when we are gonna be the ones that are ruling this nation ruling this world. So we should prepare now for what we're gonna have later don't you think? I mean if we don't act princely or kingly or priest like you know there's coming a day when we're gonna be that way and remember it in the in the parable of the talents where you know the guy that didn't you know that buried his talents in the ground you know he didn't get anything right? He actually got a really bad punishment but the other people you know Jesus would say to them you know enter into the joy of the Lord I'm gonna make you the king over ten cities or whatever. So I believe that you know that's a parable but obviously I think there's truth to that. That we are going to be reigning over cities like if you're over ten cities that means you know you're probably have people that you're gonna be or under your subjection to because how would you be a king if you don't rule over anybody? It's called the kingdom of God you know. So look at Revelation 1 6 it says and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his father to him be glory and dominion forever and ever amen. So there's two scriptures in Revelation where it clearly says that he's made us kings and priests. And so now let's turn to second Samuel chapter 7 verse 12 and I'll just kind of show you how in the life of Saul and David that God showed us this picture of a kingdom that is going to end by or the covenant that ended and then how David's is an everlasting covenant. Look at first Samuel chapter 7 verse 12 the Bible says and when thy days be fulfilled thou shalt sleep with thy fathers I will set up thy seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy bowels and I will establish his kingdom. So obviously he's talking about this kingdom of Christ and David is obviously a king of Israel and a man after God's own heart and look what it says in verse 13 he shall build an house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom. How long? Forever right and it says and I will be his father and he shall be my son. Now obviously this parts talking about David because Jesus didn't commit sin but look what it says if he committed iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men. So that's kind of how God deals with his children when they step out of line but it doesn't but we our life will never end. You know we get punished here obviously you all know that but later on I mean we're gonna still reign on the earth forever and ever. Now so God's saying that he's gonna punish and chasten David here it says but my mercy shall not depart away from him as I took it from Saul whom I put away before thee. So Saul was cut off and he obviously is the picture of the Old Testament being done away with and David is the picture of the New Testament and obviously his seed will inherit the earth. His seed is going to you know verse 16 says the nine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee. Thy throne shall be established forever. So it says he's gonna build a house and the kingdom and it'll be established forever. So the Old Testament ended New Testament that's where we're at so I mean I'm sure all of you guys realize that but there are there are differences obviously between the priesthood and the kingdom in the Old Testament and the kingdom and the priesthood in the New Testament. So let's look at Numbers chapter 3 also. Let's turn over to Numbers chapter 3. I just want to talk to you about how what the priest's job was to do in the Old Testament. Look at Numbers 3 3. It says and the excuse me these are the names of the sons of Aaron the priests which were anointed whom he consecrated to minister in the priest office. So what was the job of the priest? Well it was to minister in the priest office. They were ordained and anointed and consecrated that means set apart to do a certain specific to do certain specific tasks. Now look what it says in verse 4 and Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai and they had no children and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priests office in the sight of Aaron their father. So the high priest was the first high priest was Aaron in the Old Testament and his sons ministered in the office of the priest it says in the sight of Aaron their father. So obviously Aaron is a picture of the high priest that was going to come later which is of course the God man Jesus Christ. So there was multiple there was multiple high priests that succeeded afterwards but the picture was ultimately of Christ Jesus who was going to be the high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Now look at verse 4 it says and Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai and they had no children and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priests office in the sight of Aaron their father. Did I just read that twice? I did didn't I? I'm sorry about that let's submit a double copy paste there sorry about that. But anyway so yeah they ministered in the priests office so what was the job and the role of the priests in the Old Testament? They were to minister and do the office of the priests that they were ordained to do. So you know that pictures us in the New Testament that we are all kings and priests in the New Testament and you know you had to be in a specific family then but you have to also be in a specific family now. You have to be in the family of God. So the Levites were the tribe that they were supposed to be in but of course the whole nation was you know that's what God really desires that they would be a nation of kings and priests but you know they fell down on the job. So now you have to be just saved to be in this priesthood and you know so let's look back at first Peter chapter 2 back in our text from the beginning. I was just trying to lay the groundwork a little bit for what God expects for us. So in the Old Testament we know what they had to do they had to take the sacrifices they had to cut them up they had to kill them all that kind of stuff they had to roast them with fire and they had to consecrate themselves like wash their bodies with water they had to wear clothes that didn't have sweat like I'm sweating right now and then you know they just they had all kinds of chores to do and it's great that as priests we don't have to do those types of things. I mean the brisket was good yesterday but that's a lot of work. Imagine having to do that like several times a day right it would be pretty tough but we're supposed to be a spiritual priesthood and it says in 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 5 it says ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house. So is this the physical house it's talking about? No it's a spiritual house. So remember in 1st Samuel where I showed you those verses that he talked about how he would build this house well it's a spiritual house this is what Peter's revealing to us here and it says and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices so praise God that we get to just do spiritual things right and acceptable to God by Christ Jesus so by Christ Jesus everything that we do in our Christian life should be through Christ Jesus I mean don't try to do things in your own strength we have to offer these spiritual sacrifices in the name of our Lord and do things for the right reasons right so Jesus Christ is the high priest now and forever he's never that's never going to end and our priesthood is never going to end as believers look at Romans chapter 12 Romans chapter 12 Romans chapter 12 says and be not confused excuse me verse 1 now I beseech thee therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice so we're no longer sacrificing these animals we're sacrificing spiritual sacrifices right holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable what's it say there the last word service so as men of God as kings and priests our job is to serve the Lord and not just for part of our life until we get our retirement and our 401ks it's for the rest of our lives right because we're looking to eternity future and you know we should get some good practice in before we get there like if you just do nothing with your spiritual life at all you're gonna be a pretty poor first of all you're not gonna get the rewards that another king or priests would get so you know when they gives out the rewards it's by fairness by the things that we all do in our life as Christians so look at verse 2 it says and be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind we have to constantly renew our minds in Christ it says that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God so we continuously have to go through this process of waking up every day putting on the new man following after Christ taking up our cross and fulfilling our role as a priest look at Hebrews chapter 12 Hebrews chapter 12 verse number 28 Hebrews chapter 12 verse number 28 the Bible says wherefore we receive a kingdom which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear you know God expects us to live a good life he expects us to fear him but he also expects us to serve him so as men of God you know we got to take this very we got to take this responsibility and and just do the best that we possibly can in this life you know and obviously like how he was saying that he would chasten David with the rod of men we're gonna get that same thing too if we're not falling after Christ they were supposed to now turn over to another just the next chapter over in verse in Hebrews 13 Hebrews 13 it says verse 15 by him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually see see the theme here he's just constantly talking about us sacrificing because serving God is sacrifice it really is and you're like well I just love serving God I do too but it is it is work it is service and to go to church three times a week might seem normal to you right now but there was a time when it wasn't right and it is a spiritual sacrifice and sometimes it's a fleshly sacrifice because you don't feel like going you know on those days like Wednesday when you've worked a hard beginning of a week and you just can't barely keep your eyes open you're just so tired but you know God looks at those sacrifices and he loves that he loves that we love him he loves that we just go even if it's just out of duty we still got to go so offer the sacrifice of praise continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name don't forget to give thanks to God's name for the things that he does and you know he does a lot of great things for us he loads us daily with benefits that's what the Bible says right look at verse 16 says but to do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased don't forget to communicate with God you know he is God he is our father and we should be communicating with him on a regular basis and it says to do good I mean that you know don't sin it kind of seems like one of those things like just do good well what does that mean well you know what it means the Bible tells us what the good things are and what the and what the wrong things are what the sin is so we should just live a good life and you know you're gonna be more blessed in this life the less you sin obviously guys all know that but we as believers you know we have Jesus Christ as our high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek and we as believers are an eternal priesthood under our high priest which is the Lord Jesus Christ let's look at I'm just gonna read Revelation 7 but go ahead and turn to Revelation 22 verse 3 I'm gonna read Revelation 7 verse 15 the Bible says therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them Revelation 22 verse 3 where I had to turn says and there shall be no more curse but the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him so we are gonna serve God for all eternity get used to it now get in the habit of it now and you know as men you know it doesn't say be priestesses and queens it says be priests and kings we are priests and kings we're not Queens I hope there's no Queens in here hide now but you know we should be manly we should leave our lead our families in the right way and maybe you don't have a family yet we'll start working on it now start getting prepared for that now so that you're ready to be a husband you're ready to be a father you know what you're supposed to do and it's important for us as men to lead what do Kings do they rule over people don't they what a priest do they serve their God and you also serve you're you're the priest of your family you're the king of your family you know have you ever heard that saying I'm the king of my castle well that's that's literally true you know you are the king of your castle well hopefully if your wife isn't telling you everything to do but you know I mean sometimes they can get uppity right you just have to like you do have to check your wife sometimes I'm sorry ladies if you're listening but it's just true nothing's more frustrating than going to a drive-thru window and they don't know what they want like you had all this time you had the pre-menu on the way up I can't see it put your glasses on you know then you get there and you're just like you know you order your food really quick because that's what guys do and then they're just like what's in that one is like you're trying to be nice you know but look man we're our job is to serve our job is to be the man our job is to rule our house and obviously be leaders in our church and be leaders in the community you know and I'm not talking about community organizing not talking about Barry Obama's style of you know serving the community I'm talking about serving the community why where we go door-to-door canvassing the real type of canvassing where we're actually getting people saved to make it a difference in people's lives so serve the Lord as a priest serve your home as a priest and serve your church and serve your community it's pretty simple but doing all that like pastor Shelley kind of said last night it's a little harder you know to do it than it is to just say things and you know your life can last a long time and there's a lot of ups and downs in life there's a lot of evil days that we have to endure there's a lot of evil times in our lives that we might have to endure but we need to keep serving God don't blame him for your problems you know sometimes it's just because the world we live in things are tough so again in the Old Testament the priests were not the kings though they were there was a separation between them think about what Saul was rejected for what was he rejected for what was the what was the main thing at first he was already mad at him and then he sat so he sacrificed a sacrifice that he was not supposed to do Samuel he said wait for me and he's like well you didn't get here on time so I just thought I would do it on my own you know I mean I'm you know paraphrasing that but that was you know he didn't obey the voice of the Lord but didn't David not obey the voice of the Lord too so what's the difference again I think that the typology is there that's part of the reason but also you know Saul just he started off really good but then he ended bad we don't we want to start off good and keep doing good we don't want to you know be that Saul type of character right so now what are the expectations of a king I kind of went over the expectations of a priest in the Old Testament and in the New Testament what God wants us to do he wants us to sacrifice spiritual sacrifice offer praise for his name and to serve him and we're gonna serve him for all eternity but what does he expect of Kings because it says we're kings and priests right so let's look at Proverbs 31 verse 1 Proverbs 31 verse number 1 now of course we don't really know who this King Lemuel is in the Bible but his name is in the Bible so I know that he was a real king but he's not recorded as one of the kings of Israel so I would just assume he's probably maybe a king of the Gentiles of some sort maybe I don't know we just don't really know but nonetheless his mom is trying to give him some good advice what it says in verse 1 it says the words of King Lemuel the prophecy that his mother taught him so his mother taught him these things what my son and what the son of my womb and what the son of my vows give not thy strength unto women as a king in God's spiritual Kingdom our job is to not one of the first thing the first thing is don't give your strength to women so look I'm not saying mistreat your wife don't you know I don't want anybody to get me wrong don't get this attitude we're like you're just mean to your wife and you want to you know show off in front of people and show how you can check her in front of people you're supposed to love your wife but obviously yes there is time to correct them on things but I would say in front of a roomful of hair-legged men that would be the wrong time to do that obviously if it's some huge deal that's different but we're not supposed to give our strength unto them that means don't let them be in charge don't let them be the boss don't let them pick your church don't let them pick when you're gonna have children when you're not going to you need to not give your strength unto women and it says nor thy ways to that which destroyeth Kings so now she's gonna talk she's gonna say hey don't give your strength to women and who's right who told him this his mom so she understands it and look guys I mean we live in a we live in a time where women kind of are dominating our society even though they can't make a decision they don't even know what to get a Taco Bell on the late night menu so but we live in a world where men are you know these women get jobs and they can't even do the jobs we were talking about this earlier like you know you work in a construction site and then there's that one chick on the job that has like a white hat you know white hard hat her clothes are pristine they've never seen a speck of dirt on them they have no clue what they're doing and yet they're making the same paycheck as you it's a hard world it's a hard life it's hard to rule your families it's harder to rule your families today than it was back in the old times but you know there's no new thing under the Sun you know women have been trying to take control for a long time but they do want you to be the leader they might not even say it they might not even know that they believe it but they do believe it because the Bible says that there you know they'll be that they want to be towards their husband you know they want to they do want a strong leader that can make decisions so but it says nor thy ways to the that which destroyeth Kings you know what's gonna destroy you look what it says it is not for Kings old Lemuel it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for Prince's strong drink and you're like well this is the Old Testament Pastor Thompson is it because I thought that we're supposed to still read the Proverbs we're still supposed to sing the Psalms and a lot of times you'll see these little books and they say New Testament Psalms and Proverbs and it has all that there for you because you're gonna get a lot of wisdom from reading the Proverbs but you know Proverbs has a lot of strong verses against drinking and Pastor Shelley covered you know how foolish drinking is to a good extent last night so but isn't that funny how it says you know don't give your strength to women and then the next thing don't drink and what really I thought about last night what he said about how it only takes one time for some drunk man to smack his wife in front of their kids and you lose all credibility and they will never forget that your wife's never gonna forget it your kids are never gonna forget it I'm not saying if you've ever done that that you're you know to be cast in hell or something I'm just saying that it takes a it would take a lot to get the respect back and you know we got to think about these things because the other good point he made about that last night was that you're under a lot of pressure from your peers and like we don't know what your life is that like outside of church sometimes people just cling to their family for too long and you probably should have severed that kind of relationship away from your family a long time ago don't show up to the you know the family reunions where everybody's drinking themselves drunk and then expect that you're gonna just be tough you know when they're all they all know you they know you had a history of drinking in the past and they're always gonna offer you a beer you know your drunk brother or whatever they all love that guy but when you change your life they're like oh wow he just thinks he's better than everybody whatever it's like yeah I am better I am better because you know what I'm saved and the Bible says not to give yourself to drinking wine are we kings or not does the Bible say we're Kings you're like well yeah we're not kings like this guy was a king but yes we are we are going to be kings we are kings right now and he says don't drink wine nor princes strong drink and princes are basically equal with kings right lest they drink and forget the law you know what you're gonna do when you drink alcohol you're gonna forget what the Bible says because it messes with your judgment immediately look what it says and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted so you're all you're all you're gonna be a pervert in judgment right away as soon as you start drinking don't give yourself Kings as a person would drink alcohol or let women rule over you look at Deuteronomy chapter 17 and this is actually the chapter where it really you know the kid that the judges is the system that God set up but obviously in Deuteronomy 17 he already knew that they're gonna ask for a king which is exactly what they did and they were warned about not doing that and basically that was a rejection of God to do that but God made that system for him because that's what they wanted you know sometimes God just gives us what we deserve and look at Deuteronomy 17 verse 14 says when thou art calm unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee and shall possess it and shall dwell therein and shall say I will set a king over me like as the nations that are about me thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee whom the Lord thy God shall choose so God had to choose the king right you know what God chooses us when we choose him right he chooses us he saves us and that's how God chooses us to be kings you know if you're are you saved you're a king then it says one from among thy brethren so people that are saved right shout thou set King over thee thou mayest not set a stranger over thee which is not thy brother so it's basically I mean applying this to New Testament these are saved people right look at verse 16 but he shall not multiply horses to himself nor cause the people to return to Egypt so you know don't multiply horses I would say in modern day that's probably like you don't have to have a bunch of fancy cars because horses were like a commodity back then that showed you know your wealth like Joe had all these cattle and all these different things and they kind of measured their wealth by the animals that they had because that's kind of you know how they made their money but anyway it says so we're not supposed to just like you know just that's not what we're here for we're not here to just multiply horses and it says nor cause the people to return to Egypt and you know you have the power to send your family back to Egypt you know what is that that's a picture of that's a picture of us going back to the world that's a picture of us quitting and going back to Pharaoh for the pleasures of sin for a season and we have the power to keep our families that you know you know in the in the the graces of God we have the power to lead our family but we also have the power to tear it down wives have the power to tear it down and we don't want that to happen to our families and let me just tell you something if you quit church if you're just like oh I just can't do this anymore I just quit being weak all right could be a week just lead your family because look yeah you can drop out of church and you can be backslidden and you know you can miss prime years that your kids are gonna get saved there's a chance that if you get out of church your kids won't get saved your wife might turn into a whore who knows I mean you go back to Egypt there's nothing waiting for you there that's good there's nothing waiting for you that's why God said don't go back that way don't go back to Egypt you know if you have your hand to the plow you're looking back you are not worthy of him so don't go back to Egypt don't allow your family to go back to Egypt and you know what man if you're leading that shouldn't happen that should not happen it says to the end that he should multiply horses for as much as the Lord has said unto you he shall henceforth return no more that way so as a king our responsibility and the New Testament don't let your family go back to Egypt you know and whatever that is whatever that was to you whatever sinful life you live before maybe you're like a grew up in a Christian home and you haven't lived that much of a sinful life I always forget that there's people that you know maybe stealing a cookie out of the cooker job cookie jar might be the worst thing don't go back to the cookie jar cookie jar right I mean there there's all kinds of folks here that some people have lived really wicked lives and some people are just wicked enough you know but you don't want to return that way it says neither shall he multiply wives to himself and look you have a hard time with the wife you have right now you don't need more wives right don't multiply wives obviously we live in a place where it's illegal to do that unless you're like a Mormon in some pocket of Arizona or something but I think they have some like some colt extra colty Mormons and that's what they all believe anyway they probably all believe that they're gonna get 72 virgins or whatever like the like Islam later on but they just you know they know that they're they're gonna get in trouble for if they do it here on this earth but anyway it says don't multiply wives yourself like you already have enough heart a hard enough time and don't seek after other women don't be covetous towards other people's wives don't say I wish I would have married this person you're married to who you're married to and you're and look as as priests and kings it's your responsibility to keep your marriage intact keep your marriage keep your vows you're like well you just don't understand pastor Thompson look I'm sick of all the excuses make it work make your family work make your look you made a vow you're a king you're a priest keep that vow God that's what God expects out of you you're like well I'm tired of it I'm tired of the excuses you know I just I had somebody comment on him I had the priest's marriage sermon like four years ago or maybe it was even longer than that and people still comment the dumbest things on there it's like Jesus said it in Matthew chapter 5 Jesus said it Matthew chapter 19 he didn't stutter you know except for the cause of fornication fornication happens before the marriage vows or completed or not before the marriage vows but before the consummation of the marriage so you know it's like and this is the comment I got today I was just like oh my goodness so it was like Jean Kim taught a really good sermon on this look if you're going to your advice with Jean Kim instead of Jesus Christ you got a real big problem Jean Kim is a total idiot Jean Kim is not saved Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and our high priest and he said if you divorce or remarriage you're committing adultery so don't do it it's your responsibility man look God looks to us as the leaders he's not looking to your wife as a leader I thought I already covered that he's looking for us to lead and you know what we need to just put away our pride and make things work and sometimes things are hard marriage is hard sometimes and sometimes you do have to tell your wife no you have to tell them no have you ever when's the last time you told your wife no about something you know maybe she doesn't give you a reason to maybe she is submissive but you know what I found is that every marriage has its problems with that specific you know thing where women just won't be submissive and it's part of the the time that we're living in it's like no fault divorces it's you know you can just do whatever you want and the you know you didn't used to get divorced or be able to divorce as easily as you can now so I mean obviously we have to live wise in this world but sometimes you do have to kind of just check your wife and tell her like what you're saying is not right you know because the Bible says when you know you're supposed to obey your masters after the flesh and and I'm like I'm not expecting my wife to call me master I'm not even expect her to call me Lord but you know what Sarah the great example in the Bible you know she she called Abraham Lord in her mind she didn't even say it out loud that's just how much she loved Abraham and how much she respected him and it's really hard being in a world where you know wives just want to talk back about every single thing that you tell them to do and you know it's just it's inexcusable but again we live in this kind of world and you married the wife you married so get it under control do your best you know but don't give your strength to them that's what the Bible says so now it says neither shalt thou greatly multiply silver and gold so but I'm sorry I missed the part where it says so don't multiply wives yourself that his heart turned not away and neither shall he greatly multiply himself silver and gold so you know riches is not the most important thing in this world making more money it's not the most important thing in this world you might think it is but you know we do have to I saw this video on YouTube it says you don't have to have a life work balance I'm like that guy's gonna get divorced you do have to have a life work balance you do have to spend time with your wife you know we're supposed to love them like Christ loved the church not ignore them okay so there are times when yes you have to work extra hard or you're working overtime or you got special projects going on but don't forget that you have a wife don't forget you have children you need to tend to them and you know gold and silver will lose its luster you know nobody's ever gonna say oh man I wish I would have made more money they're gonna say I wish I would have spent more time with my kids I wish I would have spent more time with my wife I wish that my life was better with my wife in some of those hard years and you know we're stubborn too men are stubborn and you know we get bitter we get better when we feel wronged and you know we're not supposed to be bitter with our wives you know let that stuff go if it's something you can let go just let it go you know don't don't just hold it over their head forever or hold it in your heart forever because you know when we get bitter we just stop talking to them isn't that true you know because you don't want that fight to just fester up again or whatever but you know we shouldn't be bitter just let it go and and just you know you got the rest of your life to be with them so but obviously there's times when you do have to kind of you know drop the hammer on some things I'm not talking about on them like literally okay pastor Thompson said I was supposed to drop the hammer so here it goes but look what it says in verse 18 it says and it shall be when he sit at the bottom of his kingdom that he shall write him a copy of this law and a book out of that which is before the priests and the Levites so it's kind of tying it back together with the priests and Levites but I would just say this you know if you're not gonna write out a copy of the book of the law but what's wrong with actually doing that I mean I think it'd probably be pretty useful maybe sometime in your life you should do that I haven't done it anybody has anybody actually done that written out some a whole copy of the Bible it'd be pretty hard I mean I stutter up here with just the word sometimes imagine like you're writing with ink and it's like oh man you know I put and twice or something scribal error but what about this why don't you just make sure that you read it every day we got plenty of printed copies of the King James you probably have multiple copies at home so you know why does he say to do this they'll go to says in verse 19 and it shall be with him and he shall and he shall read therein all the days of his life so what does God require of a king well he requires that you read the Bible every day of your life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this law and these statutes and do them obviously in the New Testament we're not under the law but this God still wants to keep his commandments is our life gonna be better when we keep his commandments absolutely so we need to be reading the Bible all the time every single day and it says why well look at verse 20 that is heart be not lifted up above his brethren don't be a holier than thou so if you don't read the Bible then that makes your heart lifted up above your brethren when you read the Bible and you put yourself on the same level as everybody else you know you're not going to be lifted up above your brother it's not funny how you know you think that the holier than thou's are the people that read the Bible a lot they're like aha I caught you doing this but that's not that's not it because anybody that actually reads the Bible is gonna realize that they got a lot of flaws too and that we can be forgiving with our brethren and we can be forgiving with our brothers and sisters and not put ourselves above them but you know some of the most wicked people I've ever dealt with in church life are the holier than thou's some of those wicked pastors I've ever dealt with are holier than thou's and you know you all dealt with them too and they're the worst they're one of the worst kind of people and I'm not saying that everybody that's a holier than thou is a bad person but a lot of the bad people that I've dealt with are holier than thou's it's just true maybe they're just not reading their Bible maybe they need to read their Bible so it says that he turned out aside from the commandment you know we need to read this book all the days of our life it says to the right hand to the left to the end that he may prolong his days in the kingdom he and his children in the midst of Israel so as kings you know it's showing us you know the children are a big part of our kingdom as kings and priests in the New Testament this is a big deal we need to command our children prolong our days in the kingdom because you know what if you don't prolong your days in this life in the kingdom of God then you're probably gonna lose your family you're gonna lose your kids you can lose your wife you know God has severe punishments for breaking his commandments and you know if you just continue to just break him and not care what he says then maybe he's not gonna care about your marriage maybe he's not gonna care about your kids you know I mean we got a really you know take a good look at this and just realize hey this is this is important stuff all right so let's look at John 13 John 13 so what does it say in Deuteronomy 17 it says not to get you know or what what does it say in Proverbs chapter 31 not to give your power unto women lead your home and you know the reality of letting women rule is I mean we see what it is like in our society now there's nothing more embarrassing when I see a grown man getting boss around by his wife in a restaurant it's like shame shame shame or a little child screaming in a tantrum because they want everything on the shelf and their parents are just like that's what going back to Egypt will get you though folks your your wife and your children ruling over you it's not what God wants don't drink strong drink booze is for losers copy out a Bible and if you can't do that then just make sure you read it every day and you know what teach your family the Bible if they got questions answer them don't feel like well just ask the pastor when you get to church no you should know your Bible you should be able to tell them what the Bible says and you should be reading it with your children and preparing them to be the next generation and you know teach other people you can help other people in your own local church so as kings were supposed to rule also by example and we by leading by example that means servant leadership that's what Jesus taught that's what Jesus did Jesus outworked all of his apostles you know they're still sleeping he's up on a mountain praying before it even is light outside so Jesus showed us the way that we should go now obviously a lot of us would fail in a lot of different things that he exceeded that but he still set the example look at John 13 13 it says you call me master and Lord and you say well for so I am if I then your Lord and master have washed your feet you also ought to wash one another's feet for I've given you an example that you should do as I have done to you I'm not advocating for foot washing and church services okay what do you say I've given you an example be like me lead by example love your brethren says verily verily I stand to you the servant is not greater than his Lord neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him so look we have an example of Christ how we should work how we should serve how we should you know raise families he's told us all these things and we need to be servant leaders don't you know nothing's more annoying to me than a boss that like he's fresh out of college and he thinks he knows more than everybody else at the works who's dealt with a guy like that before now like these interns that come in they want to change everything they want to reinvent the wheel they want to reinvent all the construction tools and stuff it's like just shut up buddy and just fit in for a while and then maybe you can be a leader it's like these pastors that go to Bible College and they're ordained because they went to Bible College and then they come into a church and they've never they don't even have a family they don't even have a wife or children it's like how are you gonna lead a church full of hair-legged men when you don't even have a wife to lead you've never led anything you've never you know let a hot dog stand and now all of a sudden you know you're you're telling people in the church how to live their life like it's a very big deal the job of a pastor but it's also a big deal for us as just you know anybody any believer it's a great responsibility for us and God holds men in great responsibility we should be servant leaders look at Proverbs 30 verse 8 we also should not be covetous so and in Deuteronomy 17 it kind of alluded to not stacking silver and gold and multiplying horses you know in the way to do that by going back to Egypt so you can and multiply horses now some guys just drop out of church because they're loving money you know and the Bible warns us against laboring to be rich and the great afflictions that are gonna await you when you love money more than you love God look at Proverbs 30 verse 8 this is this should be our attitude right here remove me far excuse me remove far from me vanity and lies give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and take the name of my God in vain so we don't want you know there's there's a danger in having too much having too much of a good thing I think pastor Shelley preached a sermon about that and you know there's a danger in that so we should just want what we can get to get us through this life and not just try to stack silver stack horses you know you have every single type of truck and you know all these different toys and stuff like that those toys cost money I said this in a sermon on Wednesday if you weren't there that I literally had a person that I was you know was a great church member they they they went and bought a new truck and then slowly but surely they stopped coming to church and then like one time I had a conversation they were just like you know I just bought this truck and I really need to work some extra shifts so I'm probably gonna be in church as much I'm just like there it is you know we as pastors we see the road that you're heading down and like sometimes I just want to grab people and shake them and just say what are you doing you're gonna ruin your life you're gonna ruin your family stop being an idiot and really I think I might just start adopting this policy anyway because if I just get up and scream it anyway and they still don't listen then you know maybe I should just grab them and shake it and say what are you doing idiot you're gonna lose everything that you've worked for when it comes to the things of the Lord it's better to be a king and a priest under God than some rich idiot that loses their family lose it their children lose their souls because church wasn't important enough for you you walk in every once in a while on a Sunday morning you know and people you know I love it when people come back but I always think well I'll see them again in three weeks that ought not to be us so give me neither poverty nor wealth right feed me with the things that are convenient for me don't multiply horses don't multiply wives be content with such things as you have don't be covetous you know Moses when he was picking people to help him to give some of the workload to them he was one of the things that they were not supposed to be was covetous covetousness will just ruin your life also so be content with the things that you have look you know I remember a long time ago I turned on a supervisor job and I know this is a dump this is a dumb story but this it really did like work to like make me not do it I was gonna have to work nights and my kids were young still and I remember thinking by seniority I might not ever get off this shift and I'm gonna be making a lot more money I'm gonna have a lot more clout or whatever you know a lot more respect at work whatever I mean it's a good career path to go down and that song cats in the cradle in the silver spoon started playing on the mic or on the on the speaker system I was just like man what a dumb way to get me to turn I should have it should have been God's Word telling me don't do this idiot but I still I I decided not to you know take this job because I would just you know I was supposed to start coaching my or help coach my son in football now and I would start missing because they just started putting me on the shift just to cover for it and I just turned it down you know what because what who cares if you gain the whole world to lose your kids is soul working nights I mean that obviously some people have to work nights I've done my share and if it's a temporary thing cool but if you're just gonna be a shift worker for your whole life it's gonna take a toll on your family and to be there with your kids when they're growing up you know if you establish that relationship with them you know you're gonna have a good relationship with them later on so and as men we should be the ones that are in the battles here's another thing in in modern day society where women have not been on the battlefield traditionally I'm talking about in like real wars and things like that and I watched this video where this let this lady she's in the military you guys have probably seen it has a Shelley put it on his show the other night and she's like standing here with one of those things where you fight with the sticks or whatever and it has like the things on the end and this guy's like commentating on how stupid this lady is the guy just runs across just like hits her and just then he's just like starts ground-and-pounder with her and all the people are having to pull her off look women are not meant to be on a battlefield men are supposed to go forth to battle the Kings are supposed to go forth to battle and even the priests in the Old Testament were supposed to go forth and battle look at second Samuel chapter 11 verse 1 second Samuel chapter 11 verse 1 but that video is so funny because like it just shows I mean think about if you're on a real battlefield and that girl's next to you I mean talk about just your heart melting in fear you know and like even with like fire department jobs like they had to make the test way easier in order for them to pass and they can still barely do it and like I think Vancouver Washington was the first all-women's fire department you know they have these crews it was all women they're just like putting it on the internet like they're all huh well how would you like to be the one that your house is burning down and all the same things that they had they they could test slower on because they're women and weak and they can't lift the body out of a burning building by themselves as a man you have to be able to do that so you want to be the the house that's you know all sudden the women are showing up and you're like would you hurry up and like hook up the hose and like it takes like five women to drag the hose over there you have to be able to pull hoses up up storage you know stories and levels and there's just a lot of things that women can't do physically and you know when men are the one are supposed to go out and battle right so look at second Samuel chapter 11 verse 1 it says and it came to pass after the year was expired at the time when Kings go forth to battle does it say Kings and Queens no it doesn't says Kings right that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabah but David tarried still at Jerusalem don't Terry still at Jerusalem because you know what the next thing that happens is David is caught being idle doing you know walking around on building tops that the you know at eventide in the evening while his people are fighting and his men are fighting he's just like hey I think we'll just go for a walk and he's like sees Bathsheba and then you know David is David is a great man of God a man after God's own heart but there's still that stigma about him what's the stigma about David what's the Bible say anybody know huh yeah so you know it mentions that he was like did all these great things that it says except for the case of your right of the head tight it's just always gonna follow him and right now he might be in heaven just be like man I got to mention it one more time but when we sin a great sin that can be the effect of it and we need to be men that are willing to go out and battle don't stay by with the wives and the children on a hot day while all the other men are out soloing go out to the battle we should be willing to get into the fight get behind your pastor and I'm not saying to do anything to anybody or anything like that physically I'm talking about spiritually be behind him praying for him you know and I know that that steadfast and pure words are you guys the soldiers are in this room and a lot of things have changed since pastor Shelley became the pastor of these you know steadfast and obviously pure words and there's a great group of guys here you guys are all awesome and you know but think about what the church was like before he came you know he had a lot of battles didn't he are you still battling right now he's always in a battle but you know what you guys got to get his back don't start complaining about the long hard battle get in and help him fight whatever that means and I'm not talking about physically okay that'll be twisted against me somehow say he's calling for violence no I'm not just saying the men are the one are supposed to be in the battles you know in real war and in the war of the spiritual war that we're in so you know are you being a royal priest is that what you're doing right now is that where your life is headed right now are you like the king of lazy don't be the king of lazy be the king of you know man of activity are you the king of not attending church services nobody wants to be that king you're like well you know sometimes I just have to quit making excuses all right don't take jobs that are gonna keep you out of church God's gonna bless you even though you're making less at another job if you're just gonna say I'm gonna serve you Lord yeah and are you the king of not reading your Bible like I don't even know what you're talking about pastor I've never even seen these verses well maybe you need to read your Bible are you the king of bad husbands I mean that's not a kingdom that we want to be the king of being a king of bad husbands or the king of bad fathers that what your title is the king of bad fathers you know we need to be the kings that God made us to be and we got to fulfill those roles and they're big shoes to fill there's a lot of responsibility you know God's not gonna he's not gonna say oh your wife you know I'm just gonna give you an excuse because your wife was just bad or whatever it's just like no he holds the husband the man of the house responsible did he hold Eve responsible or did he hold Adam Adam alright that he's the husband obviously she screwed up and made a big mistake and but yeah like that show he said last night he didn't she didn't have to give it to him she could have just died and then let somebody else be formed over his other rib you know she really loved him that much right but by one man sin entered in the world and death by sin so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned that's the reason God held him responsible and you know what he's gonna hold you responsible quit making excuses that you know my wife this and that will just make her better help her you know and wives need to help their husbands you know instead of just fighting us on every single thing maybe they should just get on board and help us out be the help meet that God made them to be it didn't say that man was made for woman though but the woman was made for the man you know and that hair lips a lot of people it gets people really upset especially you know these feminists green-haired freaks with all the earrings in their face it makes them mad but it make you know but because of just how society is it makes Christian women mad too you're like well what are you saying that we're just worthless I'm not saying that you know people like you just hate women I love women I'm married to one you know I love women I love my daughters I love my granddaughters I got seven granddaughters and I love them all and one grandson you know and he's he's the prodigy right now but he's gonna be the king of all the grandkids for a while but anyway I'm just kidding but on earth we were given a David like figure to follow and that's through your pastor and I just want to talk about that for just a few more minutes and then I'll be done here pretty quickly so it's not gonna be an hour and a half sermon I hope you guys like it's almost an hour okay quit whining I've never preached till midnight that's a fact so anyway you need to get behind your pastor and rally around them you know realize your pastor is not perfect for sinless and you know what sometimes he's gonna make mistakes and people just kind of get this idea that pastors can never make a mistake their kids can never make a mistake anybody in their family can ever make a mistake that's just not true that's not what the Bible says it doesn't say that pastors are sinless does it does it say their children are sinless no it doesn't say that because you know what nobody's sinless obviously we're supposed to rule our family well and all that stuff but you know we're not sinless pastor Shelley's gonna make mistakes but instead of just saying you know it's funny how people just be like they'll follow a pastor follow them and then they make one mistake and they're like I can't follow this guy anymore it's like what about all the stupid mistakes that you make all the time you make a lot more mistakes too you know and and then when you're in leadership you're on a spotlight and you know and rightly so God wants us you know he wants us to be a cut above and a lot of different things but all the things that are qualifications of pastors should be all the things that you guys are supposed to be doing too in reality but maybe just not being a pastor not everybody's called to be a pastor not everybody has the qualifications but get behind the one you have and quit trying to act like you know he's got to be perfect sinlessly perfect or his family because that's not what the Bible says says to have your family in subjection that means when you drop the hammer and tell them what to do they're gonna do what you say right but people just get this weird idea that pastors kids are sinless I've noticed a lot of bad people attack the pastor's wife a lot of bad people attack the pastor's kids and it's just it's just something I knew going into the ministry and it's something I've experienced and it's something I've seen other people do to other pastors and it's wicked you know once you look at your the perfect law of liberty not the not the dumb Baptist Church yeah pastored by that idiot Adam Fannin I'm talking about the Bible look in the perfect law of liberty and quit being double-minded in all your ways look at what it says and and what you're supposed to get is the reflection of what you're supposed to be and if your life isn't matching up to that then work on it but don't you know you know try to knock on the neighbor's door and make sure that their life's in order that's what holier than I was like to do oh I didn't hear it shut up get your life together get your act together first anyway look at Proverbs chapter 25 verse 23 and and just also you know sometimes people like to talk crap about the pastor behind their back to other people in the church but you know if you're receiving that accusation or receiving the things that they say about him maybe just walk that person over to pastor and say here pastor Shelley this this guy has a problem with you in this area and I guarantee you they'll never do that to you again I guarantee you you'll super sand but anyway Proverbs 25 verse 23 says the north wind drive with the way rain so does an angry countenance a backbiting tongue just just look at them like you know just give them a just give them a fierce countenance look and they'll stop you know sometimes people just need to be told what they're doing is wrong I think that sometimes as Christians we're always trying to be so nice and yes you should be nice but there's times when you need to rebuke people and when they're talking crap about your pastor or your pastor's wife or your pastor's kids you should check them and if it's just giving them a stern look or just walking over with them to go no no no come on no you want to talk about pastor Shelley why don't you say to his face because you know you're not supposed to receive an accusation against an elder except for by two or three witnesses so when they're doing that they're doing something wicked and it needs to be checked look at Hebrews chapter 13 verse 7 Hebrews chapter 13 verse 7 I love Hebrews chapter 13 verse 7 I think it's it's got three I mean there's a lot of great scriptures in here but there's three great ones about pastors and it says in verse 7 remember them that have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the Word of God obviously it's talking about a pastor whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation so pastor Shelley was talking about about people that you know you need to find someone to follow well why don't you follow your pastor you know he's doing great works Paul said follow me as I follow Christ well right here is saying whose faith follow who's it talking about here it's talking about your pastor and I realized today there's a lot of pastors are not worth following but you know that one is and he's worth following and consider the end of their conversation was that talking about their lifestyle how's he living his life well consider those things but follow his faith you know and obviously we don't have to follow every single thing that they do but follow them you know they're setting an example for you as the pastor follow them and it says remember them what does that mean well once you pray for your pastor you know because this being a pastor in a church like this with you know a lot of great spiritual things going on and you know a lot of spiritual warfare going on you know he could use your prayers you're you know you remember other people remember your pastor that's what the Bible says right verse 17 obey them that have the rule over you don't go to advice to pastor Shelley and then just completely ignore everything he just said quit shopping for advice you know you ask the pastor then you'll call some other pastor like well what do you think about this it's like you're just trying to get the answer that you want so if they say if you go to your pastor for advice be prepared to listen to what the advice is and do it you know we don't just like I don't just dream for people like okay I really wish this person would come to me for counsel you know not that I don't want to give counsel but it's just like I got a lot of things to do and wasting my time isn't one of them so if you're gonna just come to me and and you're not gonna listen what I have to say don't waste my time just do what you're gonna do and don't try to make me the blame for what you're doing that's what another thing that people like to do with pastors is they wait for the thing that they don't like them doing and they're like I'm quitting the church and this happens a lot it's never because they suck it's never because they're idiots it's never because they just couldn't cut the mustard it's because pastor Shelley said a bad word or whatever who cares like you're perverting children as your children share the perverted meme or whatever that they're saying and then put the put the whole word so everybody can say and then share it to other people it's just like people are such hypocrites but anyway it says and submit yourselves so obey them and submit yourselves to the to the who the person that's the pastor right and it says for they watch for your souls as they might or excuse me as they that must give account and they may do it with joy and not with grief so that is unprofitable for you so there's nothing worse than having to deal with bozos as a pastor it's it sucks because it's like they're not giving you enough to kick them out you know they're a bozo but and they're just a pain in your neck but some people are just you know they're saved and they and they you know are a pain in our neck so don't be a pain in the neck to your pastor you know be a big good priest be a good king and you know pastor Shelley is basically the king of the church I guess if you want to call it that he's the one that's in charge he's the one that's ruling over you know like it's it's not what kind of car you're gonna buy it's not what color to paint your house it's not what job to take necessarily you know he's trying to he's the ruler of the house of God and to make sure that everything is going the way it's supposed to go everything's decently in an order the service is in order the preaching is in order the singing is in order that's his job and also to kind of correct the people that just never seem to want to be corrected it's like hey please quit letting your kids run around the church the next like five minutes later their kids your kids are running around the church hey when he's we don't just make up rules just to make up rules hey quit running the church just because we don't like kids to have fun is that why you think we make that rule or is it because they're gonna knock some old person over that they can't see some little kid knocking into them it's like you know yeah it's an accident but isn't it an accident when you keep letting them do something that you ask them not to do right and listen I know that this is a popular thing with guys sometimes that you never watch your kids but you both have kids together and if your wife isn't watching them or maybe you have some set agreement whatever you're the king of your house you do what you want but I'm just saying maybe help your wife out every once in a while instead of just continuing your conversation as your kids just you know tearing the church to pieces or something so anyway I know it's getting quiet in here but they don't want to have to be your pastor with grief we don't want to have to be your pastor with grief just it says obey them you know the law came because of transgressions when church rules are made you know why they're made because of transgressions you know the church gets bigger and then you know it's it's hard you know it's hard sometimes because the kids are like there they got a lot of energy and all that stuff but you know find something else for them to do they don't have to run around the church and terrorize people right and he didn't tell me to preach this I'm just saying that every pastor deals with this okay like you gotta put like a rule book a second the second law Deuteronomy we gotta put a new law you know you're under this law and we don't like to have to do that but you know one bad apple you know spoils the bunch so all it takes is one person doing the one dumb thing that we haven't said there's a rule about and then there's a rule about it you know so don't be that guy but you're and and here's the other thing we're gonna says the verse 24 it says salute all them that have the rule over you you know it's okay to just say hi to your pastor and shake his hand yeah I think it's weird when people avoid me I'm like why are they avoiding me because I don't avoid them well it's like you had a problem that's something you want to say to me but you're too scared they always say they're always tough when they leave to like yeah they do this and they do that it's like well why don't you come to me and talk to me about it then you coward you spineless coward this all past it's all bastard Thompson's fall cuz we left it's like no it's your fault because you're weak it's your fault because you let your wife tell you what to do it's your fault because you're covetous it's your fault because you don't show up for church it's your fault because you don't read the Bible it's your fault because you just suck as a Christian it says sucking as a Christian why don't you just get better I quit trying to blame the pastor for all your problems everything changed when I came to this church no maybe you should have changed when you came to this church and maybe your life would be better your pastor shouldn't have to track you down every week to find out where you're at I mean yeah we are under shepherds and shepherds are supposed to try to bring the fold back in yeah and I do that and I do want to do that but we shouldn't have to turn you know there shouldn't be have to we wrangle you one week and then you cut your faithful for a few weeks and then we have to wrangle you again just show up to church dummy that's your responsibility that God gave you and all you're doing is teaching your kids to forsake Church all you're doing is teaching your kids to not be spiritual it shouldn't even be an option just go to church get up and go to church quit being lazy oh I don't feel good I'm sorry shut up man that's so weak no I really am tired everybody else is tired everybody else is busy you're not busier than everybody else and if you're too busy to serve God then maybe you need to stop being so busy be busy about the right things be busy about the things that God's called us to do instead of worried about Egypt and worried about your horses and worried about stacking up gold and silver and worried about somebody else's wife you know and as pastor Shelley said last night some other training on the Internet I mean was that yeah see it's still it's still hitting hard right from last night there was some real quiet times after they said that so anyway again we're not called to be priestesses and queens it's priests and kings get it right be manly and you know as Christians we should always be the best single men we should be the best husbands we should be the best fathers we should be the best and most obedient workers we should be the most spiritual and we should be faithful in all of our Christian duties and let me just tell you the real easy ones I covered them the other night but let me tell you again be free to thrive pray read your Bible go soul winning be a separated Christian no you notice when he said that their priests there's you know they're sanctified holy separated you know we're supposed to be different than other people that's what being set apart is all about so and then stay that way don't quit don't go back to the heathen don't be like the heathen and you know I mean obviously the new IFB is just like we're a loosely or maybe not loosely but we're associated with each other because we have a lot of the same beliefs you know we're friends with other churches that believe like us I'm friends with other pastors that believe like me that's the natural order of things what am I supposed to be friends with the Pentecostals or something or the old life be church church pastors that don't even have kids or a wife like what do I have in common with someone it's not even qualified so as new IFB type believers we shouldn't be known as the least spiritual of all the churches we shouldn't be the worst examples you know we're the ones that are getting the hard preaching so we shouldn't be the ones that are all the worst we don't want to be the worst of the worst we want to be the best of the best when people you know say something bad about us it's our doctrine the things that we believe they don't agree with that but it shouldn't be what we live like that they say oh they're the worst there they cuss or whatever they think hell's a cuss word though so they think dams a customer they think bastard and piss or cuss words so you can't help that I mean people are just going to be done but they shouldn't people shouldn't look at us and think they're the meanest nastiest and you know they're the worst Christians their church is filled with fornication that should not be said among us we're the ones that kick people out but obviously we can't control what everybody does in secret you know God roots those people out on his own or allows us to come to the knowledge of it let's turn to one last verse and we'll be done 1st Corinthians 16 you know people should say when they see men in our churches they should say these guys are solid on everything even if they don't like some of the things we believe at least they know that we have character at least they know that we have morals at least they know that we actually believe the Bible we read the Bible we go soul winning and you know they get envious of things like that because they're not doing them and so they just try to hate on us but let it not be our examples in our daily lives don't let them judge us based upon the things that we're doing in our daily lives and say look that's the fruit of the new IFP so don't don't let that be you 1st Corinthians 16 verse 13 watch ye stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong you think the Apostle Paul was a weenie I mean every time he walked into a place he's like am I gonna get beaten with rods this time or someone gonna throw rocks at me you know what's gonna happen they're gonna throw me in jail beat me some more he was a man's man you know he was probably a small guy his name was Paul and that means little but he wasn't little in courage he wasn't little in faith and he was definitely watching out for other people watching out for other churches watching for the Lord Jesus Christ leading and that's the way we should be as men too it says let all your things be done with charity I beseech you brethren you know the house of Stephanus that is the first fruits of a Kia and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the Saints pastor Shelley talked a lot about addiction to alcohol last night well why don't we get some addicts to the ministry I only have some people that are addicted to coming to church addicted to reading their Bible addicted to going soul winning you're like that those are some good addictions you know they say that when you're addicted to something that you replace it with something else you know people that smoke go to chew or they go to you know people go to alcohol go to whatever you know it's just people that have addictive personalities will go to the next addiction but why don't you instead replace it with something great replace it with the ministry replace it and fulfill your roles as priests and kings under the Lord let's pray order thank you so much for the fact that you count on us and that you love us and that you want us to be priests and kings unto you and Lord I pray that we would just take that ministry that you've given us Lord and that we would take it seriously we would lead our families would be leaders in our church and that we would follow you all the days of our lives as we know that in eternity we're gonna be following you and serving you anyway but you just help us in our in our families help us to be great leaders Lord if we're lacking wisdom I pray that we'd ask for it and that we would listen to what you have to say in your book pray these things in Jesus name amen