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

. . . . . . . I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. Sinking to rise no more. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. Sinking to rise no more. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. Sinking to rise no more. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. Sinking to rise no more. Sinking to rise no more. Sinking to rise no more. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. Sinking to rise no more. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. Sinking to rise no more. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. Sinking to rise no more. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. Sinking to rise no more. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. 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I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. Very deeply staying within. To my heart to sing thy praise. To the mercy never ceasing. All for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melody sonnet. Some my flaming tongues above. Praise the fount I'm based upon it. Fount of thy redeeming love. Here I raise my Ebenezer. Hail her by thy help I come. And I know by thy good pleasure. Safely I'll arise at home. Jesus sought thee when a stranger. Wandering from the fold of God. Heed to rescue me from danger. Interposed his precious blood. O to praise how great a debtor. Daily I'm constrained to be. Let thy goodness light the fetter. Light my wandering heart to be. Roam to wonder. More I feel it. Gross to believe the God I love. Here's my heart. O take it. Seal it. Seal it for thy course of God. Amen. Amen. At this time we're going to go over the bulletins. So if you need one, please raise your hand and they'll give you one as soon as they possibly can. If you have yours, go ahead and open it up. Left hand side. We have our service times and our soul winning times. Take a look at those when you get a chance. At the bottom, salvation and baptism. On the right hand corner, we have information about the mega conference, as you probably already know. Pastor Evan Thompson did a great job this morning preaching for us and he's going to preach for us tonight as well. Pastor Ray is going to be the next one up on Wednesday. So hopefully you get to thank him when he shows up to be able to preach for us. Below that, thank you to those who participate in a small town soul winning in Eden, Arizona. We have 14 soul winners, 7 salvations, and we knock every single door. Also join us for another soul winning event. This one's going to be on the Navajo Nation Friday, July 26th and Saturday, July 27th. Please speak to Brother Raymond if you have any questions about that. On the back of the bulletin, we do have a list of ladies. Please continue to pray for them. These are the expectant ladies in our church and below that we have a skate night that's coming up. That'll be on Thursday, August 15th from 5.30 to 8 p.m. The address is right there. Also the other events coming up as well are right there at the very bottom. So at this time we're just going to quickly go over the soul winning for the week. So if you've got somebody to save on Thursday, I'll start from my left-hand side. Go ahead and raise your hand and give me a number. And Thursday, I'm sorry, Friday. Friday, 14, what is that, 2? Anybody else? Anybody else? And Saturday, salvation's first Saturday. Brother Matt, 5? Brother Raymond, 7 it is. Anybody else? And Brother Madison, what you got, 3? Anybody else? Today, got one right here. We got one right here. We got one right there. Brother 18 it is. And man, get the go. Anybody else? Did I miss anyone else? Who? Quatro, I thought I saw another hand. Anyone else? What is that, 2 or 3? 2? Right where? 1? Anybody else? All right. Brother Hernandez, go ahead and lead us in the next song, please. All right, I do apologize this morning. We are not singing How Great Thou Art. This week, we're singing Psalm 19. So you should have an insert in front of your hymnals with Psalm 19. If you don't have one, you can raise your hand. And we'll sing it on that first. The law of the Lord is perfect. The law of the Lord is perfect. Humberding the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure. Making wise the sample. More to be desired are they than gold. Gave it much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey. And a honeycomb. The statutes of the Lord arise. Rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure. And blinding the eyes. More to be desired are they than gold. Gave it much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey. And a honeycomb. The fear of the Lord is clean. Enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true. And righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold. Gave it much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey. And a honeycomb. Man, good singing, everybody. Let's take your song books now. Go to hymn 136. 136. Master of the Tempest is Raging. Hymn 136. This song changes dynamics quite a bit. So just watch us here. 136. Start out strong on that first. 136. The Tempest is Raging. The billows are tossing high. The sky is more shadowed with blackness. No shelter or help is nigh. Here is thou not that we perish. How canst thou fly asleep? When each moment so badly is threatening. A brave and the angry king. The winds and the waves shall obey thy will. Please be still. Whether the wrath of the storm taught sea. Or feet contorted. Or whatever it be. No water can swallow the shape of life. The master of ocean and earth and skies. They all shall sweetly obey thy will. Please be still. Please be still. They all shall sweetly obey thy will. Please be still. Master when they wish us here. Red I bow in my greed today. The depths of my sad heart are troubled. Awaken and save my brain. Torrance of sin and the languished. Sleep for my sinking soul. And I perish, I perish here master. Awaken and take control. The winds and the waves shall obey thy will. Please be still. Whether the wrath of the storm taught sea. Or feet contorted. Or whatever it be. No water can swallow the shape of life. The master of ocean and earth and skies. They all shall sweetly obey thy will. Please be still. Please be still. They all shall sweetly obey thy will. Please, please be still. Master the terror is over. The elements sweetly rest. Her son in the moment is nearer. And heaven's within my grasp. Leave her oh blessed redeemer. Leave me alone no more. And with joy I shall make the blessed harbor. And rest on the blissful shore. The winds and the waves shall obey thy will. Please be still. Whether the wrath of the storm taught sea. Or demons or men or whatever it be. No water can swallow the shape of life. The master of ocean and earth and skies. They all shall sweetly obey thy will. Please be still. Please be still. They all shall sweetly obey thy will. Please, please, be still. Amen. At this time we're going to pass the offering place. And while we're passing out the offering place, please turn to Proverbs chapter number one. Proverbs chapter number one. Proverbs chapter one the Bible reads, The Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, to know wisdom and instruction. To perceive the words of understanding. To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment and equity. To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man, knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear and will increase learning. And a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. To understand a proverb and the interpretation. The words of the wise and their dark sayings. The Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother. For they shall be an ornament of grace under thy head and chains about thy neck. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, come with us, let us lay wait for blood. Let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause. Let us swallow them up alive as the grave and whole as those that go down into the pit. We shall find all precious substance. We shall fill our houses with spoil. Cast in thy lot among us. Let us all have one purse. My son, walk not thou in the way with them. Refrain thy foot from their path. For their feet run to evil and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood. They lurk privily for their own lives. So are the ways of everyone that is greedy of gain. Which taketh away the life of the owners thereof. Wisdom crieth without. She uttereth her voice in the streets. She crieth in the chief place of concourse. In the openings of the gate. In the city she uttereth her words saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge. Turn you at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you. I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called and ye refused. I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded. But ye have said it not all my counsel and would none of my reproof. I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind. When distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer. They shall seek me early but they shall not find me. For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. They would none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil. Father in Heaven, thank you for the blood of your son Jesus Christ that has washed away all our sins. And thank you also for the earnest of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the believers. I pray that you please bless Pastor Thompson as he preaches your word so that your word would sink into your children's ears and so that we can serve you Father in Heaven. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. Amen. It's great to be back tonight and I just want to say once again thank you to Pastor Anderson and the whole Faith Ward family for having me come to preach. And it's been a great time. It's already almost over and going back home tomorrow. It's nice to walk outside and the sun wasn't burning my skin off as I walked out. So I was just kind of thinking to myself like how do they deal with this every single day? So we got it pretty easy up in Washington when it comes to things like that. But of course it rains all the time there in the wintertime. So we got that to deal with. So anyway I had a great afternoon and got a little power nap in. So I'm ready to go for two or three hours here. So anyway I'm just kidding. But obviously I better look at the time right now. All right. We're doing good. Is that clock right? Yeah it is. Okay. All right. So the title of my sermon tonight is The Scorner. The Scorner. Let's look down at verse number 22 there where the Bible reads how long these simple ones will you love simplicity and the scorner's delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge. Now I've never preached about this topic before. I don't think I've ever heard a sermon about this topic before. But the scorner is a certain type of person in the Bible and it's tied to basically people that like to run their mouth. And they can be very dangerous people to be around because at some point judgment is going to come against people like this. Now I believe that a lot of times when it's talking about people that are scorner's they are unsaved. But I think that people that are saved could be scorner's too. And you know this sermon is basically designed for helping people to determine what a scorner is. First of all because it's not a word that we use a lot in our modern vernacular. And you know to just help us to discern how to deal with someone that is a scorner and how to help those people that are scorner's to stop doing it and just some advice about dealing with scornful people. So I'll just get in with a definition here. A scorner is an arrogant and opinionated person who resents correction. They don't like to be corrected. They like to give their opinion to anybody that wants to listen to it. They despise authority or show contempt for those trying to teach or warn them. That's what a scorner is. And scornful behavior is scornful people refuse to learn anything from those who disagree with them. If they feel like they're right they do not want to listen to what the other side has to say about anything. Their language is laced with disdain, mockery, and sarcasm towards their opponents. Respect all but disappears. They have open dislike or disrespect or mockery often mixed with indignation. An expression of contempt or derision. An object of extreme disdain, contempt or derision, something contemptible. They just are, you know, a lot of it is mocking with their mouth and they are not very nice people in a lot of respects. So another, other aspects about them is they're unteachable. They refuse to listen to others and learn from those who disagree with them. I already kind of mentioned that but they're arrogant. A lot of times scorners are arrogant. They lack wisdom to make up for it with arrogance, pride, haughty attitudes. They're spiteful. And they communicate spite towards their opponents using language laced with disdain, mockery, or sarcasm or vitriol. Spite basically means this. It means deliberately hurt or annoy or offend people. So they do these types of things on purpose and they like doing it. Look at what verse 22 says again. It says, the scorners delight in their scorning. You see that? So it's not that they just have some kind of problem that needs to be fixed. They actually like being this way. They like scorning. They like, and it says, and fools hate knowledge. So it ties it in with being a fool in a lot of ways. So they're also capable of causing a lot of problems in people's lives. They cause strife and contention and cause troubles who try to show them the truth or try to correct them. So that kind of just explains a little bit about what scornful people are or scorners are. So number one tonight, I have four points in my sermon tonight. The first point is the spitefulness of the scornful. The spitefulness of the scornful. This is kind of basically how the scorners operate. Number one in verse 22 again it says, how long you simple ones will you love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning. And fools hate knowledge. Again, they like being that way. They like being a scorner. And so if someone likes being a certain way that they're not supposed to be, it's going to be hard to get them off of that. And you know for someone to have that kind of an attitude where they just like mocking people. Have you ever heard that term or read that term in the Bible? I'm sure you have because it's there often. They laughed him to scorn. When Jesus is going to raise that girl from the dead and they're like, they know that she's dead so they laugh him to scorn. That term is used in the Bible multiple times if you just look it up. If you just look up the word scorn, it says it multiple times in the Bible. And so that's when someone's mocking someone by laughing at them and the term is they laughed him to scorn. Turn to Proverbs chapter 21 verse 23. Proverbs 21, 23. And what I love about the Proverbs is that it tells you the problem and then it also, a lot of times the Proverb tells you how to fix it. Or the opposite of what that person is. Look at Proverbs 21, 23, it says, Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. There's the positive, right? Verse 24. Proud and haughty scorner is his name who dealeth in proud wrath. So that's the opposite of that. The one that keeps their mouth is, you know, they're keeping their soul, they're keeping their tongue from troubles. They're keeping themselves from troubles but the proud, it says, proud and haughty scorner is his name. So who wants to be called that? God hates pride. God hates haughty-ness within his people or just with people in general. It says, who dealeth with proud wrath. So what is pride? What is being proud? Well, having or showing a high, excessively high opinion of oneself or one's importance. You know, the devil has a lot of pride. God hates pride. You know, we have all these flamers out there that love to have their pride month. I'm pretty sure they won't be happy until it's pride year or every day we have to celebrate their abomination. But pride is something that God hates extremely and haughty-ness is blatant and disdainful pride. Having or showing an attitude of superiority and contempt for people or things perceived to be inferior. So haughty-ness is pride but it's like blatantly disdainful. It's like, I'm better than you. And it could even be like people that are rich or in positions of power or they just, basically they just feel like they're better than that other person. So God really hates that if you look at the word haughty in the Bible. A lot of times God has wrath coming down on people because of this type of attitude. So someone who is haughty is arrogant and full of pride. And when you're haughty you have this big attitude and act like you're better than other people. So haughty people are disdainful, overbearing, prideful, swaggering. Swaggering means arrogant in an aggressive way and obnoxious. Who likes to deal with people that are obnoxious? I don't like people that are obnoxious but they're just aggressive and overbearing, prideful. They think they're right all the time. And so proud wrath, I mean it's obviously not one word, it's two words. Proud wrath, wrath is defined as a strong, vengeful anger. And wrath isn't always a good thing. God's wrath is always right but man's wrath isn't always right. And so it also means punishment for a crime. So pride can manifest itself in many ways and including outbursts of anger or rage. So when your pride takes over or whatever you can freak out and rage out, right? So over the top and self justified is what I would consider proud rage. It's over the top, it's self justified, you don't apologize for it. You don't apologize for the fact that you did it, that you were wrathful. And you have no apology for the harshness of how you put something. You know, and so none of what the Bible is explaining in these verses so far is good, is it? This attitude, this way of being is not good, it's wicked, right? It's a wicked attitude, it's a wicked way to be. And you notice that most of it is dealing with how people talk to other people. That's what most of it is. This is the scorner. Proverbs chapter 24, go ahead and turn to Proverbs chapter 24. Look at verse number 7, the Bible says, Wisdom is too high for a fool. He openeth not his mouth in the gate. He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person. The thought of foolishness is sin. We like that verse and we like to explain that verse to people. And it says, and the scorner is an abomination to men. So this is a type of person that people don't like. See, people, there will be people that hang out with scorners because it's funny to crack jokes on people and rip on people and all this other stuff. To some people, they like hanging out with someone like that. But nobody really likes them in reality. Nobody really likes the scorner. Why would it say, why would the Bible say the scorner is an abomination to men? Because in reality, nobody really likes them. That's what the reality is of it. And so we as Christians should not want to hang around people that are scorners. That scorn people, that mock people all the time and have ridicule for other people. Now, of course an abomination is a thing that causes disgust or hatred. And so, you know, that's what people think of scorners. Look at Isaiah chapter 29, Isaiah chapter 29. Isaiah 29 verse 20, the Bible says, For the terrible one is brought to naught and the scorner is consumed. How does God feel about it? Well, He eventually is going to consume them. There's judgment is going to come because of the things that they say and do. And it says, And all that watch for iniquity are cut off. And so it kind of explains a little further what they're like. All that watch for iniquity are cut off. They're just watching for someone to do something that they shouldn't be doing. And it says, That make a man an offender for a word. This is another thing that scorners like to do, is they like to just catch one word that you shouldn't have said or something that you said wrong or whatever so that they can, what, mock you for that, make fun of you for that, laugh you to scorn for that. And it says, And lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate. Who are the people known to be reprovers in the gate? The wise men, the righteous men, in general in the Bible are the ones that would sit at the gate, the ones that had wisdom and right judgment. So it says, Lay a snare for him that reproveth at the gate. For the good people, right? Turn aside, and turn aside the just for a thing of not. So, what is not? Nothing. They just like to turn aside just for no reason. This is the attitude and the way of the scorner. Look at Proverbs 29 verse 8. Proverbs 29 verse 8. The Bible actually has a lot to say about the scorner and the scornful people in the Bible. Proverbs 29 verse 8. Proverbs 29 verse 8. The Bible says, Scornful men bring a city into a snare, but wise men turn away wrath. I was thinking about this verse. I was just thinking, well, how do scornful men bring a city into a snare? Well, because scorners are always fighting with people. Scorners are always talking crap about people. And I would imagine if you have a bunch of scornful men in a city that they're going to cause problems with other people and then people are going to want to fight with them. And, you know, people think that they can just run their mouth all the time and nothing's ever going to happen to them, but that's not true. A lot of times when people just say whatever they want, they are met with violence. Whether that's right or wrong, it's just the truth. Look at verse 9, it says, If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest. So it's not a wise thing for a wise man to contend with a foolish man, which is kind of connecting it to verse 8 with the scornful man. The bloodthirsty hate the upright, but the just seek his soul. A fool uttereth all his mind, but a wise man keepeth it till afterwards. Now, this is a very important verse also because we shouldn't just go around saying whatever comes to our mind. People say, well that person doesn't have a filter. Well, that's not good. It's not good to say, well, I just don't have a filter, I can't help myself. That's not right. As a Christian, that's not right to do. And it's not right for just general people in society, but we are kind of living in a time where people don't have filters. In professional settings, we should just not talk a certain way, but yet the standards have dropped pretty low, haven't they? But the Bible says a fool uttereth all his mind. So as Christians, we should just realize that if we're uttering everything that comes into our mind, then we're a fool. And we don't want to be considered fools, do we? It says, but a wise man keep it until afterwards. We think about what we're going to say, and then we say it. And maybe you just think about what you're going to say, and maybe you just shouldn't say it. But I call someone that just utters everything in their mind, and I'm not original to this idea, but I call it diarrhea of the mouth. Whatever comes to mind, they just say it without filter to others, and it's a stupid way to live your life, and eventually it's going to get you into trouble. It's going to get you into trouble, whether that's physical trouble or whether it's just trouble by reprimand at work or anything by your parents, kids. You know what happens when you say something foolish in front of your parents, and kids, foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, and sometimes kids say whatever comes in their mind, and that's why they get the paddle, right? So, but we should have a filter, we should have a muzzle on our mouth from time to time, and not just say everything that we think. Proverbs chapter 19, look at Proverbs chapter 19. And I'm not like advocating that like just because somebody says something that we should hit them, I'm not saying that. But God does say it, actually. He's not saying that we should do it, and I'm not advocating that either, okay, I'm not saying that. But, you know, one of the punishments in the Old Testament was to be publicly punished. Look what it says in verse 25, it says, Smite the scorner, and the simple will beware. So in society, when these types of people would get out of control, apparently smiting that person would make simple people, the people that really, you know, aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer or whatever, they would make those, it would make them beware. Just like any kind of punishment of any criminal is going to make people beware, and that's why crime is rampant now, and hopefully that's going to change at some point, but, you know, you just don't know. I mean, it got pretty bad there during the COVID years, didn't it? It says, and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge. He that wasteth his father and chaseth away his mother is a son that causes shame and bringeth reproach. Kids, hey, you better honor and love your parents and not chase them away from your love, and, you know, just cause them grief all the time. It says, Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge. So this is an instruction to children, and to sons and daughters also, to hear the instruction that causeth, cease to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge. Hey, whatever you're listening to, whatever junk you're listening to that's telling you the opposite of what God is trying to tell you, you should get rid of that garbage. And today we live in a day where podcasting is really popular, and I'm not saying don't listen to podcasting, but, you know, Andrew Tate and all these supposed alpha male podcasters, you know, anybody with a microphone and a camera now is a social media influencer. You know, but you should be aware of who's influencing you because if they're, you know, causing you to err from the words of knowledge, then you should quit listening to them. I mean, you can gain certain knowledge from anybody, but who should you be getting your knowledge from? The Lord and wise men. And, you know, I'm not saying that you just only have to listen to preaching 24-7. I'm not saying that at all, but you should be aware of who you're listening to and who's causing you to influence your thinking of what you're doing. And if that's causing you to shame your parents or shame your family members or be ashamed of your church, then you should get out of that garbage. Look at what it says in verse 28. An ungodly witness scorneth judgment, and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity. Judgments are prepared for scorners and stripes for the backs of fools. See how it's talking about like a public judgment that would take place? Now, we don't really have these public judgments. It's just too, you know, it's too scary to have people get publicly judged, but, you know, there was a time when people would get publicly judged, and it did make people, you know, fear these types of punishments. You know, if they would bring back caning and these types of punishments, then, you know, people would be a lot less likely to commit crime. You know, but what's the Bible saying here? Scorners got it coming, and they're not going to escape the judgment that's coming towards them. Look at Proverbs 21, verse number 11. Proverbs 21, verse number 11. The Bible says, when the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise. See, another, you know, verse showing that when, you know, they're going to have something that's coming to them. If you're going to continue to just be a scorner, then something is going to happen. They're going to get punished. And it says that when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge. The righteous man wisely considerth the house of the wicked. See, we as Christians, we should look and see what some, what some wicked person is causing in their life, in their family, and consider that, not consider that we should be like them, but consider that we should not be like them. It says, but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness. God is going to overthrow that family, and overthrow that man, or whoever it is that's the scorner, and, you know, we should steer and give them a wide berth in our lives. Because every family has one. Every church has one. Every work site has one. We have to deal with these types of people who, I mean, in the workforce, we have to deal with these types of guys a lot. You know, and construction is a heavy scorner industry. I mean, you've got some pretty nasty guys out there, and they love to just throw out, you know, insults and everything, give you the hurt feelings report. Who's ever gotten the hurt feelings report? Anybody? All right, nobody knows what I'm talking about. Okay, don't read the hurt feelings report online. It's kind of offensive, but I got one before, and I was offended. But it's just like guys hazing other guys, you know, it's kind of, it's scornful. So, but look at Proverbs 3.34, Proverbs 3.34. Notice it's a lot of Proverbs. You know, the Proverbs is a book of wisdom. It's trying to help us, and help us to steer clear and to see the end of the scornful. It says, Surely he scorneth the scorners. Who's he? Well, God. Surely he scorneth the scorners, but he giveth grace unto the lowly. So, you know, what is that telling you? Well, there's other verses that, you know, he gives grace to the lowly, so these scornful people are prideful, aren't they? They're haughty. And so, God's kind of given us a contrast here. Don't be like them, because they're prideful, they're proud, they're haughty, they're people we should avoid. And they cause trouble. So, number two tonight, stop trying to change this corner. Stop trying to change this corner. You're like, why? You know, we should help people. I agree. I agree with that, but look at Proverbs chapter nine. Proverbs chapter nine. The problem with trying to change this corner is that they don't want to change. You know that, what is it like, you can't get help unless you want to help yourself type of thing? You know, when people, you got to hit rock bottom. You know, the scorner has to hit rock bottom. You're going to have to realize that they're, they got problems or something, because they're not going to listen to what you have to say. Look at Proverbs nine, seven, it says, he that reproveth a scorner getteth himself a shame. And it's like, you shouldn't be, it's not because you should be ashamed for trying to help them, it's that, and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. What does that mean, a mark? Like, once you go after someone that's a scorner, then they zero in on you, and then you become the person that they want to go after next. And so, if you don't want to be that person, then don't reprove them. And what is reproving? It's telling somebody that they're wrong. Hey, quit being a scorner, quit being wicked, quit talking crap to people all the time, quit mocking people and laughing at people all the time, or whatever it is that they're doing. And in verse eight it says, reprove not a scorner lest he hate thee. So, do you want them to hate you too? Well, they're already mocking everybody else and causing problems to other people when you reprove them and say, hey, why are you doing that? Because part of what they do is bullying people. It's verbal bullying. It says, they'll hate, lest they hate thee. If you don't want them to hate you, and you don't want to be the ire of their next attack, then don't reprove them. It says, rebuke a wise man and he will love thee. See, that's how you know the difference between a wise man and someone that's a scorner or someone that's a fool. And this is something that you've been taught probably a lot. And this is the thing about being a pastor. Sometimes you rebuke people. The Bible says we're supposed to reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. So, when someone can't take a rebuke or a reproof, then you know what kind of person you're dealing with. It's someone that's too proud to receive correction. They're too proud to receive instruction. They get all upset. You know, and sometimes you do get upset, but as long as you receive the correction at some point, you know, maybe at first you bristle and you get upset when you feel like you're being rebuked from preaching or whatever. But the end result should be that you take that, internalize it, and fix your problem. Because it's not like, you know, the Bible commands preachers to get up and do that. We're supposed to preach the Word. And, you know, eventually your problem's going to get preached about. What you're doing gets preached about. And it's not like we're just zeroing in on people. Hey, I think I'll preach against so-and-so this week. You know, even though sometimes we might. I don't know. But, you know, sometimes you've got to deal with the problems that are going on too. But we are supposed to do that. So when a pastor or, you know, even just a brother in Christ just reproves somebody and they can't handle the reproof, then you know what you're dealing with. So this is the thing. If you know someone is already like this, then don't keep trying to reprove them. Because if they can't handle it the first time, then why keep going to them? Because it says reprove not a scorner lest you get yourself ashamed. You know, just avoid them is what I would say. But that's my next point. So I don't want to get into blurring the lines here. So, let's see, where was I at? Let's see. Give instruction to, okay, verse number nine. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be yet wiser. Teach a just man and he will increase learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. For by me, thy days shall be multiplied and the years of thy life shall be increased. See, the opposite of being the scornful is being a wise man and increasing your learning. Taking in that rebuke, taking in that reprove, whether it's by a brother or sister in Christ, or whether it's from the preaching of God's word, or whether it's from this book right here that you're reading, that you should be reading everyday, you should be able to take correction. And in Proverbs one, what is that first chapter really nailing down? You can't receive correction. You won't receive instruction. You're being a fool and because you have not chosen the fear of the Lord, then this is why I'm going to laugh at you when your calamity comes. That's why I'm going to come down on you like a ton of bricks and you're going to be, you're going to be crying, you're going to be whining, you're going to be calling upon me, but I'm not going to hear. See, there comes a point when it's too late for people and really that is kind of teaching the reprobate doctrine in the Old Testament, if you will. But you know, there also is a time in Christian's lives where you can push God so far, not that He's going to give you up, but that He's just going to, the hammer's going to come down on you. And He is going to judge you. And it's going to be severe. He does judge His people. The Bible says that. The Lord shall judge His people. Right? So we have to be aware of that. Look at Proverbs chapter 13. Proverbs chapter 13. So, stop trying to change this corner. Once you have identified that that's what you're dealing with, stop trying to change. Look at Proverbs 13 verse 1. The Bible says, A wise man heareth his father's instruction, but a scorner heareth not rebuke. So here's another verse. So I'm not just, you know, up here just using one verse. This verse here tells the same thing. They don't hear it. So if they're not hearing it, then why do you keep doing it? You know, if the person's a scorner, just leave them alone. A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth, but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. There's again, God calling for violence against them. Because what? It's not because they're doing violence, it's because they won't shut their big mouths, right? He that keepeth his mouth, keepeth his life. See, I mean, that saying sticks and stones may break my bones, but God will hurt you. That's the real truth about it. But he that open wide his lips, shall have destruction. See, the things that are said against God, and the things that are said against God's people, there is a reckoning from that. There is a reckoning. So again, saying whatever comes into your mouth, into your brain, and spewing that out with diarrhea of the mouth is not a wise idea. Because God will make you eat your words. But how he does that, I'm not sure how he's going to do that, but it sounds like it says violence. The soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. He that open wide his lips shall have destruction. So, you know, those people that just want to keep running their mouth and bumping their gums, one day someone's going to shut their mouth for them. And it's going to be of the Lord. But, you know, a lot of people just like to, you know, talk about how tough they are, and how much, when I was in the 80s, ninja movies were like a really big thing. Who was around in the 80s when ninja movies? And, you know, people would say, well karate was a big thing. And karate is like one of the lamest fighting sports of all time. In reality, I'm sorry, it is. It's not really effective in the octagon, okay? Let's just be honest. But it was kind of a big deal, like if people would, you know, if people would, you know, they would talk tough, and then, you know, when it came down to fighting, like on the playground or something, you know, people would just like get in these stances, and they'd pretend like, they knew something, you know, they'd like pretend like they knew karate or kung fu or something, because eventually, your talk is cheap and someone's going to call you out on it. And then, you know, a lot of karate people got their butts kicked, because people called their karate bluff. So, but envy and strife are what the scorners produce, and they reap what they sow in the end. So, and, you know, I'm not mistaken here. A lot of what's being the punishment and the doles that God's going to give out to them are because of their mouth, isn't it? Isn't that what the Bible's saying? Now, number three is stay away from the scornful. Just stay away from them. So, we don't want to rebuke them. Once you identify that they're scornful, and maybe you've said something to them once before and they mocked you to scorn, or they, you know, laughed you to scorn, or whatever they've done, then you know what they are. So stay away from them. Look at Psalm chapter one, Psalm chapter one. Psalm chapter number one. The Bible says, Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly. So, what does that mean? We don't want to hang around people that are ungodly. Nor standeth in the way of sinners. Well, Jesus won't go out with the sinners. But let's talk about hanging out with them. Like, literally hanging out with people that are sinners all the time. Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. So, hang around, sitting, eating, whatever you're doing with them. All these, you know, all three of these things are bad to do, right? It's not, you're blessed if you don't walk with them. You're blessed if you don't sit with them. You're blessed if you don't stand with them. So, what is the Bible saying in Psalm chapter one? Don't be around them. But it says, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. So there's your fix. Stay away from those types of people, and stay with the Lord. Stay with God's teachings. Stay with God's people. Proverbs chapter nine, verse six. Proverbs chapter nine, verse six. Actually, I'll read that. Go to Proverbs fourteen. Proverbs nine, six says, forsake the foolish, and live, and go in the way of understanding. See, the friends that you keep are going to influence you. So, if you're influenced by people that are not good people to hang around, and you think, oh, that's not going to influence me, you are who you hang around. This is true. So, young people, when your parents are trying to keep you away from certain people, you know, it's not because they're mad at you, or they don't like that person necessarily, it's because they want to help you to not become like that person is. They don't like the influence. And people will influence you, especially people that have, like, negative things going on in their lives, or they are a negative person, or they're a scornful person, and that person will rub off on you. You're not going to change them, they're going to change you, and, you know, we need to avoid it. The Bible's teaching here to avoid the scornful, right? Look at Proverbs fourteen, six, where I had you turn, it says, a scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not, but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth. Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, but the folly of fools is deceit. So, what is the Bible saying here? A scorner seeks wisdom, and they find it not. You know why? Because they think they know everything already. They're looking for it in the wrong places. They're not finding it because they're not looking for it in the right spot, they're not looking for it, they don't care about true knowledge, they're not finding it. It says, but knowledge is easy to him that understandeth, and it says, go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. You've probably read that verse, or heard that verse preach a lot of times, but do you practice it? Do you stay away from people like that? That's, that's, you know, where the rubber meets the road. Turn to Proverbs twenty-two verse ten. Proverbs chapter twenty-two verse ten. So it already said not to sit with them, and to depart from those people that don't have the lips of knowledge, these scorners that seek wisdom but they can't find it, and here in Proverbs twenty-two ten it says, cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out. Yea, strife and reproach shall cease. Now this isn't in first Corinthians five nine, or in first Corinthians five. It's not in that passage of kicking people out, but I'm sure that the scorner can be a railer. I'm sure that the scorner can be one of the things, but the Bible's just saying that if someone's a scorner, just get them away from you, and the fighting's going to stop. So what does this tell you about the scorner? The scorner likes to fight. It says contention shall go out. Yea, strife and reproach shall cease. So if you get the scorner away from you, you get away from that person, or you get them away from you somehow, some way, then that is going to stop. The fighting stops. So that's something that we should strive towards, to keep away from people like that. And number four, stop being a scorner. This might be advice that's not going to get taken. So, if you are the scorner, stop being the scorner. I just said that I shouldn't reprove them, but maybe there's some kind of inkling that they might actually listen. And, you know, this part's for you, scorner. But turn to Proverbs 9, verse 12. Proverbs 9, 12. The Bible says in Proverbs 9, 12, it says, If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself. But if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it. If you're a scorner, you are the one that has to deal with the consequences of your actions. Others will have to deal with the effects, or the fallout, or whatever. Your big mouth and bad attitude has gotten you into trouble this time, but you're the one that has to deal with the direct consequences of it. It says thou alone shalt bear it. So, be wise. Be wise for yourself. Stop doing it. Stop being a scorner. You're like, I'm not going to listen to you. You're not even defining scorner right. Okay, scorner. Proverbs, chapter 26, verse 12. I knew you wouldn't listen. Proverbs, chapter 26, verse 12. Seeest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him. And fools are generally talked about as being unsaved, right? That's usually what the application is in the Bible, is a fool, or a stupid person. But someone that's more wise in their own conceit is, there's more hope of a fool than him. That's, that's pretty bad, right? But there is hope. It's bleak, but it's there. There is, there is some hope. So you're saying there's a chance, right? And I would just say this, if you're a scorner and you are saved, then God can help you get past this fault and this attitude problem that you have and this mindset. It is a faulty mindset. And it affects the youth, I think, a lot. More than it would, like, maybe a more mature Christian or an older person because, you know, you get all that, I don't know. The youth, I'm not trying to bag on the youth, the youth are great. But sometimes they kind of get a little misdirected with this kind of stuff and wanting to hang around some of the bad kids or whatever. But, you know, we just got to be careful about that. And you should, you know, kids get, teenagers kind of lose that after they grow up a little bit. But, you know, you hang around the wrong person. They can take you down a bad path and you just don't want to do that. So turn to Proverbs chapter 10. Proverbs chapter 10. This has been like the Proverbs study here. Proverbs chapter 10. It's going to give you wisdom, isn't it? Proverbs chapter 10. So, and I'm talking about young in the faith also, not just young people. People that are young in the faith can get like this. So, Proverbs chapter 10, verse 17 says, He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction, but he that refuseth reproof eareth. He that hideth hatred with his lips, and he that uttereth of slander is a fool, in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin, but he that refraineth his lips is wise. So, again, talking about things that are wise. Just shut your lips and that will help you out a lot. Proverbs 18, verse 5. Proverbs 18, verse 5. It is not good to accept the person of the wicked to overthrow the righteous in judgment. A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for stroke. So, there again is God's call to violence. He's not calling for violence, but he's just saying that when people run their mouth, the Bible says his mouth calleth for strokes. What does that mean? Well, what is strokes? It means getting hit, getting struck, right? Strokes, struck, right? So, when people, you know, I'm sure you've seen lots of videos where someone just like, they're just running their mouth and all of a sudden someone just like, just drops them, right? And it's because they don't know when to shut up. So, the mouth, a fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. And we just, you just can't say whatever you want. Your big mouth is your own worst enemy. It really is. And saying whatever you want, again, not the best policy. You're like, well, I just keep it real. That's just how I am. Well, keeping it real can go horribly wrong. Mocking the wrong people can cause you to have a really bad day. Turn to 2 Kings, chapter 2, verse 23. Now, this is a time when a bunch of little scorners come out against Elijah the prophet. And he's just become the prophet in Elijah's room, received the mantle. He's already done a couple cool miracles. And he's heading up to Bethel, and apparently he's got a unique look to him. And the Bible describes one part about him that we've discovered here because someone's making fun of him. It says, and he went up from, verse 23, and he went up from thence unto Bethel, and he was going up, by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, go up thou bald head, go up thou bald head. Now, Elijah went up in the chariot, right? So, I'm sure that people know the story by now. They knew what happened. And what are they doing? Well, they're making fun of him because he's bald. They're mocking him because he's bald. And, you know what, when you look at what the modern scholars will do to this story, they get really upset because it says little children right here. Now, I'm not thinking that these are little children that are two or three years old, okay? Toddlers didn't come out of the city to come and say, go up thou bald head, you know. They weren't doing that, okay? But modern scholars will, I'm just going to read you a little bit of a commentary that I found. There's some other really stupid articles that I saw, but I just didn't want to take the time to vex you with those things, but they love to attack the Hebrew here. It says, little children is an unfortunate translation, raising quite a wrong idea of the tender age of the person spoken. On the other hand, Bishop Patrick, I don't know who Bishop Patrick is, Bishop Patrick's assertion, sounds like, I don't know, anyway, Bishop Patrick's assertion that the words are to be understood of adult persons who had a hatred to the prophet is quite untenable. Narim Ketanim, I'm probably butchering the way that's pronounced, would be best, that's probably the Greek, or I mean the Hebrew word there, or two Hebrew words, would be best translated as, by our revisers in the margin, young lads. So in the revised version, it does say young lads instead of little children. Boys, that is, from 12 to 15. Such, now this is where I think it's just weird that the guy just goes off on this weird little tangent of things that there's no way the Bible doesn't say any of this, but anyway, such mischievous use are among the chief nuisances of oriental towns. They waylay the traveler, deride him, jeer him, are keen to remark any personal defect that he may have, and merciless in flouting it, they dog his steps, shout out their rude remarks, and sometimes proceed from abusive words to violent acts, as the throwing of sticks and stones or mud. On the occasion, they only got as far as rude words. It's like, what, is he just like describing all these oriental towns in history, or, I don't know where he's getting this from, but maybe it's from the Kabbalah or something, I have no idea. But a lot of modern commentary or modern versions will attack the saying of little children. Now, it probably isn't, it is not older men, because the King James is right, of course. It's not, but little children, I'm doubting it's toddlers, so it's probably like, you know, it could be children from the ages of 8 to, you know, maybe it is 8 to 15, I don't know. The Bible doesn't say, but it does say little children, okay? Now, I wanted to read the modern translations, quote unquote, modern translations, what they do with these verses. The NIV says, From there, Elisha went up to Bethel, and he was walking along the road. Some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. Get out of here baldy, they said, get out of here baldy. The New King James Version says, then he went up from there to Bethel, and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him and said to him, go up you bald head, go up you bald head. The NASB, 1995 says, then he went up from there to Bethel, and as he was going up, by the way, young lads, see there's the young lads, came out from the city and mocked him and said, go up you bald head, go up you bald head. The Holman Christian Standard Bible says, From there, Elisha went up to Bethel, as he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him, chanting, go up baldy, go up baldy. They're chanting, maybe they were doing that, I don't know. Good news translation, Elisha left Jericho to go to Bethel, and on the way some boys came out of a town and made fun of him. Get out of here baldy, they shouted. So that's the modern translations, okay. Well my dad had a friend, his name was Mike, and he had some kind of condition, I'm not sure what the condition was, I didn't have a chance to talk to him about it, but his name was Mike, and I'm not sure what the condition was, but he was bald from the time he was born, he never had hair. I was kind of trying to look up the conditions, but there's several ones that you could lose your hair from. But he was teased very terribly as a child, and even my dad would tease him, like, you know, what a good friend, right? But guess what they teased, what did they call them? Baldy, right? So, over something that he can't help, right? So these kids, you know, they are like the scorner, aren't they? And it doesn't matter how old they were, and the modern translators, they want to say, well, they were young men. What difference does it make how old they were? It's what they were doing, it's what they were saying that was wrong. And what they were saying, and what they were doing, was they were mocking a man of God because he was bald. I don't know if he had like the, you know, just the receding one, you know, he's bald all the way to here, or whatever, maybe he was completely bald, I don't know. But as a young boy, I remember seeing this guy, Mike, and I remember thinking, because back then, like, people didn't do the, hey, if you're a little bit bald and you just shave your head all the way off. That kind of became like a look in like the 2000s, right? So, but I remember seeing him, and I kind of have this memory of asking about, you know, what's wrong with him or whatever. But I was a little kid, but I wasn't making fun of him, I just didn't, you know, I'd never seen anybody bald like that before, I guess. But I'm guessing that this guy probably had to deal with this every single day of his life. And the reason why I'm explaining this is because people can't help how they look sometimes. And for people to just relentlessly tease someone over being bald is just, it's cruel. And, you know, what difference does it make if someone's bald or not? Like, is that really a big deal now? Oh, you're balding. Like, people get like super expensive toupees and hairweaves and Rogaine and all these different things to try to stop themselves from balding because society says that it's just not cool to be bald or something. Like, maybe you just don't look as good bald, I don't know, whatever. But why does that matter? What difference does it make? But it's normal now to see people that are completely, you know, have their head shaved or whatever. I just don't understand why people do the wigs and all that stuff, but you know why? It's probably because people are scorners. People are jerks about it and, you know, it's just the way people are. But God forbid that we should be like that as Christians and tease people over their looks and so on and so forth. So this man of God got teased over the fact that he was bald. And what happens in verse 24? And he turned back and looked on them and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and there were forty and two children of them. So, what's the moral of the story here? Regardless of how old you are, you're accountable for the things that you say. That's the moral of the story. And I'm not changing to what the modern Bible perverters want to say. That it's older, it's young lads. Even if it was like twelve to fifteen year old people, it's still not right. It's still not right what they did. They're mocking the man of God. They're teasing him over something he can't help. And the moral of the story is, don't do that. Because, you know, the bears might come out of the woods. There's no bear around here. But with God all things are possible. You never know. God says touch not my anointed or do my prophets no harm. All of us are anointed by the Holy Spirit of God. We have an unction from the Holy One. But the Bible also says not to rebuke an elder, but entreat him as a father. You know, the Bible is clear about these things. God's people ought to be different. We shouldn't go around mocking God's people, mocking God's men, and professing Christians definitely should not, you know, especially independent Baptists, independent fundamental Baptists, independent fundamental King James only Baptists, independent fundamental King James only soul winning Baptists, independent fundamental King James only soul winning new IFB Baptists. Like, we should know better. We have a responsibility to do what's right. And we have been given a lot of preaching on these types of subjects. And I'll just say this. You don't have to like me, but you better love me. I'm saved. So you don't have to like me. You don't have to like my preaching style. You don't have to like, I don't have to like you, but I better love you. That's what the Bible teaches. Turn to 1 John chapter 4. So, and all of us are probably guilty of saying things about somebody that we shouldn't have said, praising somebody's looks or something like that. I'm not trying to sit up here on a high horse and act like I've never done it before. Everybody probably has. We all fall short, right? But it just shouldn't be our general attitude that we have all the time to just mock people, make fun of them, be a scorner. Look at 1 John 4.20. It says, If a man say I love God and hateth his brother, he's a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him that he who loveth God love his brother also. I mean, this is like the glue that binds us together. You know, we love God first, and we love our brother, we love our neighbor. These are the things, these are the greatest commandments in the Bible. These are the things we should be doing. Not the things we should be lacking in. Look at John chapter 13. John chapter 13. John chapter number 13. The Bible says, A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. How do we, how, you know, how do we know, how do people know? The word Jesus is disciples. It's by how we love the brethren, right? Isn't that what it says? Not how we scorn them. Not how we treat them rough, but how we love them. And that's how men will know. Well, what about all the soul wanting I do? Is that what it says? Well, what about me going to church three times a week, is that what it says? Those are good things. But it's how we treat each other, how we love the brethren. Look, we should love each other as Christians. We all have shortcomings, we all have problems. We all have something funny on us that looks weird. I'm sure. We all have some defect. Nobody in here looks perfect. There's nobody that's a perfect ten in here. In any aspect of your body or shape or anything like that. Nobody's a perfect ten. So we shouldn't be going around making fun of how people look. It's just wrong. Turn to James chapter four. James chapter four. It's the last place I'll ever turn and we'll be done. James chapter four. The Bible says, from whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not, hence even of your lust, that war in your members? You lust and you have not, you kill and desire to have, you cannot obtain, you fight and war, yet you have not because you ask not. You ask and receive not because you ask amiss, that you may consume upon your lust. The adulterers and adulteresses know you not, that friendship with the world is enmity with God. Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do you think that the scripture saith in vain, the spirit dwelleth in us, lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace, wherefore he saith God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble. Really what's encapsulating this whole sermon is the difference between being proud and being humble. The scorner is proud, but if you want to have grace, turn from being a scorner and be a humble person, be a humble servant of the Lord. Submit yourself therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. And when you're not submitted to God, you're given over to the flesh, and that's where Satan loves to come and touch. That's where he loves to tempt us and to get us doing things that we ought not to do. So, the more submitted to God we are, the better off we're going to be. Look what it says, draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you. So we take the first step, and he comes to us. He draws us to him. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness. You know, everything's not a big joke, but it is to scorners. They laugh people to scorn, they love to mock people, but everything's not one big joke. Don't be double-minded. You know, be of one mind. Be single-minded. That's what the Bible teaches us to be like. Don't be one person, one place, and a different person someplace else. Don't put on a front. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up. So, when we're humble, God is going to give us grace. And so, for the scorner, I would just say this. Hey, humble yourself. Stop being a scorner. The Bible says in verse 11, Speak not evil one another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law. But if thou judgeth the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. So there's one lawgiver who's able to save and to destroy who art thou that judgeth another. So, and really, that's what it all boils down to, you know. Don't speak evil of another, brethren. Are we brethren? Well, don't speak evil of each other. So, number one, we saw the spitefulness of the scornful. They cause problems with their mouths. That's the main thing that they do. Number two, stop trying to change the scorner. They're too proud and haughty to take the correction. Number three, stay away from the scornful. Once you have identified them as a scorner, stay away from them and cast them out from your presence. Number four, stop being a scorner if you are one. And if you are one, and you have enough humility to realize it, change. Repent. Get it right. Go to God. Get it right with him, and go to the people you've wronged. It's really that simple. And you can change. You don't have to be a scorner for the rest of your life. And God will be very pleased with you. And people will be a lot more pleased to be around with you. And they won't think you're an abomination. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you so much for the clear teachings in the book of Proverbs and Psalms, and Lord, the wisdom of the book of James. Lord, help us to be more loving to our brethren. Lord, if we're failing in that area, I pray that you'd help us to pick our companions and our friends wisely. I pray that you'd help the young people in this church to choose wise friends and, Lord, that they would not surround themselves with people that are ungodly and that are scorners. Pray that, Lord, we wouldn't fall into these types of traps. And help us, Lord, with our mouths, Lord. It's very clear from these passages that we have a lot of trouble with our mouths and, Lord, that we should learn to shut them sometimes instead of keep them running. Pray that you just bless us as we all go our separate ways. Keep us safe on our way home. And pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. If you need the Psalm book for 195, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. 195. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord. Amen. Good singing tonight. We are dismissed. Amen. Amen.