Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

You've Heard It Said Pt.4

Hallelujah! Amen! Let's turn to Mathew 5 and we'll continue the little survey we're doing on the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is setting down the basic fundamentals of Christian doctrine. The end of the sermon says that they marveled at Him because He spoke as one having authority and not as the Pharisees spoke. In other words, it's not just a doctrine; it's something that Jesus was requiring that we live. No hypocrisy is involved in this. As we look at all of these different principles, it's not enough for us to say, "Yes, amen, praise God," but we're to be stewards of these great truths, heralding this thing and seeking it in our lives and everyone that's around us. This is the standard by which we live as the body of Christ. This is what a Christian really is. There is a lot of talk in our day, a lot of people that call themselves Christians. I always get a kick out of things that they'll say over in Africa. When you're talking to many of the Kenyans over there and you ask somebody, "Are you a Christian?" They'll say, "Well, yeah, but I'm not one of those born-again Christians." Some now will say, "Yeah, I'm a Christian." "Are you born again?" "Yeah, I'm born again, but I'm not born again, sanctified, filled with the Spirit." You have to keep qualifying what a Christian is. We all know that they were first called Christians in Antioch. The word "Christian" just means Christ-like, to be as much like Jesus as we can possibly be. So as Christians this morning, we have to keep saying, "Am I getting more like Jesus?" Are we becoming more like Him, not only in our behavior, but in our temperament, our attitudes, our heart change, the genuine treasures that we have? What is it that really makes us content with life? Jesus said, "I have meat to eat that ye know not of. ...is to do... [what?]" (John 4:32, 34)

Just the other day, at one of the outreaches, one of our young people was able, for the first time, to actually pray with someone and lead them to the Lord. I believe they left their Bible with this young person who was totally lost. Jeff was telling me that the countenance of this kid, when they left, was just 180 degrees different. This kid's face was changed; he was glowing. Do you know what? There is nothing better than that. Winning MVP is not as good as that. Winning the national championship is not as good as that. You want me to take you a step further? Hitting the lotto--you say, now you've gone overboard. No, that stuff will take wings and fly away, the Scripture says. But an experience like that you have for the rest of your life. Amen? When have you ever been more content than when you were absolutely in the perfect will of God, free from self and just living for Jesus? Isn't that what it's all about? That's when we're the most content. And yet, all of us keep fighting and cycling and falling back and warring and having to crucify, but our job is to admonish "...one another to provoke [the Scripture says] unto love and to good works" (Hebrews 10:24).

Jesus, in His teaching here, Chapter 5, we'll pick up where we were on Wednesday. "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, [there are other ways to murder]" (Matthew 5:21). Now, remember, we talked about "kill" being misunderstood. "Thou shalt not kill." In the Hebrew, we realize that in the Ten Commandments, "Thou shalt not kill" means thou shall not murder. Murder is different from killing. Killing can have to do with righteousness, whereas murder has to do with lust and hatred and sin. You can kill someone and be conducting an act of righteousness, representing God, protecting your family, other things that are justifiable. God, and His desire for holiness, sent His people into different cities and said, "I want you to kill all of them, men, women, children, and their animals." We realize that it's the motive behind it. If the motive is lust and pride and vengeance, vindictiveness, covetousness, jealousy, bitterness, hatred, or strife, then it's evil. It's not about killing. It's about a murdering heart.

That is what Jesus goes into here. He says, "If you've murdered your brother in your heart, if you've sinned against your brother, if you've slandered your brother, if you've trespassed against your brother, you're a murderer." First John says in the third chapter, if you hate your brother, you're a murderer and you need to understand this, 1 John 3:15. No murderer will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. To hate a brother--now remember the word "hatred" there means what? To what? To love less than yourself. If I love my brother less than myself and because of that, I begin to somehow try to oppress my brother, I try to in some way usurp, I trespass, I covet, I'm murdering them. If I'm slandering them, if I'm a talebearer, in other words, just as the Lord speaks against the sin of putting a lamp before your mother or father, if I'm exposing something about a brother or a sister that's not edifying or that puts them in a bad light, I'm a murderer. That's what Jesus is saying here.

We talked Wednesday about how we so casually conducted ourselves in a spirit of being busybodies, knowing everybody else's business here in our community, that we find ourselves, because of all of that involvement and all of that knowledge, going over the line periodically, making judgments. "Well, I think they were...." We begin to judge the motives of people's hearts. We begin to read into actions. We begin to judge out of our own hearts. The next thing you know, because of the many words we speak, we find ourselves in sin. We talked about the need to be careful in those areas. Most of us here, as it pertains to our brothers and sisters, are not malicious. We don't set out to damage or to hurt, but we get involved in a conversation and the next thing you know-- If you're not walking in the spirit fully and you begin to talk all this stuff, I want to tell you something. James 3:2-6 makes it very clear. We're able to master the winds. We're able to master the horse by putting the bridle in its mouth, but he said it takes a lot of spiritual maturity to master what? Your tongue. He said, "Be careful because you don't have a clue ‘...how great a matter a little fire kindleth!'" A word spoken. It may not mean anything to you, but it takes root in the heart of those people that are hearing and the next thing you know, they're judging this person. They're carrying this thing off. They're taking the story one more step. They're adding their little twist to it and the next thing you know, you've killed your brother. How do we protect ourselves against that? Very simple. Don't say anything except that that edifies. Amen? What is the old adage? If you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all. How many of you grew up on that? Does anybody follow it?

We realize that Jesus is speaking toward the spirit here. This is what the whole teaching in the Sermon on the Mount is. It's an attitude of the heart. "Ye have heard that it was said...Thou shalt not kill;...But I say unto you, [if you're] angry with [your] brother..." We may not even know what the motives are at this particular time. We may not have it as an anger that says, "Well, they did something against me and I'm angry." We may be angry at God and them. We're angry because they're prospering and we're not. We're angry because they're getting attention and we're not. We're angry because they got the girl we wanted. We're angry because they got the job we wanted. They're living in the neighborhood we wanted to live in. The next thing you know, we begin to say things, make little snide remarks. "Oh, I was just joking." "For out of the abundance of the heart [say it,] the mouth speaketh" (Matthew 12:34). We realize, then, that we can't hide behind, "Oh, I didn't mean it. I was just joking." We need to put a watch over our lips, the Scripture says.

Jesus says, "That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore [verse 23] if thou bring thy gift to the altar, [You come to worship God, you come to confess your own sins, you come to deal with your sins before God. That's what this gift is all about.] and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; [You've trespassed. You've somehow offended them. There's a breech there.] Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him...Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out [of this bondage, this judgment that is going to eventually be placed upon you], till thou hast [made things right.]"

Satan takes us captive at his will when we find ourselves in this kind of strife and bitterness. We're held and we're not coming out until we've taken care of some of these matters, until there's been restitution, until there's been reconciliation where breeches have been caused. Those little things in our hearts that don't outwardly manifest themselves, but the little bitterness that we have toward one another. I'm talking about in this fellowship, as well as others that we may have dealt with. It's not a big thing, but it's down there. "I've been hurt. They've said this. They've done it to me. Yeah, I've forgiven them but--" Aphiemi, forgiveness, means that it's totally been put out of the way, put behind us, done away with, forgotten. If we don't, "...where [bitter] envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work" (James 3:16). We said that this is the thing that Satan can so easily take advantage of as we come down the stretch in these last days and need to walk in the power of God, in the Spirit of God. It's the little foxes that spoil the vine. It's not the obvious things. Many of these little things that we just need to be aware of and improve in the way that we live in the spirit and ask ourselves just how necessary is this and what is the root of these conversations.

We talked about busybodies and we made reference to that. The Scripture speaks to it in a number of cases. I don't really get that. I don't get it. It think it's mainly a woman thing, but we do have some nosey men, too. Men just don't have as much of a propensity toward that as women do. Men do have the propensity, however, to be sharper with their words. That's why they're rebuked, "Don't speak sharply to your wife." Don't speak those hurtful words, those bitter words. Men think it's humorous to cut somebody else down, just cutting on them. That's not acceptable. We're horrible about that and then we sometimes do it to our wives and wonder why they don't laugh. It hurts! These words pierce into our spirit. They can cause scars that never go away. They can ruin men's reputations far beyond what we can imagine, these idle words that we speak, that we're going to give an account of in the last day, every idle word spoken. You're going to answer to Jesus for it.

We laugh and we say, "Well, you know, the Calvary grapevine." We laugh about all these things. The Bible talks about being meddlers in other men's business and busybodies. How about some of you who are compelled toward matchmaking? Don't turn, don't look at anybody. Some of you women, you need to understand this is not acceptable behavior. It's not for you to go around talking about all of this stuff, getting involved in everybody's business. Look at what it says, and we'll go back and reiterate a few of these from the other day. It didn't come to me Wednesday night, but as I have been meditating, I thought this is one of the things that seems to be a sport here in our fellowship. How dangerous is it? Well, let's stop and think about the root of it. How dangerous is it? How dangerous is it to be speaking your opinion, making observations all the time and trying to manipulate something that could affect somebody for eternity and speak what may not be the will of God. "Well, we believe in sovereignty. God will get the right ones together even in spite of me, praise God." Are these things necessary? It doesn't involve you. If they're not your kids-- We said the other day; use this as the guideline. If you're not part of the problem or part of the solution, then don't get involved in it. We saw how important it was in Thessalonians to even mark those people. We talked about the fact that we fellowship with them and get caught up in all their talking. "I don't say anything. I just listen. I'm not the garbage. I'm just the garbage can. Just dump it on me, praise God, and tell me all you know. I promise I won't say a word." I had someone ask me, "Is it okay to tell your husband?" NO! Not if he's not part of the problem or part of the solution. "Well, it's not gossip to talk to your husband." Find that in the Scriptures. We don't understand the power of Satan, Diablos, the slanderer, the liar, the deceiver, and the power of these words. The Scripture speaks pretty clearly toward some of these things.

Let's go back to that passage in 2 Thessalonians. I don't want to get bogged down, but I'd like you to look at it again, and some of these things, just to reiterate. Jeff told me that a number of the young people came to him and said they were really thankful and affected by the teaching, that it had an effect on their lives. They weren't really aware of the magnitude of what God says about this. I wonder why they weren't. I wonder if maybe we parents are examples to our children in many things. I wonder if we've been an example to them that it's all right to be a busybody. It's all right to talk about everybody as long as they're just part of the fellowship. It's just because we're family. The Bible doesn't give you the right to slander your family members. All the Bible gives us the right to do is to love them, to seek their good, to speak unto edifying, to "...let no corrupt communication proceed out of our mouth, [but rather that that builds up]" (Ephesians 4:29). Amen? If you can't say anything good-- What is it that we've portrayed here? It's exciting, we're going to dedicate a little baby this morning, Felicity. Twenty-six years ago, Shelly was dedicated. Here comes another generation, a third generation. Praise God! Wouldn't it be great to see her raised up and not have a clue of what it means to be a busybody or a gossip or a slanderer? Or are we going to bring up another generation just like those that have gone on before us? Acceptable sins in Christian circles, eating too much and talking too much. Can't do like the rest of the world, sleeping too much. The tragedies of the laws and not dealing with the heart.

We were at that tournament yesterday and I was looking at some of the ways those folks dress over there to be modest. I was observing this one lady; it was kind of sad. She had enough make-up on, you could have hit her on the head and filled a five-gallon bag, but she had her long dress on and everything inside was just wanting, there was such a desire to not be dressed like that. It would be better to have a little bit shorter skirt and a pure heart. Now, I'm not judging this lady's heart. What I'm saying is they're making the mistake of dealing with the outward instead of the inward. I'm watching their kids and the way they're dressed. I'm watching them out in the parking lot. The way you dress them doesn't change their heart attitudes. The Pharisees were wanting to dress us a certain way and Jesus is saying, "No, it's not the outward. It's the inward. I want to get into the motives of your heart. I want to talk about where we live." That is what this sermon is all about. He talks to us here about the necessity--look over at 2 Thessalonians, Chapter 3. He says in verse 11: "For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly..." We've talked a lot about what that word means. It means to be out of step, to break order. He addresses two things. First of all, they're idle in that they're not producing anything for the good of the body. Their reasons were numerous. Remember why Thessalonians was written. They thought the Lord was coming at any moment, so some of these people said, "Well, if Jesus could come any day, why should I bother going to work? We'll just pray and sit around and meditate and fellowship." Their fellowship turned into being busybodies. If you're not busy doing your job, you're going to be busy about somebody else's business. I'd say, as soon as you get yourself totally taken care of, then be concerned about me. We're not talking about obvious sin. We're not talking about bringing reproof. We're not talking about speaking unto edification. We're not talking about provoking one another to love and good works. All of that is one on one. I'm addressing you. I'm dealing with specific things. I'm encouraging you. I'm speaking to you, not about you.

As Paul is speaking here, he says, "Make sure, then, that these people do not behave themselves disorderly. They need to work. They need to produce something for the good of the body. In fact, they are busybodies. So, I want to encourage you brethren, [verse 13] ‘...be not weary in [what?] well doing.'" What do we do? We spend so much time together. What do we talk about? I'm going to share that with you before we're done this morning. I'm going to tell you what we should talk about instead of what we're talking about in so many cases. "Well, we're just visiting. We're just sharing." We gave the illustration the other day; there is nothing wrong about just in communication, talking about one another. We're family. We'll rehearse those things. "Oh, did you hear that so-and-so was (and we gave that as an example) so-and-so, they're getting ready to go (It seems like a lot of people have been going on cruises lately.) they're getting ready to go on a cruise." "Isn't that their third one this year?" What? If I'm hearing this, then my response, "Isn't that their third one this year?" That could be a question or it could be questioning. Now, I respond. I'm going to find out whether I'm a garbage can and here's my response. "Yeah, praise God! The Lord's blessed them. Amen? They've been so faithful and they never miss fellowship and they're always giving to other people. Praise God, isn't it great!" The other guy says, "Yeah." It's not just what we say. We have to be very concerned about what we're saying and what we're hearing, and the spirit. We need to be ready at all times to bring reproof and correction and instruction to the people that are speaking if, in fact, it's not edifying. We need to guard ourselves and be very careful in all of these conversations that we don't cross over into being busybodies, being slanderers, being backbiters, being tattlers, all of these phrases that are used in the Scriptures.

Paul says to us, "Be not weary in well doing. And if any man [is not going to listen to this, if he's going to persist in having this kind of a lifestyle and run his mouth] ...have no company with him, that he may be ashamed." Just tell him, "Listen, if you can't control your mouth, if you're going to have to come and tell me the latest news and what's going on, I don't want you around me until you can stop and get control of your mouth. Don't begin to entice me into this sin. Don't begin to leaven my life." Take them to James and rehearse to them the wisdom of that epistle to them about controlling their tongue. "That he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy [the Scripture says], but admonish [that word means correct or rebuke] him as a brother."

Why? Remember what Thessalonians was all about. The Lord is coming. Amen? This is important! The Lord is coming! "Well, surely these little things don't matter that much." We just read in James that if you're murdering your brother with your tongue, you're not going to inherit the kingdom of heaven. It's very vital that we understand the magnitude of that. Look over at 1 Timothy 5:13. It talks about the younger widows and young ladies and the need for them to remarry so that they don't get caught up in an idle life being cared for by the community. Provision was made for the older widows, and the admonition for these ladies, the older widows that were being supported by the fellowship, was to serve the fellowship. They would be there as servants. They would care for those. They would be prayer warriors. They would be given to the ministry and dedicate the rest of their lives to that. He said, if you bring somebody in too young, be aware of this. They may think they are going to dedicate their lives, but the fact is, they're going to want to remarry and then they're going to, in the midst of this, because it's not a heart commitment, because it's not a lifetime commitment, in the midst of being cared for by the community, the temptation is going to be there for them to "wax wanton [looking to marry again] And having [judgment, because] ...they learn, [verse 13] to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not."

We know the biblical principles that our wives are to care for the home and for our children. So many of us though--many of us have done things that we need to reevaluate. Many of us, for our wives, are wanting to do like so many of our kids. We want them to have it better than us and so "My wife is not going to work. She's going to have this time to herself." We're living in a different world of push buttons, robots cleaning the house or whatever it is, and all of this time. With all of this time, our ladies get to take the children and they're not cutting firewood and drawing water from wells. So what do they do? "Well, we meet at the park and we meet at the playground and the kids are on the monkey bars and we're talking about...what? "Well, my wife volunteers to come up to D.T. and help out." Yeah, that's 40 minutes. What else? Do we know what we're doing with all of this time? Is it being used for edification? Are lives being built up? Is ministry going forth? Am I saying that it's wrong for the ladies not to have to work? I'm saying it's dangerous. I'm not saying it's wrong. I know one thing for a fact. Idle time is dangerous time. These old adages weren't just made up. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." The Scripture speaks to us and it makes it very clear that we're to be producing something, working. Let me tell you something. If you're not working out of the house, then you ought to be working in the house, and if the housework and the different things are done, then we ought to be working in the community. But if all we're doing is spending our time walking up and down the malls or hanging out at the playgrounds and some of these different things, you're going to get in trouble. I'm not saying it's wrong to do these things. I'm saying guard yourself if that's what you're going to do, because this idle time is dangerous time.

It's very important for us then to see what he says. "And... [they] ...wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not." So, I'll just ask you. Have you been speaking things that you ought not? Have you been idle? Have you been a tattler? Have you been a busybody? How much do you-- Some of you, I'm not even sure what I'm doing next week, but I'm sure some of you already know. It's that bad here. The other day I almost started a false story just to see how fast it would go through, just for fun. By the way, Tony and everybody that was in the accident, are fine. I don't know how many of you heard there was an accident in Africa. They were in the hospital until close to midnight their time in Africa. We got word that everyone was out and fine, no broken bones, just fine. All that was lost was the vehicle and a few items. Praise God, for that! Amen? How many of you heard about the accident? Let me see your hands. Praise God! Good, the majority. That's the kind of stuff that should circulate.

We realize then that it's a very dangerous, dangerous thing. Who was the first one to misuse idle time? Eve is wandering along the garden and the serpent is there, and they get into a casual conversation, a little bit of idle time going on. "Yea, hath God said..." Just a little bit of questioning. "Hey look, snake, this is between you and God. I know you've got a personal problem with Him. I don't have any problems. He and I are doing really well. I am well taken care of." "Are you really? If you knew a little more about God's motives and what was behind all of this, if your eyes were opened and you understood better, you would really know how bad you have it. Let me tell you how you can get ahead. You just need to be more in the know. Knowledge is power."

Why do you need to know? Have you ever asked yourself that? Some of you that war with this, what is that? Why do I need to know? Because Mother Eve needed to know more, she needed knowledge. That compulsion to not be content in what God has revealed to you is sin. It's the original sin. It's discontentment, if you can take it down to its very root. "I believe that it's personal concern and interest that I might be able to help others." Oh well, then let's take it from that side. It's pride. It can never happen unless you're involved. "Unless I'm involved it will never be done right. Unless I concur, unless I'm involved, unless I know--" Either way, it's pride. It's sin. It's discontentment and we need to identify it for what it is.

First Peter, and we'll end with this one for this morning. I want to talk to you a little bit about what we should talk about. 1 Peter 4:15 said, "But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters." We continually see this word ‘busybody' being placed alongside murders, thieves, adulterers, evildoers. We've come to see, then, the magnitude of this sin in God's eyes. We looked at Romans 1, that passage that deals with all the heinous attributes of evil men and depravity. As God is revealing those that He's given over to evil hearts and minds and those that are depraved, those that do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. In the midst of all of that, He talks about this spirit of being a busybody, of being a backbiter, a slanderer. We try to attribute overt situations of great magnitude when we talk about blasphemer, slanderer, backbiter, and many times, it is of great magnitude. But those same spiritual principles that Jesus is addressing here are saying that it's not about the letter. It's about the heart attitude that's involved in these things. You can always trace it back somewhere to an element of pride or discontentment or covetousness or envy whenever it crosses that line. We're all aware of these things. So what do we do? How do we guard ourselves?

Let's be aware of the idle time that we have in our lives. Let's be aware of those situations where we are put together and we have these periods of time to be in conversation. Because the one thing that we're working for, and for years have emphasized, is that we come together and spend our time together. Because one puts a thousand to flight and two puts, what? Ten thousand. We need community. We need our time together. We can't get out on our own. We have to be involved in one another's lives. I need to be involved in your life, but I need to hear about your life from you. Amen? I'm not saying don't get involved in one another's lives. I'm saying I need to hear about you from you, not from somebody else. I want to be personally involved. We need to be personally intertwined, as Ephesians says, into that oneness, one body, one Lord, one baptism for the purpose of edification.

So what do we do? How do we spend our time as it pertains to one another's lives? Small talk, weather. (It's still snowing, by the way. I'll give you a weather report, 100 percent chance of snow.) Small talk, the weather, things of no consequence, Redskins. We're together and we're talking about these things, just shooting the breeze, no problem. It just can't be excessive. Let's not fill the idle time with non-eternal issues. We're told, then, clearly in the Scriptures, what to think about. Think on these things (Philippians 4:8).

What to speak about--Turn to Deuteronomy for just a moment, Chapter 6, a passage that most of us are familiar with. I want to share with you that there are other topics besides who should marry whom, who's wearing what, who's moving where. We get caught up on how people spend their own money. What does it matter to you how somebody spends their money? We have to have an opinion. "Well, they don't need that expensive of a house. They should live in the neighborhood I live in and be content." I'm not promoting one against the other. Just listen to what I'm saying. "They should be content. They should live in a more moderate house and put more money aside." It's wise to save money, but you have to understand. Your contentment is in the money you're putting aside. Would you be discontent not to put that much money aside? "I couldn't live that way!" Well, they're content. They like to use their money over there and maybe not put quite as much away. "That doesn't seem wise to me." It's not your money. Everybody doesn't have to do it the way you do it. If it's not sin, leave it alone. Amen?

Now, this is all coming from a very opinionated person. I have an opinion on everything, including your opinions. None of you, I know, are that way, but as we're looking at these things and how we have to guard and realize the natural tendencies and to be careful that we're just speaking to edification and letting Jesus be the head of His church, and loving one another, and being ready even to let that guy move in with us when he goes bankrupt and loses his big house. "Praise God! I've got a small bedroom that he can come into and I just happen to have some money over here to help him out." "He ain't getting none of my money! He had his chance, bless God. I told him. I told everybody six years ago that was going to happen." So here we are, daily having to walk through these things and live this thing out. What does the Scripture say? Look at Deuteronomy 6:7 concerning the Word of God and taking ourselves up. It's a passage we're all very familiar with, but I want to give you a couple of verses here real quickly so that you can see what I'm saying. "And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

Let's spend our time together talking about the Word of God, the promises of God, what God is doing here in our midst. Thank God for what He has done and the healings that have taken place. Thank God for the move in our midst here and the refreshing of lives, some of our young adults that have been touched by God. We've seen miracles here in the last months, beloved. Miracles, some of the greatest! The change of hearts and lives, there is nothing greater than that! Things that we ought to be boasting in, rehearsing as we get together, thanking God. Yet the tendency is, some of these lives have been touched and changed, but they're not exactly perfect the way I would like it, so we have to pick out the little things that aren't exactly like I think they should be yet, and share that with other people. "Yeah, God really touched them, but did you see... whatever." "Yeah, God really touched her heart, but she still wears a little too much makeup." Well, dear Lord, you need more, according to me. Leave it alone! Stop with the good, edifying statement. Thank God for what God has done. Their heart, their life has been touched. "But--" "God has really touched his heart and it's tremendous but, you know, his hair is still a little too long for me." You're just jealous that you don't have any anymore. We don't need to add that. Let's talk about what the Word is doing, the good that it's producing, the lives that are being touched. Talk of these promises. Trust in God's work, the sanctification, "...that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it..." (Philippians 1:6). Praise God. Just rejoice in those things.

Look over at Psalms 145:11. What should we be talking about? Psalm 145:11. "They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power." Why don't we make a note of that? Do you want something to talk about? Let's talk about the glory of His kingdom and of His power. That would be something good to talk about. Amen? When we get together, let's talk about the glory of His kingdom and the power of God that's at work in our midst and in our lives. Oh, I can speak more intimately with you one-on-one. Here we are talking about the Kingdom of God, the power of God and as we're talking about the power of God, He's doing a work in my life. "But, you know, there's this one area that I'm really battling with and I see the Word of God. Do you have any Scripture that can help me?" "Yeah, here's what the Word says about that and I've been through that myself." "Really? I didn't know that you went through that." "Yeah, and I was through that and God delivered me and these are some verses that really helped me out, praise God." Amen? Then you go and tell somebody else, "I didn't know they had that problem. Did you know?" Leave it alone. We talk to each other, not about each other. Amen? There's nothing wrong when you and I are talking to each other about us. We talk about His kingdom and about His power.

I love what Malachi says. This is just a blessing. Turn over to Malachi and look again. What do we talk about? What is God looking for as it pertains to us as a community? I really like this passage. I was hoping to get a little further along this morning because I wanted to take up Jesus' next subject tonight. I probably will. I'm just going to have to leave this alone. I think that we've got enough for us to get the message. Some of you are saying, "Whew! Praise God!" Well, we're going to divorce so maybe you'll want to come back to this. This passage in Malachi 3:16, I love what he says. He says, "Then they that feared the Lord [I love that phrase.] spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, [God is listening to your conversations.] and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name." God has a book with the names of the people that talk about Him, that make Him their conversation, that spend their idle time no longer in idleness, but in edification, in caring one for another, as Corinthians says, in seeking another's good and not our own, in preferring others over ourselves, in lifting up the hands that are hanging down.

Turn to Ephesians and we'll finish with this for this morning. Don't let this go on in your presence. Become sensitive to it. Some of us have become desensitized. Become sensitive to it. Ephesians 4:29. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." We're the salt of the earth. Are you constantly spreading grace? Are you the vessel of grace here in our midst? Are the words of your mouth always gracious toward others? Grace is what? Unmerited favor. "Well, I'm just speaking the truth." We don't need justice. We need grace. Amen? Why don't you speak grace about me and truth to me? Amen? Speak grace about me and speak truth to me. When you're talking to others about me, make it good. Find something good. If you look long enough, you can find something good about me. Let's minister grace and then let's come and speak truth to one another in love. That keeps us out of sin.

The Scripture says, "[let it be unto the] edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Because if we don't--and this is why I said we need to talk about this topic. If we're going to continue growing, if we're going to be strong in this last day, if we're going to walk in the spirit, then we're going to have to walk in unity and we're going to have to walk in love. Basically, we have great love one for another, but it's these little things that have given place to the enemy. We're a fellowship that loves one another; there is no question in my mind. I'm dealing with one small thing and it's small. It hasn't had great consequences, yet. But, it also has been allowed to operate without being challenged and it gives place to Satan. We're not going to give him any place in our midst. We're not going to let him kill anybody if we can help it. To speak anything other than grace, to speak anything other than that that edifies, grieves the Holy Spirit, verse 30 says, the One that seals us to redemption.

Don't be ignorant. If your mouth is out of control, if your appetite to be involved in other people's lives or that need to shoot those barbs and cut somebody to make yourself look better, to get a cheap laugh, whatever it is, "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, [say the last phrase with me] even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Amen?

Father, we thank You for Your Word this morning and we just ask that, as You work that love in us and cause it to be made stronger, we thank You for the love that is here in our midst. Father, I don't know that I'm aware of a group of people that love one another any more than this family. We thank You for it, yet things that seem to be trivial are access points to Diablos and we give him no place here. We resist the enemy and he will flee. Father, help us to love one another as we've been loved, to forgive as we've been forgiven, to minister grace as freely as we've received grace. We ask that, Father, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

I'll follow the wisdom of some of my counselors as we get ready to go. Turn to the person next to you and say nothing.

Paul and Shelly are going to bring their little blessing. What a great privilege this is to see another generation! Amen? Third generation, Felicity Skye Sullivan. Pretty cool. I like that name Skye. I don't know about Felicity. Oh, am I saying that out loud? Come on in. Praise God! I've been hearing all the reports about how beautiful this baby is. I've seen the pictures and pictures don't lie. She is beautiful. She doesn't look anything like...oh. See how easy it is to sin? What a sweetie! If the grandparents will come, we want to just pray. I know for all of you, but I--just the other day I was talking with Greer and I'm thinking back about Paul and--Shelly was never a real problem--and Josh, and Jerry some of those young men that we're so proud of, we've got a treasure here. This thing is working. Amen? Don't believe anything else. The Word of God works. The care--every one of these young men that I just--if somebody didn't spend time speaking into their lives and holding the standard, where would we be today? Because of doers of the Word, we've got men of God here that are now going to raise up another generation. It doesn't get any better than this. Let's just stand before the Lord. Greer, if you'll come and the other pastors will come, and their wives, we want to pray. Come on up. Praise God! They're here (indicating Paul and Shelly) because they're here (indicating Paul's parents and Shelly's mom). Amen? Thank God for the grandparents, their children and their children's children. It's our greatest treasure and we're not going to take it for granted. Don't let what we're doing here become just another tradition. We're praying and believing God for these children to be raised up in the nurture and admonition. Amen? We're committing ourselves as a community to do just what we've done in the lives of these young people so that another generation is saved. Praise God! That's what it's all about. Let's pray and just believe Father for them.

Father, we thank You for Paul and Shelly and the work that You've done in their lives. It will not return void, Father. We pray for Your wisdom to reign in their hearts and in this household, Father, that Felicity will know the love of God, the grace of God, the peace of God. Father, we speak that peace upon her right now, a vessel chosen to bring You glory, Father. We are so thankful for what You've done. We speak peace upon this household again. As we spoke peace upon the union, we speak peace upon the fruit of it, Father, that You would be glorified and all in all, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.

What a sweetie. Look at this precious little thing. Amen? Ten days old. Hallelujah! Beautiful baby! If Jesus tarries, some of you ladies can start finding a mate for her right now. There are some boys in the nursery. Go on up. Pick one out. Oh, Father, once again we just say thank You. Have Your way in our midst. Give us strength and peace as we go. Be glorified in our lives, we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

God bless you. Go in peace. God's love go with you. Be sure and come and see this precious little thing.

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