1 00:00:29,859 --> 00:00:39,539 I feel like I've been to camp but got back early. Hope you've been 2 00:00:39,539 --> 00:00:44,859 praying for the camp. I got a text from Tyler, and he didn't give 3 00:00:44,859 --> 00:00:48,979 me a name, but he said one of the campers was saved so far this 4 00:00:48,979 --> 00:00:53,059 week and another one was called to preach. And I was excited 5 00:00:53,059 --> 00:00:57,269 about both of those. Not many young men feel that God's calling 6 00:00:57,269 --> 00:01:00,469 them to preach, but it would be great to have another preacher 7 00:01:00,469 --> 00:01:04,749 out of this church and so continue to pray. It's not too late 8 00:01:05,469 --> 00:01:09,349 to pray. I read something today. It says, gas is going up, 9 00:01:09,349 --> 00:01:13,429 food is going up, rent is going up, but when prayers go up, 10 00:01:13,429 --> 00:01:19,829 God's blessings come down. And so let's make sure that we keep setting 11 00:01:19,829 --> 00:01:25,519 the prayers. I want to speak tonight on this subject. A lion and 12 00:01:25,519 --> 00:01:30,039 a handful of honey. Did you know where. You know where that is 13 00:01:30,039 --> 00:01:34,839 in the Bible? Anybody want to guess? My wife's cheating because 14 00:01:35,159 --> 00:01:39,239 she already asked me what I was preaching on. It's not preached 15 00:01:39,239 --> 00:01:44,759 on very often, and a lot of people may not remember it, but take 16 00:01:44,759 --> 00:01:49,339 your Bible and turn to the Book of Judges, and we're talking 17 00:01:49,339 --> 00:01:58,059 about Samson. And Samson killed a lion. And he went back a 18 00:01:58,059 --> 00:02:02,179 few days later, and the carcass of the lion was still there, 19 00:02:02,739 --> 00:02:06,539 but some bees had gotten inside of it and there was honey 20 00:02:06,539 --> 00:02:11,739 in it. And he took the honey out and took some for himself, and 21 00:02:11,739 --> 00:02:15,859 he took some for his mother and father. Kind of an interesting 22 00:02:15,859 --> 00:02:19,539 thing to think about. The Bible's kind of like a picture album, 23 00:02:20,019 --> 00:02:22,859 and you just kind of go through and remember we talked Sunday, 24 00:02:22,859 --> 00:02:25,699 how to get the most out of your Bible and to look for Jesus. 25 00:02:26,819 --> 00:02:33,019 Think about this. Imagine a picture of Jesus with his foot on 26 00:02:33,019 --> 00:02:38,539 the head of a lion and honey dripping off of his hands. Just think 27 00:02:38,539 --> 00:02:42,259 about that for a moment. Wouldn't that make a beautiful picture? 28 00:02:42,659 --> 00:02:46,419 Because Jesus has conquered the devil. He hasn't been thrown 29 00:02:46,419 --> 00:02:52,299 into hell yet, but he's dead. He's already declared it's done, 30 00:02:52,299 --> 00:02:55,939 it's over with him, and that's why he's working so frantically. 31 00:02:56,019 --> 00:03:01,539 The Bible says he knows that his time is short, but the Bible 32 00:03:01,699 --> 00:03:06,909 teaches that Satan is destroyed. And you think of Jesus 33 00:03:07,629 --> 00:03:11,789 and picture him every time you're looking at the Bible. I heard 34 00:03:11,789 --> 00:03:16,909 a story of a man who had a big head of a lion in his office. And 35 00:03:17,149 --> 00:03:25,069 somebody came in. I'm sure a lot of them did. And they said, is 36 00:03:25,069 --> 00:03:33,719 that your lion? Did you kill that lion? He said, well, yeah. He 37 00:03:33,719 --> 00:03:38,359 hesitated for a moment and then said, how in the world did you 38 00:03:38,359 --> 00:03:45,599 do it. He said, well, I cut off his tail. He said, ah, you can't 39 00:03:45,599 --> 00:03:48,599 kill a lion cutting off his tail. You got to cut off his head. 40 00:03:48,599 --> 00:03:54,439 And he said, well, somebody already had done that. And you know, 41 00:03:54,439 --> 00:03:58,509 sometimes we can't hardly kill a mouse with telling everybody that 42 00:03:58,509 --> 00:04:02,909 we did it. And Samson never mentioned it to his parents. You 43 00:04:02,909 --> 00:04:07,269 say, well, Samson doesn't have a very good testimony. Well, that's 44 00:04:07,269 --> 00:04:12,869 true. It's very true. In fact, he did more for God while he was 45 00:04:12,869 --> 00:04:17,269 dying than he was while he was living. You may have seen pictures 46 00:04:17,269 --> 00:04:23,589 of that. But Samson failed a lot. I may have mentioned this already 47 00:04:23,589 --> 00:04:27,599 to you, but it's worth writing down if you forgot. Charles Spurgeon 48 00:04:27,599 --> 00:04:33,559 said it. He said God uses people who fail because there aren't 49 00:04:33,559 --> 00:04:39,239 any other kind. Let that sink in for a minute. You don't find anybody 50 00:04:39,239 --> 00:04:45,239 in the Bible that God used that had not failed. That means there's 51 00:04:45,239 --> 00:04:51,199 hope for me. I have more failures than I can count or remember. 52 00:04:52,089 --> 00:04:56,889 And God can use you even when you don't think he can. In fact, 53 00:04:56,889 --> 00:04:59,569 that's one of the qualifications really for God to 54 00:04:59,569 --> 00:05:04,689 use. Is somebody think I can't be used. God can't use. No one's 55 00:05:04,689 --> 00:05:08,849 ever too small for God to use. A lot of them are too big for God 56 00:05:08,849 --> 00:05:13,289 to use. And so in the book of Judges, chapter number 14, in verse 57 00:05:13,289 --> 00:05:20,979 number 5, then went Samson down and his father and his mother 58 00:05:21,699 --> 00:05:29,579 to Timnath. And came to the vineyards of Timnath and behold, 59 00:05:29,579 --> 00:05:35,539 a young lion roared against him. So this wasn't an old lion. 60 00:05:36,419 --> 00:05:40,259 This lion was probably in the prime. He was a very strong young 61 00:05:40,259 --> 00:05:47,229 lion. Invokes verse 6 says, and the Spirit capital S. The Holy 62 00:05:47,229 --> 00:05:53,269 Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him. I mentioned this 63 00:05:53,269 --> 00:05:57,869 to you the other night, that the early church. What changed the 64 00:05:57,869 --> 00:06:02,749 early church dramatically was they were now indwelt by the Holy 65 00:06:02,749 --> 00:06:07,149 Spirit. Up until then, no one had been indwelt by the Holy Spirit. 66 00:06:07,869 --> 00:06:12,949 From Adam and Eve all the way through. The Holy Spirit would come 67 00:06:12,949 --> 00:06:18,129 upon them for special needs or meeting temptations or problems. 68 00:06:19,089 --> 00:06:23,009 But they didn't have him indwelling them. And you and I, if 69 00:06:23,009 --> 00:06:26,209 we're saved, every saved person has the Holy Spirit in them. 70 00:06:27,729 --> 00:06:31,209 If you have not the Spirit in you, the Bible says Christ is not 71 00:06:31,209 --> 00:06:35,809 in you. Because I mean every saved person, but most saved people 72 00:06:36,369 --> 00:06:40,209 do not yield enough to the Holy Spirit to have the power that 73 00:06:40,419 --> 00:06:47,699 that God wants us all to have. And so Samson had disobeyed God and 74 00:06:48,579 --> 00:06:52,699 he wasn't living the way he should have lived, but God was going 75 00:06:52,699 --> 00:06:57,459 to use him. And it says here that the Holy Spirit came mightily 76 00:06:57,459 --> 00:07:02,579 upon him and he rent him the lion as he would have rent a kid 77 00:07:03,379 --> 00:07:10,309 a little goat. And he had nothing in his hand, but he told 78 00:07:10,309 --> 00:07:16,589 not his father or his mother what he had done. And he went down. 79 00:07:18,749 --> 00:07:21,269 I don't know. I've never really counted how many times you 80 00:07:21,269 --> 00:07:26,749 find that word down in Samson's life. I remember Jonah went 81 00:07:26,749 --> 00:07:32,349 down to Nineveh. He went down into the ship. He went down into 82 00:07:32,349 --> 00:07:35,229 the water. He went down the mouth of a whale. He just kept going 83 00:07:35,229 --> 00:07:40,489 down, down, down. When you're running from God, there's no place 84 00:07:40,489 --> 00:07:45,049 else to go but down, okay? And a lot of people say, well, I don't 85 00:07:45,049 --> 00:07:49,329 do that. I'm just coasting. Well, you can't coast up. You can 86 00:07:49,329 --> 00:07:53,169 only coast down. A lot of people go to church, but they're 87 00:07:53,169 --> 00:08:02,129 just sitting in the boat and being carried through life down instead 88 00:08:02,129 --> 00:08:05,999 of up. And so he went down and talked with the woman. He had a woman 89 00:08:05,999 --> 00:08:09,879 problem. There's no doubt about that. And she pleased Samson 90 00:08:09,879 --> 00:08:17,159 well. And after a time, he returned to take her. And he turned 91 00:08:17,159 --> 00:08:23,919 aside to see the carcass of the lion. And behold, there was a 92 00:08:23,919 --> 00:08:31,329 swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion. And he took 93 00:08:31,329 --> 00:08:36,529 thereof in his hands and went on eating and came to his father 94 00:08:36,529 --> 00:08:45,009 and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat, but he told not 95 00:08:45,009 --> 00:08:50,209 them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion. 96 00:08:50,289 --> 00:08:54,329 Now we read that say, well, okay, Brother Weatherby, but what 97 00:08:54,329 --> 00:08:59,749 in the world has got to do with me? How in the world am I gonna 98 00:08:59,749 --> 00:09:04,389 get anything out of that? For what I face today and how I live? 99 00:09:04,389 --> 00:09:07,589 Well, all the Bible is not written to us, but it's all written 100 00:09:07,589 --> 00:09:11,429 for us. And God didn't just put things in the Bible to make those 101 00:09:11,429 --> 00:09:16,669 columns line up straight in your Bible, okay? No, in fact, the 102 00:09:16,669 --> 00:09:21,829 Bible says he put every word. And Jesus said, even the little jots 103 00:09:21,829 --> 00:09:27,619 and tittles, everything was there for a reason, okay? And so 104 00:09:27,779 --> 00:09:31,219 a lot of people don't understand. They think, well, inspired 105 00:09:31,219 --> 00:09:35,019 means God just kind of gave them an idea. Like a person gets 106 00:09:35,019 --> 00:09:40,179 inspired to write a poem or inspired to write songs. Well, inspiration 107 00:09:40,259 --> 00:09:44,139 literally means breathed. God breathed the Scriptures. That's what 108 00:09:44,139 --> 00:09:53,079 it means, inspired. If you've ever met Brother Savoloski, he's 109 00:09:53,079 --> 00:10:01,119 a Jewish man in our church at Victory. And he, of course, knows 110 00:10:01,999 --> 00:10:07,119 how to speak. And it's amazing to Me, I've heard him do it several 111 00:10:07,199 --> 00:10:12,039 times. He said, you know how when it says God breathed? He said, 112 00:10:12,039 --> 00:10:18,929 the Hebrew word means, that's what it means. That's how you would 113 00:10:18,929 --> 00:10:27,489 pronounce it. All scripture is given by ha of God. That's what it 114 00:10:27,489 --> 00:10:31,969 literally means. And he breathed his word into those men. 115 00:10:31,969 --> 00:10:36,449 Different men, different ages, different backgrounds. And so we 116 00:10:36,449 --> 00:10:40,969 have the scripture. And in the early days, of course, in the early 117 00:10:40,969 --> 00:10:43,889 days of the church, they didn't have the New Testament yet, 118 00:10:44,449 --> 00:10:48,289 and so they read from the Old Testament and they knew these stories. 119 00:10:49,409 --> 00:10:57,929 But we need to understand what is the value of that. For me, the 120 00:10:57,929 --> 00:11:01,089 Bible's kind of like an art gallery. It's like so many wonderful 121 00:11:01,089 --> 00:11:04,609 things. You like to go to an art gallery and just wander around 122 00:11:05,569 --> 00:11:09,419 and look a little closer at pictures and wonder how in the world 123 00:11:09,419 --> 00:11:14,179 could somebody paint such a beautiful picture? Well, sometimes 124 00:11:14,179 --> 00:11:17,459 that's the way I look at the Bible. Like walking through an art 125 00:11:17,459 --> 00:11:22,739 gallery. It seems to me that this well known hero, Samson with 126 00:11:22,739 --> 00:11:26,779 a slain lying in the background, standing in the open 127 00:11:26,859 --> 00:11:30,859 road with his hands, he didn't have a cup, he didn't have a bowl. 128 00:11:31,579 --> 00:11:35,449 He's holding honey in his hands, he's eating a little and he's 129 00:11:35,449 --> 00:11:39,489 gonna take it to his parents and they're gonna taste of the honey, 130 00:11:39,649 --> 00:11:45,929 but he's holding it in his hands. Isn't that interesting? So 131 00:11:45,929 --> 00:11:50,969 much like Christ, the Bible says, taste of the Lord and see that 132 00:11:50,969 --> 00:11:55,489 he is good. I think I recently preached to you about bearing fruit 133 00:11:55,489 --> 00:12:00,539 and fruit is to let other people taste of Christ. They don't 134 00:12:00,539 --> 00:12:04,819 read the Bible, so they meet a Christian and they get a taste of 135 00:12:04,819 --> 00:12:08,139 what a real Christian is. If it's not a real Christian, it's a 136 00:12:08,139 --> 00:12:12,139 bitter taste and they don't really want anything to do with it. 137 00:12:13,339 --> 00:12:17,899 Tasting Christianity, you ever thought about your life in that particular 138 00:12:18,779 --> 00:12:23,499 thought? When I'm around people, unsaved people, they get 139 00:12:23,499 --> 00:12:31,149 a taste, The taste of it. Gandhi said I would have become a 140 00:12:31,149 --> 00:12:36,949 Christian if it hadn't been for Christians. Did a work in India, 141 00:12:38,229 --> 00:12:45,349 he tasted of some Christians go, no, that's not for me. But as 142 00:12:45,349 --> 00:12:50,469 he is now, here's where we're gonna get the application. The Bible 143 00:12:50,469 --> 00:12:57,609 says, as he speaking of Jesus is, so are we also in this world 144 00:12:59,129 --> 00:13:03,329 we are to represent Christ. Jesus said, you're the light of the 145 00:13:03,329 --> 00:13:05,969 world, you're the salt of the earth. He said, as the Father hath 146 00:13:05,969 --> 00:13:12,489 sent me, so send I you. He was our substitute on the cross, right? 147 00:13:14,009 --> 00:13:19,409 Well, strange as it May sound we are his substitute on the earth. 148 00:13:20,129 --> 00:13:24,449 I don't know why God planned it that way. Long before he created 149 00:13:24,449 --> 00:13:30,129 the world, he could have done it countless ways to get the gospel. 150 00:13:30,769 --> 00:13:35,409 But he said, I'm gonna redeem a people and I'm gonna let them represent 151 00:13:35,729 --> 00:13:42,449 me as an ambassador of Christ in their life, in their neighborhood, 152 00:13:42,449 --> 00:13:47,319 in their home, in their job, in their vacations, wherever they 153 00:13:47,319 --> 00:13:52,999 may be. That's the plan. That's the way Jesus wants it done. 154 00:13:54,599 --> 00:13:57,559 If I would have done it, I probably would have done it another 155 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:05,599 way. Even Paul said, lord, I'm the least of thy servants. But God 156 00:14:05,599 --> 00:14:08,959 used him in a mighty way because he was weak. And he said, 157 00:14:08,959 --> 00:14:15,589 when I'm weak, I'm strong. So as he is, Christ is, so are we also. 158 00:14:15,749 --> 00:14:23,429 In this world, the devil is referred to as a lion. Like a lion. 159 00:14:23,429 --> 00:14:32,709 He's not a lion, but like a lion. And we also, just as Jesus 160 00:14:32,709 --> 00:14:39,289 did, we can overcome the devil because greater is he that is in 161 00:14:39,289 --> 00:14:42,769 you than he that is in the world. We have the word of God that 162 00:14:42,769 --> 00:14:48,009 the devil is scared to death of. Now, if he just stays on a table 163 00:14:48,009 --> 00:14:51,888 somewhere, he's not too worried. But the devil is scared 164 00:14:51,888 --> 00:14:56,049 to death of the word of God getting into the head and heart and 165 00:14:56,049 --> 00:15:02,689 life of believers. But we have the word of God and the spirit of 166 00:15:02,689 --> 00:15:07,829 God in us. And the Bible says, resist the devil and he will flee 167 00:15:07,829 --> 00:15:11,989 from you. We can overcome temptation. We do not have to sin. 168 00:15:11,989 --> 00:15:18,069 We all sin, either in thought or in deed. We have to fight sin 169 00:15:18,629 --> 00:15:24,629 and the devil and the flesh every single day. But nowhere in 170 00:15:24,629 --> 00:15:28,229 the Bible does it say, you might as well accept it. You're gonna 171 00:15:28,229 --> 00:15:34,399 have to sin. No. In fact, Paul said, sin shall not have dominion 172 00:15:34,639 --> 00:15:43,319 over you. Most people, sin has a lot of dominion because most people 173 00:15:43,319 --> 00:15:47,559 don't know much about being filled with the Holy Spirit. And 174 00:15:47,559 --> 00:15:51,559 they don't know much about the Bible. They think, well, that's why 175 00:15:51,559 --> 00:15:54,919 we hired the preacher. He knows the Bible and he'll tell us 176 00:15:54,919 --> 00:15:59,509 what it says. Well, a preacher ought to know the Bible. But it's 177 00:15:59,509 --> 00:16:04,189 not just for preachers. In fact, you could know more of the 178 00:16:04,189 --> 00:16:07,989 Bible than preachers know. There's no limit. God didn't say, 179 00:16:07,989 --> 00:16:14,189 you can't go past this verse and the congregation. There's no 180 00:16:14,189 --> 00:16:17,749 limits on how much of the Bible you can know and you can understand. 181 00:16:18,149 --> 00:16:23,509 God didn't give us a book that we just have to say, I don't get 182 00:16:23,509 --> 00:16:28,789 it. I don't understand it. It doesn't make sense to Me? Well, you 183 00:16:28,789 --> 00:16:33,749 have a teacher called the Holy Spirit. And we do. God did put preachers 184 00:16:33,749 --> 00:16:38,029 and teachers in the church to equip people, to equip believers. 185 00:16:39,229 --> 00:16:45,829 But God wants you to know the Bible. And you can overcome sin shall 186 00:16:45,829 --> 00:16:53,709 not have dominion over you. So here's a picture. We see Samson with 187 00:16:53,709 --> 00:17:00,669 this dead lion that he torn in half. And it reminds us of Jesus, 188 00:17:02,349 --> 00:17:07,069 who the Bible says, he'll bruise your heel, but you will crush 189 00:17:07,069 --> 00:17:16,119 his head. And that day is soon to come. But we don't have to wait 190 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:19,839 till then to overcome the devil. We don't have to just give 191 00:17:19,839 --> 00:17:26,759 in. We can have victory. But also in this picture, just as Samson 192 00:17:27,639 --> 00:17:32,639 looked at this lion that he had killed, he had honey dripping 193 00:17:32,639 --> 00:17:42,189 off of his hands. We also have honey in our hands. The gospel. You 194 00:17:42,189 --> 00:17:46,909 ever thought of the gospel as honey, you say? Well, I don't like 195 00:17:46,909 --> 00:17:54,389 honey. Well, try a doughnut. Maybe you'll like that. You know, 196 00:17:54,389 --> 00:17:57,589 the Bible does talk about honey on several places. And God 197 00:17:57,589 --> 00:18:00,989 told the children of Israel, I'm going to take you to a land that 198 00:18:00,989 --> 00:18:06,629 flows with what? Milk and honey. We're going to have milk and 199 00:18:06,629 --> 00:18:09,809 honey in heaven? I don't know. But there's not anybody going to 200 00:18:09,809 --> 00:18:14,369 be disappointed. Whatever we have, there's not anybody going to 201 00:18:14,369 --> 00:18:19,089 turn their nose up. What is that? I promise you there won't be 202 00:18:19,089 --> 00:18:24,448 anything like that. But what about down here? Well, we have Christ, 203 00:18:24,449 --> 00:18:30,969 our Savior. What a savior. And the honey's dripping from his hands 204 00:18:30,969 --> 00:18:35,979 for us. And we're to take that honey and give it to other people. 205 00:18:37,499 --> 00:18:43,579 We're to tell people, hey, taste this. Let me tell you about 206 00:18:44,059 --> 00:18:49,299 Christ. Let me show you how the darkest day in the history of 207 00:18:49,299 --> 00:18:54,219 the world, Calvary, became the brightest day for you and I. Because 208 00:18:54,219 --> 00:19:00,269 Jesus paid it all. In fact, he said, it is finished. Oh, I'm so 209 00:19:00,269 --> 00:19:07,629 glad those three words are in the Bible. We have honey. We are 210 00:19:07,629 --> 00:19:12,469 to be as Samson and as Christ, a conqueror. Listen. A conqueror 211 00:19:12,629 --> 00:19:19,789 and a comforter. We're to be both. Think about that. We conquer. 212 00:19:19,789 --> 00:19:23,269 We're more than conquerors. We're soldiers. We have victories. 213 00:19:23,749 --> 00:19:28,069 That God said he would make sure that we wouldn't have to give 214 00:19:28,069 --> 00:19:31,789 in and give up and lay down and die. He said, you can do it. 215 00:19:31,789 --> 00:19:35,949 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. But 216 00:19:35,949 --> 00:19:41,549 he also said he would give us a comfort. A comforter. Amen. And 217 00:19:41,549 --> 00:19:45,069 in Second Corinthians, my wife reminds me of this verse a lot. The 218 00:19:45,069 --> 00:19:48,549 first chapter of Second Corinthians said, we are comforted. 219 00:19:49,509 --> 00:19:54,309 That we may comfort others. We're giving honey so we can give 220 00:19:54,309 --> 00:19:59,789 something sweet and something good and something appealing. Not 221 00:19:59,789 --> 00:20:06,149 more religion, but Jesus Christ. You got to picture yourself, 222 00:20:06,149 --> 00:20:10,189 think maybe you haven't ever really thought about it or done that. 223 00:20:10,189 --> 00:20:13,669 But imagine. I mean, here's something that actually happened, 224 00:20:13,669 --> 00:20:17,959 but it's put in this picture album for you and I. And imagine 225 00:20:17,959 --> 00:20:24,159 you in that picture. Imagine you meeting people and sharing with 226 00:20:24,159 --> 00:20:29,719 them the gospel, slaying lions and distributing honey. That's kind 227 00:20:29,719 --> 00:20:33,559 of the way the Christian life is to be about. We're to slay, we're 228 00:20:33,559 --> 00:20:38,319 to win. We're not to be victims. We're to be victors. And 229 00:20:38,319 --> 00:20:42,689 we can. We don't have to cross our finger. We don't have to have 230 00:20:42,689 --> 00:20:46,609 good luck charms. All we have to do is yield to the Holy Spirit. 231 00:20:46,929 --> 00:20:52,769 You can't fail when you're filled with the Holy Spirit. Most 232 00:20:52,769 --> 00:20:59,049 of my life, when I'm walking up them stairs or any other stairs 233 00:20:59,049 --> 00:21:02,689 in any churches, I've been. And under my breath, oh, God, fill 234 00:21:02,689 --> 00:21:07,689 me with the Holy Spirit or I'll be a complete failure and nobody 235 00:21:07,689 --> 00:21:14,679 will get a thing out of my sermon. I can't do it, Lord. I'm 236 00:21:14,679 --> 00:21:21,319 not sufficient. That's why John the Baptist said, he must increase 237 00:21:23,159 --> 00:21:29,399 and I must decrease. More of Jesus, more of Christ. In our lives, 238 00:21:30,839 --> 00:21:34,359 a faithful servant of God wrestles with the powers of evil. 239 00:21:34,709 --> 00:21:39,709 There's no exceptions, but with a far greater delight. He speaks 240 00:21:39,709 --> 00:21:43,629 to his friends and companions, saying, eat ye that which is good, 241 00:21:43,629 --> 00:21:49,429 and let your souls delight themselves in sweetness. Taste of 242 00:21:49,429 --> 00:21:55,149 the Lord and see that he is good. So this is very simple. Three 243 00:21:55,149 --> 00:22:01,489 point message number one. When we see the lion, we're reminded that 244 00:22:01,489 --> 00:22:07,009 a believer's life is going to have conflicts. Now, I don't think 245 00:22:07,009 --> 00:22:11,169 I have to convince you of that. But sometimes we still get 246 00:22:11,169 --> 00:22:17,689 caught. Why'd this happen? What's going on? I told the truth. 247 00:22:17,689 --> 00:22:23,009 I did the right thing. And now look what happened. The bottom fell 248 00:22:23,009 --> 00:22:28,999 out. Jesus said, in the world you will have tribulation, but be 249 00:22:28,999 --> 00:22:36,399 of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. Second Corinthians. 250 00:22:37,839 --> 00:22:43,119 If you're pretty quick with your Bible. Second Corinthians in 251 00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:47,959 chapter number four in verse eight. Paul, listen. Paul said, we 252 00:22:47,959 --> 00:22:52,279 are troubled on every side. Can you identify with that? Does 253 00:22:52,279 --> 00:22:56,259 sometimes trouble come from all different sides? Sometimes your 254 00:22:56,259 --> 00:23:03,179 surprises you? We are troubled on every side. This is Second Corinthians, 255 00:23:03,179 --> 00:23:09,579 chapter 4, verse 8. Yet we're not distressed. We're perplexed, 256 00:23:10,859 --> 00:23:18,939 but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Cast 257 00:23:18,939 --> 00:23:29,109 down, yes, but not destroyed. When we enlist as a soldier of Christ, 258 00:23:31,269 --> 00:23:36,709 we got to come to grips that we're. A soldier is to go to war. 259 00:23:37,349 --> 00:23:43,949 A soldier is to be prepared for battle. When you get saved, you 260 00:23:43,949 --> 00:23:49,959 become a son of God. The Bible says we're all saints. Isn't that 261 00:23:49,959 --> 00:23:53,119 what the Bible says? I've heard people say all the time, well, 262 00:23:54,479 --> 00:23:58,759 I'm doing the best I can, but I'm no saint. If you're saved, you're 263 00:23:58,759 --> 00:24:03,559 called a saint. Now, I don't need you to call me Saint Wetherby 264 00:24:03,559 --> 00:24:07,839 after church today. But that's what a lot of people think. Oh, well, 265 00:24:07,999 --> 00:24:11,959 they're just the saints, boy. They make statues to them and man, 266 00:24:11,959 --> 00:24:19,839 those are superheroes. No, every saved person is a saint. We're 267 00:24:19,839 --> 00:24:27,079 stewards, right? We manage. We don't own anything. We manage whatever 268 00:24:27,079 --> 00:24:32,079 God puts in our life. None of us all have the same amount of things 269 00:24:32,079 --> 00:24:36,039 or the same abilities or the same talents. We're sons, we're saints. 270 00:24:36,039 --> 00:24:41,049 We're stewards. We're sowers, right? Go out into the world and 271 00:24:41,049 --> 00:24:47,129 sow the seed. We're singers, even if you don't have a good voice. 272 00:24:47,129 --> 00:24:50,329 The Bible says when you get saved, he puts a song in our heart, 273 00:24:52,969 --> 00:24:59,809 and then we're to shine for Christ. We're supplicators. We're 274 00:24:59,809 --> 00:25:06,619 to be praying all the time. Pray without ceasing. We're the salt 275 00:25:06,619 --> 00:25:11,779 of the earth. But in this case, we're looking at a soldier. 276 00:25:12,499 --> 00:25:17,619 Because, believers, life has its conflicts. When you line up behind 277 00:25:17,619 --> 00:25:25,499 Jesus Christ, it is a glorious honor and it's a serious step. You 278 00:25:25,499 --> 00:25:28,819 know, I think sometimes I don't want to get off my thought 279 00:25:28,819 --> 00:25:33,629 here, but, you know, we need to do a little bit better on explaining 280 00:25:33,629 --> 00:25:37,909 and telling new Christians what to expect. A lot of brand new 281 00:25:37,909 --> 00:25:41,829 Christians think, praise God, my troubles are over. I'm not going 282 00:25:41,829 --> 00:25:44,629 to have more problems. This is great. I wish. Man, I can't believe 283 00:25:44,629 --> 00:25:50,229 it. This is wonderful. And it is wonderful. I never met anybody 284 00:25:50,229 --> 00:25:54,989 that said it wasn't wonderful, but I met a lot of them. Boy, did 285 00:25:54,989 --> 00:26:00,539 things happen quick that went wrong. They didn't understand. They 286 00:26:00,539 --> 00:26:04,739 didn't realize that now they're paddling upstream because 287 00:26:04,979 --> 00:26:09,659 the world is going downstream. Now all of a sudden, they don't fit 288 00:26:09,659 --> 00:26:13,219 in. Everybody used to like them. Now they think they're a little 289 00:26:13,219 --> 00:26:17,739 crazy. You don't get invited. You get passed over sometimes for 290 00:26:17,739 --> 00:26:22,579 promotions. People you thought would never turn against you can 291 00:26:22,579 --> 00:26:27,309 turn against you. Many Times because you're doing what's right, 292 00:26:28,189 --> 00:26:32,469 you're doing the right thing. I won't ask you to raise your hand, 293 00:26:32,469 --> 00:26:38,989 but sometimes don't you feel a little lonely because so many people 294 00:26:38,989 --> 00:26:44,629 that you used to know seem to not care anymore. Or at least not 295 00:26:44,629 --> 00:26:50,989 care like you do. The earlier a Christian realizes this, the better. 296 00:26:53,339 --> 00:26:56,459 You'll never regret following him. But there's no gliding into 297 00:26:56,459 --> 00:26:59,579 heaven without a struggle. No cross, no crown, no conflict, no 298 00:26:59,579 --> 00:27:05,139 conquest, no battles, no victories. The world, the flesh and 299 00:27:05,139 --> 00:27:11,659 the devil is going to continue till Jesus comes. And by the way, 300 00:27:11,659 --> 00:27:17,749 he's on the way. I believe Christ is on the way. You know something 301 00:27:19,029 --> 00:27:24,589 that we need to also realize. We all kind of jerk when we hear 302 00:27:24,589 --> 00:27:29,069 this, but you know, if we'll be honest and stop and think for 303 00:27:29,069 --> 00:27:34,069 a moment. It's really a dangerous thing to never have any 304 00:27:34,069 --> 00:27:39,349 trouble. You say, well, I don't know. I'd sure like to try 305 00:27:39,349 --> 00:27:45,929 that. Well, so would I. I think that if we don't ever have 306 00:27:45,929 --> 00:27:52,609 any trouble, we won't pray as much. We won't be as thankful. We'll 307 00:27:52,689 --> 00:28:00,289 take it for granted we won't be as thankful. A lot of we'd be 308 00:28:00,369 --> 00:28:04,529 totally different. But in fact I venture to say that if we have 309 00:28:04,529 --> 00:28:07,969 never had any problems, most of us might not even be here tonight. 310 00:28:10,859 --> 00:28:17,699 It's kind of dangerous. Job said. Man is born into trouble and 311 00:28:17,699 --> 00:28:25,259 the sparks fly upward. The Christians conflicts may often be 312 00:28:25,259 --> 00:28:30,659 very terrible. This was no little whelp of a cub. This wasn't 313 00:28:30,659 --> 00:28:35,979 a little kitty cat that Samson met. It was a lion. Fullness of its 314 00:28:35,979 --> 00:28:45,579 early strength and. Temptations. Sometimes doubts and 315 00:28:45,579 --> 00:28:53,819 fears. Friends turning against you. Loss goes on and on and they 316 00:28:53,819 --> 00:28:57,339 usually come when we are least prepared for them. I don't think 317 00:28:57,339 --> 00:29:01,189 Samson says, I think I'll go lion hunting today. I don't. The 318 00:29:01,189 --> 00:29:04,229 Bible doesn't say where he was doing, where he was going or what 319 00:29:04,229 --> 00:29:07,309 he was doing. But I would venture to say he probably wasn't 320 00:29:07,309 --> 00:29:11,629 saying, I feel like going out and killing a lion today. But it 321 00:29:11,629 --> 00:29:20,149 happened. Things can happen to us very quickly. He was alone. No 322 00:29:20,149 --> 00:29:26,269 one was within call to aid him. Human sympathy is a precious 323 00:29:26,269 --> 00:29:30,539 thing. But there are some times in our spiritual conflicts 324 00:29:30,539 --> 00:29:38,579 when no one's around. I don't think all of us will. Probably none 325 00:29:38,579 --> 00:29:42,379 of us will ever really get it. But we still need to try to not put 326 00:29:42,379 --> 00:29:46,899 our faith in friends and money and jobs and all the things that 327 00:29:46,899 --> 00:29:51,539 we think are secure. We're not to live in fear and shake up all 328 00:29:51,539 --> 00:29:55,529 the time and worry. But God says you're going to have to lean 329 00:29:55,529 --> 00:29:58,329 on me. And trust me, you're mine. I bought you. I'm going to 330 00:29:58,329 --> 00:30:02,649 take care of you. I'm not going to forsake you even when you're 331 00:30:02,649 --> 00:30:05,409 bad. I'm going to spank you. But I'm not going to throw you away. 332 00:30:06,529 --> 00:30:12,089 Not according to the Bible. Once saved, always say, we are born 333 00:30:12,089 --> 00:30:16,489 in the family and you can't be unborn. We can feel like we're unborn. 334 00:30:16,489 --> 00:30:25,499 We can live like we're unborn. Walk close to him. If a roaring lion 335 00:30:25,499 --> 00:30:29,339 that goes about seeking whom he may devour finds us alone among 336 00:30:29,339 --> 00:30:33,659 the vineyards, where is our hope? It's not in our heels. He's 337 00:30:33,659 --> 00:30:40,219 swifter than we are. It's not in our brains. It's not in ourselves. 338 00:30:41,899 --> 00:30:48,869 It's in Christ. Walk close to him. Remember that old hymn, Just 339 00:30:48,869 --> 00:30:55,669 a Closer Walk with Thee. The spirit of Lord came upon him. But 340 00:30:55,669 --> 00:31:03,349 not only does the believer have conflicts, we have sweets. Am 341 00:31:03,349 --> 00:31:10,759 I right? Come on, say come. Everybody say amen. You've had some 342 00:31:10,759 --> 00:31:13,919 sweet times since you've been saved. It hasn't all been downhill. 343 00:31:14,399 --> 00:31:20,679 It hasn't all been depression and disaster and problems, problems, 344 00:31:20,679 --> 00:31:24,319 problems. We all have had problems. But we sure have had some 345 00:31:24,319 --> 00:31:28,879 blessings. We've had some sweet times with the Lord. We've 346 00:31:28,879 --> 00:31:32,799 had peace that passeth all understanding. We have a joy that 347 00:31:33,039 --> 00:31:36,999 doesn't depend on people or things or circumstances or the weather 348 00:31:36,999 --> 00:31:42,919 or anything like that. We've been blessed. Sometimes we forget 349 00:31:42,919 --> 00:31:49,519 that so far tonight, you've survived all of your worst days so 350 00:31:49,519 --> 00:31:56,199 far. Amen. You've survived by the grace of God. You thought you 351 00:31:56,199 --> 00:32:00,159 were finished. You thought, there's no way out of this. Here 352 00:32:00,159 --> 00:32:08,009 you are. Paul said what things were gain to me. Those I counted 353 00:32:08,009 --> 00:32:10,889 loss for Christ, yea, doubtless. And I count all things 354 00:32:11,209 --> 00:32:14,729 but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my 355 00:32:14,729 --> 00:32:18,809 Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count 356 00:32:18,809 --> 00:32:26,849 them as dung that I may win Christ. I would sooner possess the 357 00:32:26,849 --> 00:32:32,109 joy of Jesus five minutes than revel in the laughter of fools for 358 00:32:32,109 --> 00:32:41,949 a century. There's always plenty of honey from God. When Samson 359 00:32:41,949 --> 00:32:47,029 returned to the scene of the battle, he wasn't afraid. He knew 360 00:32:47,029 --> 00:32:51,109 the lion was dead. He had killed the lion. When he saw that 361 00:32:51,109 --> 00:32:57,839 lion, it reminded him. We go back to the old places of temptation 362 00:32:57,839 --> 00:33:02,479 and sin. There's some of those that no longer really are as much 363 00:33:02,479 --> 00:33:06,279 of a temptation anymore. We have other temptations. There's not 364 00:33:06,279 --> 00:33:10,279 anybody here that doesn't have some kind of temptations. But there's 365 00:33:10,279 --> 00:33:13,559 some of the things that used to really, really be a temptation 366 00:33:13,559 --> 00:33:18,199 and now you just kind of kick them out of the way. But the devil 367 00:33:18,199 --> 00:33:21,969 knows which one to get you, doesn't he? I've never been tempted 368 00:33:21,969 --> 00:33:27,849 to take drugs. I've never tasted alcohol. The devil's never. 369 00:33:27,929 --> 00:33:31,769 I'm not saying I couldn't become a drunkard and lose everything 370 00:33:31,769 --> 00:33:38,329 I've got. I wouldn't say ever say anything like that. But it's 371 00:33:38,329 --> 00:33:46,499 not a temptation for me. There's a lot of things, temptations, 372 00:33:48,019 --> 00:33:53,659 they never stop. But as we grow in the Lord and we grow stronger 373 00:33:53,659 --> 00:33:56,339 in the Lord, weaker in ourself, but stronger in the Lord, 374 00:33:56,659 --> 00:34:00,699 and we learn how to consider him in all that we do, in all thy 375 00:34:00,699 --> 00:34:06,899 ways, acknowledge him and lean on him sometimes. When I think about 376 00:34:06,899 --> 00:34:11,179 quitting, I'm probably the only one here tonight that's ever 377 00:34:11,179 --> 00:34:17,339 thought about that. But when I think about quitting, I remember. 378 00:34:18,619 --> 00:34:24,739 I remember some of the great victories that God has given me in 379 00:34:24,739 --> 00:34:31,499 my life. I realize how far God has brought me. I rehearse that all 380 00:34:31,499 --> 00:34:37,059 the time. I don't jump out of bed every morning. My wife does. 381 00:34:37,059 --> 00:34:43,488 She's like a rabbit that I fall out of bed. But no, seriously, 382 00:34:43,488 --> 00:34:47,008 there's a lot of times when I'll lay there and read some scripture 383 00:34:47,008 --> 00:34:52,408 and I'll just begin to rehearse how far God has brought 384 00:34:52,408 --> 00:35:03,008 me since I got saved at 14. It just. It almost drowns me to think 385 00:35:03,168 --> 00:35:09,899 I've come too far to turn back now. Too many miles behind me. Too 386 00:35:09,899 --> 00:35:15,939 many trials are through Too many sunsets lie behind the mountain. 387 00:35:17,139 --> 00:35:24,059 There's too much to gain to lose. And then, last of all, the 388 00:35:24,059 --> 00:35:29,579 believer's life leads him to share these sweets. He took the honey 389 00:35:29,579 --> 00:35:32,419 in his hands, he went on eating, came to his father and mother. 390 00:35:32,419 --> 00:35:35,839 He, you know the moment a man is converted, if he's truly converted. 391 00:35:35,839 --> 00:35:39,719 And I wish I didn't have to say it that way, but so many people 392 00:35:40,279 --> 00:35:43,719 have a counterfeit conversion. I know it. I'm telling you, I've 393 00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:48,638 been around. I mean, Jesus said we don't go around judging everybody. 394 00:35:48,638 --> 00:35:51,799 But Jesus said, you'll know them by their fruits. You'll know 395 00:35:51,799 --> 00:35:55,879 if it's an apple tree or not because it'll have apples on it. 396 00:35:59,089 --> 00:36:04,649 And it's disturbing. It's scary to know that how many people 397 00:36:04,649 --> 00:36:07,729 think they're saved, but they've never really repented and 398 00:36:08,129 --> 00:36:10,849 never really put all their trust In Christ, they just want to 399 00:36:10,849 --> 00:36:18,089 turn over a new leaf and try to be a better person. But the moment 400 00:36:18,089 --> 00:36:22,369 a man is converted, if he would let himself alone, his new 401 00:36:22,369 --> 00:36:28,449 nature will immediately lead him to tell other people. Before 402 00:36:28,449 --> 00:36:32,289 I ever heard a sermon, before any preacher ever told me, now that 403 00:36:32,289 --> 00:36:35,609 you're saved, you need to go tell somebody else. No. I literally 404 00:36:35,609 --> 00:36:39,889 ran out of the church and ran home to tell my family that I'd gotten 405 00:36:39,889 --> 00:36:43,849 saved. And I wanted to tell them how to get saved. No one told 406 00:36:43,849 --> 00:36:48,449 me I led my best friend to Christ on the gym floor in junior 407 00:36:48,449 --> 00:36:52,459 high school. They had a break and we was in the gym and we sat 408 00:36:52,459 --> 00:36:58,459 down against the wall. His name was Rick Johnson. And I shared 409 00:36:58,459 --> 00:37:01,539 with him the Gospel. I said, rick, I gotta tell you something. 410 00:37:02,339 --> 00:37:06,099 Something happened to me and I want you to know about it. Cause 411 00:37:06,099 --> 00:37:12,899 it can happen to you. He got saved and we sang in church together 412 00:37:12,899 --> 00:37:18,889 and served the Lord in the youth department together. When you 413 00:37:18,889 --> 00:37:23,129 first get saved, you know Samson, the first thing he thought 414 00:37:23,129 --> 00:37:30,369 of, I want give some of this honey to mom and dad. Don't give 415 00:37:30,369 --> 00:37:34,649 up on your lost loved ones. Tell them of Christ. And then live 416 00:37:34,649 --> 00:37:40,129 Christ. Let Christ live through you. The believer will do 417 00:37:40,129 --> 00:37:44,049 the best he can. Samson had nothing to carry the honey in but 418 00:37:44,049 --> 00:37:48,659 his hands. But that didn't stop him. You may not know a lot 419 00:37:48,659 --> 00:37:52,779 about the Bible yet, but you can give others what you have, what 420 00:37:52,779 --> 00:37:58,499 Christ did for you. Samson didn't just tell them about the honey. 421 00:37:58,499 --> 00:38:06,419 He said, here, taste it and see. He took it to them. He didn't 422 00:38:06,419 --> 00:38:10,739 say, there's a lion out there in the pasture. If you need some 423 00:38:10,739 --> 00:38:14,779 honey, you're hungry, he's right out there. Go out there and 424 00:38:14,779 --> 00:38:23,219 help yourself. No, no. He took it to them. People have heard a lot 425 00:38:23,219 --> 00:38:27,859 of talk. They need to taste honey. They need to taste Jesus. 426 00:38:29,219 --> 00:38:32,219 They need to see a demonstration. Carry the grace of 427 00:38:32,219 --> 00:38:36,419 God wherever you go. And Samson did all this in modesty. Twice. 428 00:38:36,419 --> 00:38:41,189 It tells us that he didn't tell his parents what he had done, 429 00:38:41,189 --> 00:38:45,629 where the honey came from, that wasn't important to him. Guess 430 00:38:45,629 --> 00:38:49,309 what, Mom. Guess what, dad. No. He said, here, taste this honey. 431 00:38:49,469 --> 00:38:53,389 It's the best I've ever had. That's all that mattered to him. 432 00:38:57,389 --> 00:39:01,629 It's about the honey, isn't it? It's about Christ. It don't come 433 00:39:01,629 --> 00:39:08,339 any sweeter than Jesus. I never will. You had any honey lately? 434 00:39:09,539 --> 00:39:17,659 You had some time with Jesus? Taste him again and say, wow, what 435 00:39:17,659 --> 00:39:25,259 a savior. Are you in conflict right now in your life? Well, God 436 00:39:25,259 --> 00:39:30,259 says You can be more than conquerors if you'll just let me 437 00:39:30,699 --> 00:39:36,379 have control. We want the comfort without the control. God 438 00:39:36,379 --> 00:39:40,219 says, I can't do that. I can't comfort you while you're doing your 439 00:39:40,219 --> 00:39:47,779 own thing. Give up your will to me and let me have you. I can 440 00:39:47,779 --> 00:39:54,139 take care of all your enemies. And think about the honey the next 441 00:39:54,139 --> 00:40:03,119 time the old lion roars, think about the honey. Amen. Let's stand 442 00:40:03,119 --> 00:40:07,559 with our heads bowed and eyes closed for just a moment. A little 443 00:40:07,559 --> 00:40:13,918 different type of sermon than I usually preach. But I've been thinking 444 00:40:13,918 --> 00:40:17,199 about it for a couple weeks, looking it over and reading it over. 445 00:40:20,639 --> 00:40:25,569 Maybe somebody would feel tonight, you know, that was really 446 00:40:25,569 --> 00:40:30,009 help me. That was for me because I'm having trouble with that 447 00:40:30,009 --> 00:40:36,969 old devil and I need more power in my life. And I want to let 448 00:40:36,969 --> 00:40:40,329 others. I want to take honey to others. I want to share the gospel. 449 00:40:41,609 --> 00:40:44,249 Maybe you're here tonight and you're not even sure you're saved. 450 00:40:45,289 --> 00:40:48,489 I wouldn't ever say everybody's here saved. I don't know. 451 00:40:48,489 --> 00:40:57,519 I would maybe guess they are. If you're not sure you could get 452 00:40:57,519 --> 00:41:02,879 that settled tonight, forever. Never have to worry about it again. 453 00:41:05,599 --> 00:41:10,319 Whatever your need is, whatever your burden is, Jesus said, 454 00:41:10,319 --> 00:41:17,569 come unto me all ye that are heavy, heavy laden and I'll give 455 00:41:17,569 --> 00:41:24,809 you rest, take my yoke upon you. That's the part that we get 456 00:41:24,809 --> 00:41:28,169 under the yoke with Christ instead of trying to squirm our way 457 00:41:28,169 --> 00:41:35,489 out and run away. Say, lord, whatever you want me to do, I'm going 458 00:41:35,489 --> 00:41:38,009 to pray. And if God's touched your heart, you may just want to 459 00:41:38,009 --> 00:41:41,799 come and thank him for how far he's brought you. You may have a 460 00:41:41,799 --> 00:41:45,319 burden tonight for somebody that's lost that you've been praying 461 00:41:45,319 --> 00:41:51,679 for and trying to witness to for such a long time. Don't give 462 00:41:51,679 --> 00:41:55,039 up. Maybe you'd want to come and pray for them. Maybe some of 463 00:41:55,039 --> 00:41:59,879 you like to come and pray again for the camp tonight. Young 464 00:41:59,879 --> 00:42:06,159 people, lives could change forever. I don't know your need, 465 00:42:06,159 --> 00:42:11,549 but God does. Heavenly Father, speak to our hearts tonight. And 466 00:42:11,549 --> 00:42:16,349 Lord, take us by the hand and lead us. Lord, forgive us when we're 467 00:42:16,349 --> 00:42:22,229 stubborn and try to pull back or pull away. Lord, help us to live 468 00:42:22,389 --> 00:42:30,509 every day yielded and surrendered. I pray, Father, that 469 00:42:30,509 --> 00:42:33,749 you would help us to be leadable tonight. In Jesus name. 470 00:42:35,349 --> 00:42:36,169 Heads are bowed.