1 00:00:30,099 --> 00:00:33,219 And that's Psalm 23, but I'm not going to speak on that whole 2 00:00:33,219 --> 00:00:33,619 psalm. 3 00:00:33,619 --> 00:00:39,019 But I want to lift a little phrase out of there for the message 4 00:00:39,019 --> 00:00:41,539 tonight in Psalm 23. 5 00:00:42,979 --> 00:00:46,859 How many of you have ever been driving down a road, maybe probably 6 00:00:46,859 --> 00:00:54,459 a country road, and it was in the spring and the grass was green 7 00:00:54,459 --> 00:00:57,769 and tall and look great? 8 00:00:58,809 --> 00:01:03,329 How many have you ever done that and see a cow or a horse standing 9 00:01:03,329 --> 00:01:10,089 in grass and trying to get through the fence to get some grass 10 00:01:10,889 --> 00:01:12,569 about six inches from them? 11 00:01:13,289 --> 00:01:15,129 Anybody ever seen that happen? 12 00:01:15,129 --> 00:01:17,289 Some of them, I tell you what, they try hard. 13 00:01:17,289 --> 00:01:23,459 I mean, they're standing in grass, bright green, sweet, juicy 14 00:01:23,459 --> 00:01:23,939 grass. 15 00:01:24,019 --> 00:01:25,539 But there's something over there. 16 00:01:26,179 --> 00:01:27,779 You heard the expression, haven't you? 17 00:01:27,779 --> 00:01:29,059 You know where I'm going with this? 18 00:01:30,419 --> 00:01:31,459 The grass always. 19 00:01:32,579 --> 00:01:33,699 What's the next word? 20 00:01:34,099 --> 00:01:34,819 Looks. 21 00:01:35,779 --> 00:01:38,819 That's important, you understand that, because looks can 22 00:01:38,819 --> 00:01:42,099 be deceiving sometimes, right? 23 00:01:43,459 --> 00:01:48,109 Sometimes the grass looks greener on the other side. 24 00:01:50,749 --> 00:01:53,349 I'm going to ask you to raise your hand, but some of you probably 25 00:01:53,349 --> 00:01:56,989 have wondered, well, looks like if I went to another church, 26 00:01:57,229 --> 00:01:58,829 grass would be a lot greener. 27 00:02:00,029 --> 00:02:03,269 I think maybe I need to just go to another church, or maybe I 28 00:02:03,269 --> 00:02:06,989 need to go to another house, or maybe I need to get another job. 29 00:02:06,989 --> 00:02:09,949 It looks like everybody working over there, their grass is 30 00:02:09,949 --> 00:02:11,549 a lot greener than my grass. 31 00:02:12,679 --> 00:02:16,199 Well, not too long ago they put some new. 32 00:02:18,119 --> 00:02:19,559 It's not grass, is it? 33 00:02:20,279 --> 00:02:23,799 Right outside this building for the daycare. 34 00:02:24,679 --> 00:02:28,079 And it sure does look good, but I don't know if anybody'd want 35 00:02:28,079 --> 00:02:28,679 to eat it. 36 00:02:30,119 --> 00:02:32,679 I don't even know if they call it Astroturf anymore. 37 00:02:32,679 --> 00:02:38,239 That's kind of an old label they used to have, but it's not real. 38 00:02:38,239 --> 00:02:40,979 But it looks good and it's safe for the kids and. 39 00:02:41,049 --> 00:02:44,009 And you don't have to mow it and all that kind of stuff. 40 00:02:44,409 --> 00:02:51,049 But I'm talking about in the Bible, in Psalm 23, he leadeth me. 41 00:02:52,249 --> 00:02:53,289 The Bible says. 42 00:02:53,449 --> 00:02:54,489 You know what it says? 43 00:02:55,369 --> 00:02:56,689 He talks about the shepherd. 44 00:02:56,689 --> 00:02:58,489 It's coming from the great Shepherd. 45 00:03:01,209 --> 00:03:04,649 And the Bible says, he maketh me to lie down. 46 00:03:04,649 --> 00:03:05,249 In what? 47 00:03:05,249 --> 00:03:06,329 Green pastures. 48 00:03:08,819 --> 00:03:09,779 Green pastures. 49 00:03:11,859 --> 00:03:14,779 I hope you'll listen to me tonight and not just turn it off. 50 00:03:14,779 --> 00:03:18,099 Because you think, yeah, I don't ever worry about that. 51 00:03:18,099 --> 00:03:20,299 I don't ever envy other people. 52 00:03:20,299 --> 00:03:25,139 I don't ever wish maybe I had what they have or could go where 53 00:03:25,139 --> 00:03:28,859 they go or make the money they make or this. 54 00:03:28,859 --> 00:03:32,779 And I know probably nobody here would ever have a problem with 55 00:03:32,779 --> 00:03:32,979 that. 56 00:03:32,979 --> 00:03:36,019 But a lot of Christians wonder What it would be like. 57 00:03:37,969 --> 00:03:38,609 Must be nice. 58 00:03:38,609 --> 00:03:40,449 You ever heard anybody say it must be nice? 59 00:03:41,489 --> 00:03:43,489 A lot of times they're actually. 60 00:03:43,649 --> 00:03:48,089 They wouldn't admit it, but a lot of times they seem to make an 61 00:03:48,089 --> 00:03:50,929 implication like it's not very nice where they are. 62 00:03:51,009 --> 00:03:54,209 Must be nice to have what they have. 63 00:03:57,809 --> 00:04:02,609 I'm not telling you anything new, but the grass does sometimes 64 00:04:02,689 --> 00:04:03,089 look. 65 00:04:04,599 --> 00:04:08,279 Satan is very good at counterfeiting. 66 00:04:08,279 --> 00:04:09,639 He's very good at deceiving. 67 00:04:09,639 --> 00:04:11,079 He's a good artist. 68 00:04:11,079 --> 00:04:16,159 He can make things, always make things look better than what 69 00:04:16,159 --> 00:04:16,919 they really are. 70 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:20,159 The grass always looks. 71 00:04:20,159 --> 00:04:21,959 Well, we don't live by looks. 72 00:04:22,039 --> 00:04:23,399 We live by faith. 73 00:04:24,199 --> 00:04:25,959 We look at things which are not seen. 74 00:04:27,399 --> 00:04:29,239 We don't look at things which are temporary. 75 00:04:31,259 --> 00:04:35,459 And there's nothing wrong with wanting maybe better things if you 76 00:04:35,459 --> 00:04:37,179 want to use them for the glory of God. 77 00:04:37,419 --> 00:04:40,419 If you're not complaining about what God's given you and why 78 00:04:40,419 --> 00:04:41,179 he's given you. 79 00:04:41,579 --> 00:04:47,019 And the Bible says we ought to be thankful for what we do have in 80 00:04:47,019 --> 00:04:48,699 everything, give thanks. 81 00:04:49,499 --> 00:04:52,059 It may take some faith to do that sometimes. 82 00:04:53,179 --> 00:04:54,459 Bible doesn't say it's easy. 83 00:04:54,459 --> 00:04:59,219 It takes faith sometimes to say, well, just thank God. 84 00:04:59,299 --> 00:05:00,899 Go forward, see what happens. 85 00:05:00,979 --> 00:05:03,699 Living one day at a time, trusting God, he's going to take 86 00:05:03,699 --> 00:05:04,339 care of us. 87 00:05:04,659 --> 00:05:05,419 He promised. 88 00:05:05,419 --> 00:05:06,339 He always has. 89 00:05:07,459 --> 00:05:10,019 There's not anybody here tonight that say that, would stand 90 00:05:10,019 --> 00:05:12,979 up and say, well, most of the time, God's taking care of me. 91 00:05:13,379 --> 00:05:16,979 I don't think anybody would want to make that statement, at least 92 00:05:16,979 --> 00:05:17,859 not publicly. 93 00:05:18,899 --> 00:05:21,419 There have been some times when we thought, boy, this is getting 94 00:05:21,419 --> 00:05:21,779 close. 95 00:05:21,779 --> 00:05:24,079 But here you are. 96 00:05:25,199 --> 00:05:26,399 God brought you through. 97 00:05:27,679 --> 00:05:31,119 You got, well, a lot of people. 98 00:05:31,359 --> 00:05:34,519 It's not God's will for them to be healed or get well. 99 00:05:34,519 --> 00:05:35,479 He wants them in heaven. 100 00:05:35,479 --> 00:05:39,279 And sometimes that's his cause, not ours. 101 00:05:40,239 --> 00:05:41,159 But here you are. 102 00:05:41,159 --> 00:05:44,159 God's not through with you yet, and God's brought you so far, 103 00:05:44,159 --> 00:05:48,079 and he's taken care of you and he's going to continue to do that. 104 00:05:50,239 --> 00:05:52,359 The grass looks greener on the other side. 105 00:05:52,359 --> 00:05:58,399 But what about this side, the side you're on? 106 00:05:59,439 --> 00:06:01,039 You are on God's side, right? 107 00:06:03,119 --> 00:06:04,239 What about this side? 108 00:06:04,879 --> 00:06:06,799 Are you over there or are you over here? 109 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,159 Sometimes we're over here, but our heart's over there. 110 00:06:12,399 --> 00:06:18,609 Looks sometimes our vision, our spiritual vision, you know. 111 00:06:18,609 --> 00:06:20,449 Can you get spiritual cataracts? 112 00:06:20,449 --> 00:06:20,889 You think. 113 00:06:21,289 --> 00:06:24,449 You think sometimes we can get our sight spiritually? 114 00:06:24,449 --> 00:06:25,689 Can get a little blurry. 115 00:06:29,529 --> 00:06:33,289 You get older, you go to the doctor a little more often and say, 116 00:06:33,289 --> 00:06:36,609 I think I'd like to get another Pair of glasses, a little 117 00:06:36,609 --> 00:06:40,899 bit stronger looks. 118 00:06:44,099 --> 00:06:50,179 We're on the edge, as you well know, of AI artificial intelligence. 119 00:06:51,619 --> 00:06:57,619 And it's going to probably turn out to be like television and 120 00:06:57,619 --> 00:06:58,499 the cell phone. 121 00:06:59,139 --> 00:07:01,659 There'll probably be some good things maybe about it. 122 00:07:01,659 --> 00:07:03,859 But overall, we better be very careful. 123 00:07:05,389 --> 00:07:06,189 Very careful. 124 00:07:06,749 --> 00:07:11,229 I personally believe, and you don't have to agree, but I think 125 00:07:11,709 --> 00:07:17,149 AI could possibly play a very leading role in Satan's plan for 126 00:07:17,149 --> 00:07:18,029 the Antichrist. 127 00:07:18,029 --> 00:07:21,949 Because the Antichrist is going to have a great power to deceive 128 00:07:21,949 --> 00:07:22,349 people. 129 00:07:23,309 --> 00:07:25,109 He's not going to look bad. 130 00:07:25,109 --> 00:07:28,349 He's not going to look like Antichrist. 131 00:07:29,389 --> 00:07:31,429 He's not going to come on the scene like that. 132 00:07:31,429 --> 00:07:34,679 In fact, the Bible says the whole world's gonna go, wow. 133 00:07:36,199 --> 00:07:37,879 And he's gonna have powers. 134 00:07:38,679 --> 00:07:41,159 He'd be able to perform miracles, the Bible says. 135 00:07:42,839 --> 00:07:48,239 And you have Satan, of course, and then you have the Antichrist, 136 00:07:48,239 --> 00:07:52,199 and then you have the false prophet, and they're already at work. 137 00:07:53,799 --> 00:07:58,199 But this AI thing, in regards to what I'm trying to say tonight, 138 00:07:58,199 --> 00:07:58,599 something. 139 00:07:58,919 --> 00:08:05,319 Sometimes AI can create something that looks very real and 140 00:08:05,319 --> 00:08:05,879 very good. 141 00:08:11,959 --> 00:08:13,559 I want you to think about that tonight. 142 00:08:13,559 --> 00:08:20,039 I want you to think about the grass on his side, which you should 143 00:08:20,039 --> 00:08:20,239 say. 144 00:08:20,239 --> 00:08:21,039 You mean our side? 145 00:08:21,039 --> 00:08:23,799 Yes, if you're on the side of Christ. 146 00:08:24,679 --> 00:08:27,159 Jesus said, if you're not for me, you're against me. 147 00:08:29,249 --> 00:08:31,569 But he said, take up the cross and follow me. 148 00:08:32,529 --> 00:08:40,889 And if you are a follower of Christ, I think we can say, if we're 149 00:08:40,889 --> 00:08:47,089 careful and think it through and don't be hasty to sometimes verbalize 150 00:08:47,329 --> 00:08:49,009 things and just say, wait a minute. 151 00:08:50,289 --> 00:08:53,249 They may look happy, but I wonder how happy they really are. 152 00:08:54,469 --> 00:08:57,749 They may look like the perfect home, but I wonder what goes on behind 153 00:08:57,749 --> 00:08:59,349 Clyde's closed doors. 154 00:09:00,389 --> 00:09:04,509 It may look like the perfect job, but I wonder what they had to 155 00:09:04,509 --> 00:09:06,389 sacrifice to get that job. 156 00:09:09,509 --> 00:09:10,389 You with me? 157 00:09:11,989 --> 00:09:14,549 We just need to be reminded of this every once in a while. 158 00:09:14,549 --> 00:09:16,069 We live in a changing world. 159 00:09:18,789 --> 00:09:21,829 This other side depends on which side you're on. 160 00:09:25,329 --> 00:09:28,769 Go ahead where you're in Psalms 23, but go over to chapter 161 00:09:29,329 --> 00:09:34,529 95 of the Book of Psalms, chapter number 95. 162 00:09:34,609 --> 00:09:36,169 Stay with me a little bit longer. 163 00:09:36,169 --> 00:09:39,769 I'll give you a few things to write down that I hope will be helpful 164 00:09:39,769 --> 00:09:40,969 and practical to you. 165 00:09:40,969 --> 00:09:45,649 But in Psalm, chapter 95, verse 6. 166 00:09:48,379 --> 00:09:50,459 Oh, come let us worship and bow down. 167 00:09:50,459 --> 00:09:54,379 Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God and 168 00:09:54,379 --> 00:09:58,059 we are the people of his pasture. 169 00:09:59,019 --> 00:10:01,019 There's a lot of pastures out there. 170 00:10:01,739 --> 00:10:02,619 Satan is. 171 00:10:02,779 --> 00:10:04,619 He's the master counterfeiter. 172 00:10:05,019 --> 00:10:09,419 He counterfeits Bibles, he counterfeits the gospel, he counterfeits 173 00:10:09,899 --> 00:10:14,619 gospel music, he counterfeits churches, he counterfeits preachers. 174 00:10:15,489 --> 00:10:17,889 We live in a world of a lot of counterfeiting. 175 00:10:18,609 --> 00:10:21,089 Satan is the master of deceit. 176 00:10:21,089 --> 00:10:25,249 He's a liar, but he's very convincing. 177 00:10:26,369 --> 00:10:31,689 If Christians are not grounded, if they're not just told 178 00:10:31,689 --> 00:10:36,169 what to believe, but why we believe it, you ought to be able 179 00:10:36,169 --> 00:10:38,849 to write down some things that you're not sure why you believe it 180 00:10:38,849 --> 00:10:39,649 and find out. 181 00:10:41,179 --> 00:10:41,659 Amen. 182 00:10:43,099 --> 00:10:46,539 And don't assume that your kids, just because they follow you, 183 00:10:47,179 --> 00:10:48,379 that they agree. 184 00:10:48,699 --> 00:10:51,859 Maybe they need someone needs to explain to them how come we don't 185 00:10:51,859 --> 00:10:53,859 go over there or how come we don't do this? 186 00:10:53,859 --> 00:10:59,739 Or how come we can't have a big Christian rock concert in our 187 00:10:59,739 --> 00:11:00,139 church. 188 00:11:00,619 --> 00:11:03,379 All my friends have theirs, and boy, they have a blast. 189 00:11:03,379 --> 00:11:04,219 They have a ball. 190 00:11:04,779 --> 00:11:06,059 Why can't we do that? 191 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:07,439 We don't do that. 192 00:11:07,439 --> 00:11:08,839 Son, be quiet. 193 00:11:09,239 --> 00:11:10,519 That's not a good answer. 194 00:11:11,399 --> 00:11:12,679 It's not a good answer. 195 00:11:13,639 --> 00:11:15,879 It takes time to find good answers. 196 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:20,439 The Bible says to study, to show thyself approved unto God. 197 00:11:20,919 --> 00:11:21,959 The answer's there. 198 00:11:21,959 --> 00:11:22,839 I believe that. 199 00:11:24,039 --> 00:11:24,919 I really do. 200 00:11:26,519 --> 00:11:29,319 But a lot of people don't realize. 201 00:11:29,319 --> 00:11:30,039 They don't understand. 202 00:11:30,119 --> 00:11:31,879 They don't take time to find out. 203 00:11:33,569 --> 00:11:37,089 It says, we are the people of his pasture. 204 00:11:37,249 --> 00:11:39,169 We're not in the world's pasture. 205 00:11:39,729 --> 00:11:45,409 And the sheep of his hand today, if you will hear his voice, 206 00:11:46,929 --> 00:11:49,729 harden not your heart as in the provocation. 207 00:11:51,089 --> 00:11:52,449 That's a big word. 208 00:11:52,929 --> 00:11:56,729 When they provoked God, they pushed him until he has poured out 209 00:11:56,729 --> 00:11:57,249 his wrath. 210 00:11:57,249 --> 00:11:57,889 Provoking. 211 00:11:59,259 --> 00:12:02,059 Harden not your heart as in the provocation, as in the day of 212 00:12:02,059 --> 00:12:05,699 temptation in the wilderness when your fathers tempted me, proved 213 00:12:05,699 --> 00:12:06,859 me and saw my work. 214 00:12:07,179 --> 00:12:12,579 40 years long was I grieved with this generation and said, it 215 00:12:12,579 --> 00:12:15,139 is a people that do err in their heart. 216 00:12:15,139 --> 00:12:22,179 And they have not known My ways, unto whom I swear in My wrath 217 00:12:22,179 --> 00:12:25,999 that they should not enter into my rest. 218 00:12:29,199 --> 00:12:30,479 Underline that word. 219 00:12:30,719 --> 00:12:31,359 Pasture. 220 00:12:31,359 --> 00:12:32,159 His pasture. 221 00:12:34,879 --> 00:12:36,159 People of his pasture. 222 00:12:36,159 --> 00:12:40,079 If you're saved, you're in his pasture. 223 00:12:42,719 --> 00:12:45,759 Or at least we ought to stay in the pasture. 224 00:12:47,039 --> 00:12:51,139 Don't turn to this, but in Ezekiel 34, because I want to get 225 00:12:51,139 --> 00:12:52,459 into this quickly. 226 00:12:52,459 --> 00:12:53,459 But listen. 227 00:12:53,459 --> 00:12:54,299 Just listen to this. 228 00:12:54,299 --> 00:12:55,179 Are you listening? 229 00:12:56,379 --> 00:12:58,259 Jot it down if you want to write it down. 230 00:12:58,259 --> 00:12:59,619 Or if you're quick, go ahead and turn. 231 00:12:59,619 --> 00:13:01,499 Ezekiel 34, verse 14. 232 00:13:02,219 --> 00:13:05,579 But you could jot it down and read it in the morning in your devotion. 233 00:13:05,579 --> 00:13:10,539 Or maybe when you get home tonight, lying in bed and taking 234 00:13:10,539 --> 00:13:14,339 a verse of scripture before you sleep. 235 00:13:14,339 --> 00:13:19,979 But in Ezekiel 34, verse 14, God says this, I will feed them, 236 00:13:20,219 --> 00:13:24,139 Talking about his people in a good pasture. 237 00:13:24,859 --> 00:13:30,859 And upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be. 238 00:13:33,259 --> 00:13:37,099 There shall they lie in a good fold. 239 00:13:38,779 --> 00:13:39,499 Watch this. 240 00:13:41,339 --> 00:13:42,939 And in a fat pasture. 241 00:13:43,919 --> 00:13:48,719 The word fat in the Bible always speaks of especially blessed 242 00:13:49,039 --> 00:13:49,839 running over. 243 00:13:54,639 --> 00:13:57,039 In a fat pasture, not a lean one. 244 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:01,359 They shall feed upon the mountains of Israel. 245 00:14:02,719 --> 00:14:04,399 Let me give you these things very quickly. 246 00:14:04,399 --> 00:14:05,039 Number one. 247 00:14:05,599 --> 00:14:08,319 The grass is always greener where the shepherd is. 248 00:14:09,609 --> 00:14:12,889 It's ridiculous for us to think that our great shepherd, our 249 00:14:12,889 --> 00:14:17,529 chief shepherd, our Lord Jesus Christ, our shepherd, would lead 250 00:14:17,529 --> 00:14:23,449 us, his sheep, into a brown, dead pasture. 251 00:14:25,929 --> 00:14:26,729 Am I right? 252 00:14:27,209 --> 00:14:28,969 I mean, it just doesn't make sense. 253 00:14:29,529 --> 00:14:30,969 It's not logical. 254 00:14:31,689 --> 00:14:34,729 The great shepherd follow me. 255 00:14:37,789 --> 00:14:42,509 He leadeth me in paths of righteousness. 256 00:14:48,269 --> 00:14:50,829 The grass is always green where the shepherd is. 257 00:14:53,069 --> 00:14:54,669 You say, ah, it's too simple. 258 00:14:55,869 --> 00:15:00,989 Well, God never designed it to be confusing. 259 00:15:04,519 --> 00:15:08,359 Stay close to the shepherd and you won't be envying other people 260 00:15:08,359 --> 00:15:10,279 and wish you had what they had. 261 00:15:10,999 --> 00:15:14,519 You won't be grumbling, uh oh, why'd you have to go there? 262 00:15:14,519 --> 00:15:16,919 We won't be murmuring, we won't be complaining. 263 00:15:18,359 --> 00:15:20,279 I know that's the nature of the sheep. 264 00:15:20,279 --> 00:15:23,439 But when the sheep are close to the shepherd and he's holding 265 00:15:23,439 --> 00:15:27,199 them and he's protecting them and he's watching over them, and 266 00:15:27,199 --> 00:15:39,019 he strokes them and he calls them by name, God is the great shepherd. 267 00:15:39,019 --> 00:15:40,579 Christ is the great shepherd. 268 00:15:42,179 --> 00:15:47,939 And he didn't want our life to be constantly confused. 269 00:15:48,739 --> 00:15:49,579 I don't know where to go. 270 00:15:49,579 --> 00:15:50,499 I don't know what to do. 271 00:15:51,059 --> 00:15:52,179 I don't know what to say. 272 00:15:52,739 --> 00:15:57,019 You may have times like that, but the Christian life, God didn't 273 00:15:57,019 --> 00:15:59,919 give us a Bible and dwells with the Holy Spirit. 274 00:16:00,319 --> 00:16:02,799 So every day we can say, I don't understand it. 275 00:16:03,119 --> 00:16:04,079 I don't get it. 276 00:16:04,079 --> 00:16:05,439 I can't figure it out. 277 00:16:07,519 --> 00:16:11,799 That's not the God of the Bible, you say, oh, well, Brother 278 00:16:11,799 --> 00:16:13,039 Weatherby, you know it all. 279 00:16:13,039 --> 00:16:14,799 No, I do not know it all. 280 00:16:14,799 --> 00:16:15,999 I don't even know half. 281 00:16:17,119 --> 00:16:20,799 I'm still learning, reading, growing, seeking, trying to understand, 282 00:16:21,119 --> 00:16:23,919 praying about the sermons that I preach and the. 283 00:16:24,209 --> 00:16:28,049 The lessons in my daily devotions and trying to understand. 284 00:16:28,209 --> 00:16:29,609 Lord, teach me and show me. 285 00:16:29,609 --> 00:16:30,609 I want to get this. 286 00:16:32,449 --> 00:16:34,849 God is not the author of confusion. 287 00:16:39,249 --> 00:16:42,209 Chaos and confusion is always a red flag. 288 00:16:42,449 --> 00:16:43,569 What do I mean by that? 289 00:16:46,049 --> 00:16:48,969 You're going to have some times like that, but if your life 290 00:16:48,969 --> 00:16:50,049 is Just constantly. 291 00:16:50,049 --> 00:16:51,249 I don't know what to do. 292 00:16:51,879 --> 00:16:52,839 That's a red flag. 293 00:16:52,839 --> 00:16:56,919 That means stop, don't go anywhere or do anything else until 294 00:16:56,919 --> 00:16:59,399 you understand and figure out what's going on. 295 00:16:59,959 --> 00:17:01,759 What's God doing in your life? 296 00:17:01,759 --> 00:17:03,559 Don't just keep going down the road. 297 00:17:08,199 --> 00:17:08,999 Confusion. 298 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:11,399 God's not the author. 299 00:17:13,719 --> 00:17:19,169 Sometimes we rush into something and we don't want to wait. 300 00:17:19,729 --> 00:17:27,009 That's my nature and probably some of you, you know, years ago. 301 00:17:28,689 --> 00:17:30,929 In fact, I've heard several preachers. 302 00:17:30,929 --> 00:17:33,729 But I'm thinking right now particularly about Dr. Barber. 303 00:17:33,729 --> 00:17:37,329 Raymond Barber wrote a book and he did a long series of sermons 304 00:17:37,329 --> 00:17:38,129 that I have. 305 00:17:38,529 --> 00:17:40,289 It's called Back to the Basics. 306 00:17:41,969 --> 00:17:43,329 I haven't heard it in a while. 307 00:17:43,409 --> 00:17:46,169 Haven't heard preachers preaching on that in a while. 308 00:17:46,249 --> 00:17:47,489 That doesn't mean they're not. 309 00:17:47,489 --> 00:17:49,929 They may have a different sermon or a different title. 310 00:17:53,369 --> 00:17:58,849 But don't you think maybe it would be good to get back to the 311 00:17:58,849 --> 00:18:06,849 basics of preaching, praying, singing, giving and telling others 312 00:18:06,849 --> 00:18:11,529 about Jesus instead of trying to figure out all these new ideas 313 00:18:11,529 --> 00:18:15,049 and what's the latest thing that's going on and what is the big 314 00:18:15,049 --> 00:18:15,849 church doing? 315 00:18:16,389 --> 00:18:17,829 Do what the big churches are doing. 316 00:18:17,909 --> 00:18:20,549 There's nothing wrong with wanting to have your church grow. 317 00:18:21,109 --> 00:18:23,589 And it doesn't mean if it's a big church, they're doing things 318 00:18:23,589 --> 00:18:23,909 wrong. 319 00:18:23,909 --> 00:18:25,829 I didn't say that and I wouldn't say that. 320 00:18:28,069 --> 00:18:32,749 But God's word will do the work and we don't need a new plan 321 00:18:32,749 --> 00:18:33,989 or a new idea. 322 00:18:35,349 --> 00:18:37,829 That's why we call ourselves fundamentalists. 323 00:18:39,669 --> 00:18:41,669 Are you comfortable with that word by the way? 324 00:18:42,619 --> 00:18:45,659 Because the world is fed up with fundamentalism. 325 00:18:47,579 --> 00:18:52,139 Why is because they're so stupid and narrow minded and judgmental. 326 00:18:53,179 --> 00:18:56,739 That's the world, that's the nation, that's the average person 327 00:18:56,739 --> 00:18:59,699 out there in the world outside as they're saying. 328 00:18:59,699 --> 00:19:02,619 You better watch out for those fundamentalists because they're trouble. 329 00:19:04,059 --> 00:19:06,059 They're always wanting to rock the boke. 330 00:19:06,299 --> 00:19:10,139 But the book, the bokeh, they're always going to rock the 331 00:19:10,139 --> 00:19:10,459 boat. 332 00:19:10,539 --> 00:19:12,059 They're so narrow minded. 333 00:19:15,419 --> 00:19:16,459 Let me tell you something. 334 00:19:17,899 --> 00:19:21,019 Back to the Basics is not a step backwards. 335 00:19:21,979 --> 00:19:23,339 It is a step forward. 336 00:19:26,379 --> 00:19:29,219 I'm not telling you anything you haven't already been taught and 337 00:19:29,219 --> 00:19:30,299 preached here for years. 338 00:19:30,299 --> 00:19:37,549 But this progressive movement, by the way, why would any Bible leaving 339 00:19:37,549 --> 00:19:40,309 Baptist church want to brag about being progressive? 340 00:19:40,469 --> 00:19:48,869 Because that is the telltale sign of liberalism. 341 00:19:48,869 --> 00:19:51,029 All the liberals want to be progressive. 342 00:19:51,429 --> 00:19:52,429 They're proud of it. 343 00:19:52,429 --> 00:19:53,429 We're progressive. 344 00:19:54,229 --> 00:19:57,429 Those conservatives are holding us back. 345 00:19:57,509 --> 00:20:00,229 Those conservatives are problems to our country. 346 00:20:02,889 --> 00:20:04,529 That's basically the state. 347 00:20:04,529 --> 00:20:07,049 We don't hang out with those kind of people most of the time. 348 00:20:07,209 --> 00:20:08,569 And so we don't know of it. 349 00:20:08,569 --> 00:20:09,529 We don't think about that. 350 00:20:09,529 --> 00:20:12,889 We think, yeah, there's some different opinion, but it's not that 351 00:20:12,889 --> 00:20:13,209 bad. 352 00:20:13,289 --> 00:20:14,089 It's worse. 353 00:20:16,329 --> 00:20:22,009 And yet every day Christians are saying we want to be more progressive. 354 00:20:22,249 --> 00:20:23,769 That sounds like a good word. 355 00:20:23,769 --> 00:20:26,369 Pro, forward, progress, go forward. 356 00:20:26,369 --> 00:20:27,609 Who wants to go backwards? 357 00:20:28,079 --> 00:20:29,199 Well, I don't want to go backwards. 358 00:20:29,199 --> 00:20:30,959 The Bible doesn't say to go backwards. 359 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:34,559 Jesus talked about going forward, but he said, follow me. 360 00:20:36,639 --> 00:20:39,919 And he said, hold fast those things that you have learned and 361 00:20:39,919 --> 00:20:40,559 been taught. 362 00:20:41,999 --> 00:20:42,879 Don't let go. 363 00:20:43,999 --> 00:20:45,519 But it's going to cost you. 364 00:20:45,679 --> 00:20:49,199 It's going to cost you family, it's going to cost you friends. 365 00:20:49,999 --> 00:20:51,519 It may cost you a job. 366 00:20:52,719 --> 00:20:55,879 It may cost you a lot of things that you never dreamed it 367 00:20:55,879 --> 00:20:56,799 would cost you. 368 00:20:56,879 --> 00:21:02,999 But it has always cost to take Jesus literally and follow him and 369 00:21:02,999 --> 00:21:03,919 be like him. 370 00:21:04,319 --> 00:21:06,479 And Jesus made it so plain. 371 00:21:06,719 --> 00:21:09,839 If they hated me, they're going to hate you. 372 00:21:14,479 --> 00:21:16,159 Most people if they're not. 373 00:21:16,399 --> 00:21:17,039 Now don't. 374 00:21:17,039 --> 00:21:18,879 Again, don't reword this. 375 00:21:19,519 --> 00:21:21,279 Make me say something I didn't say. 376 00:21:24,159 --> 00:21:31,289 But there's a lot of people that have this idea if you go back 377 00:21:31,289 --> 00:21:35,809 to the basics, you're going backwards and you need to leave all 378 00:21:35,809 --> 00:21:37,369 that old stuff. 379 00:21:39,289 --> 00:21:44,409 Well, the devils don't have to worry too much about it because usually, 380 00:21:44,889 --> 00:21:49,329 unfortunately, today, I'm gonna give you some positive things 381 00:21:49,329 --> 00:21:49,849 in a second. 382 00:21:49,849 --> 00:21:50,649 Just hang in there. 383 00:21:50,649 --> 00:21:51,249 Hold with me. 384 00:21:51,249 --> 00:21:52,729 Cause I'm talking about green pastures. 385 00:21:52,729 --> 00:21:54,009 I'm talking about the real stuff. 386 00:21:54,259 --> 00:21:56,899 I'm not talking about stuff that looks good or looks green or 387 00:21:56,899 --> 00:21:57,939 tastes pretty good. 388 00:21:57,939 --> 00:22:00,099 I'm talking about the real good stuff. 389 00:22:04,659 --> 00:22:11,699 But there are a lot today that say, well, once the old guys die 390 00:22:11,699 --> 00:22:16,659 off, we won't have to worry about that fundamentalism stuff anymore 391 00:22:17,379 --> 00:22:19,939 because they're not passing it down to the young ones. 392 00:22:21,149 --> 00:22:23,629 This church would be an exception to that rule. 393 00:22:23,629 --> 00:22:29,069 But most churches, the young ones are waiting for the old guys 394 00:22:29,069 --> 00:22:32,829 to die off so they can quit singing those old songs and doing 395 00:22:32,829 --> 00:22:36,348 those old things and reading that old Bible and doing it the old 396 00:22:36,348 --> 00:22:36,589 way. 397 00:22:36,589 --> 00:22:41,789 And most people think the old fashioned is silly, ridiculous, stupid, 398 00:22:41,789 --> 00:22:42,349 dumb. 399 00:22:43,229 --> 00:22:45,949 The only reason I'm saying this tonight, ladies and gentlemen, 400 00:22:46,719 --> 00:22:55,799 is because unless Jesus comes soon, and I believe he will, it's 401 00:22:55,799 --> 00:23:00,519 going to start getting more and more where if we're true to this 402 00:23:00,519 --> 00:23:05,439 book and true to our Savior, we are going to be mocked and we're 403 00:23:05,439 --> 00:23:07,879 going to be made fun of and we're going to be called names and 404 00:23:07,879 --> 00:23:08,399 we're not. 405 00:23:08,479 --> 00:23:09,799 We're going to be rejected. 406 00:23:09,799 --> 00:23:15,399 And most people I know can't handle that very well. 407 00:23:16,199 --> 00:23:17,079 Rejection. 408 00:23:17,719 --> 00:23:19,879 I'm not saying I love to be rejected. 409 00:23:20,919 --> 00:23:24,119 I'm not saying I can't wait for somebody else to reject me again. 410 00:23:24,839 --> 00:23:29,159 Jesus was despised and rejected of men. 411 00:23:37,569 --> 00:23:37,809 Is. 412 00:23:39,409 --> 00:23:41,089 I'm spending too much time on this. 413 00:23:43,089 --> 00:23:45,249 Is our nation progressing? 414 00:23:47,089 --> 00:23:48,889 Somebody tell me, are we progressing? 415 00:23:48,889 --> 00:23:51,009 Is America getting better and better every day? 416 00:23:53,969 --> 00:23:57,169 They want to be progressive and they're telling us out with the 417 00:23:57,169 --> 00:23:58,369 old and in with the new. 418 00:23:59,089 --> 00:24:03,649 New ideas of families, new ideas of morality, new ideas of, 419 00:24:03,999 --> 00:24:06,519 of what this is and what this is and what this is. 420 00:24:06,519 --> 00:24:10,719 And you would think we'd all be, hey, it must be working. 421 00:24:10,959 --> 00:24:12,679 Our country's really getting right. 422 00:24:12,679 --> 00:24:14,079 I mean, it's really getting good. 423 00:24:16,799 --> 00:24:17,919 Do you watch the news? 424 00:24:19,839 --> 00:24:21,799 And by the way, that's another thing. 425 00:24:21,799 --> 00:24:27,279 Fundamentalists are tagged with judgmental, negative, always 426 00:24:27,439 --> 00:24:29,919 criticizing, down, down, down. 427 00:24:32,049 --> 00:24:35,889 I don't think Jesus was a negative. 428 00:24:35,889 --> 00:24:40,889 Down in the mouth, always complaining, in a bad mood and running 429 00:24:40,889 --> 00:24:42,609 around causing problems. 430 00:24:42,609 --> 00:24:44,529 That's not the Christ of the Bible. 431 00:24:47,489 --> 00:24:49,569 We're not going to go out there and make enemies. 432 00:24:51,169 --> 00:24:54,689 But you follow Christ and you live like Christ and you talk like 433 00:24:54,689 --> 00:24:57,899 Christ and you treat people like Christ and like Christ taught 434 00:24:57,899 --> 00:24:58,459 other people. 435 00:25:01,019 --> 00:25:03,019 You quote his words. 436 00:25:03,659 --> 00:25:07,459 That's why the Bible has been rewritten so many times as trying 437 00:25:07,459 --> 00:25:11,659 to take the sting out of the words of Christ, the early church, 438 00:25:12,219 --> 00:25:13,419 the enemies of Christ. 439 00:25:13,979 --> 00:25:17,339 Two thousand years ago, when Jesus would preach, you go back and 440 00:25:17,339 --> 00:25:17,979 look it up. 441 00:25:18,539 --> 00:25:21,659 Some of them would get together and say, man, this is hard. 442 00:25:23,109 --> 00:25:26,709 They called him the hard sayings of Jesus. 443 00:25:31,429 --> 00:25:33,829 Does Bible preaching have to be negative? 444 00:25:33,909 --> 00:25:36,549 No, no, it doesn't. 445 00:25:36,549 --> 00:25:38,069 And I don't even know that it should. 446 00:25:39,109 --> 00:25:40,269 It should be positive. 447 00:25:40,269 --> 00:25:43,309 But that doesn't mean we give up the doctrines of what we believe 448 00:25:43,309 --> 00:25:45,989 and what we've been raised on and what our family's been raised 449 00:25:45,989 --> 00:25:46,309 on. 450 00:25:46,709 --> 00:25:51,229 We don't throw all that away just so we people will think we're 451 00:25:51,229 --> 00:25:51,709 positive. 452 00:25:53,709 --> 00:25:55,949 I don't know why I'm getting onto all this stuff. 453 00:25:55,949 --> 00:25:57,629 I really wasn't planning on it. 454 00:26:01,469 --> 00:26:02,309 We have a little. 455 00:26:02,309 --> 00:26:03,949 I think it's still there, honey. 456 00:26:04,109 --> 00:26:07,669 In the porch you had on that thing on the little piece of saying 457 00:26:07,669 --> 00:26:10,189 that's sitting in a window out on our back porch. 458 00:26:10,589 --> 00:26:13,069 It says, never let me see how it goes. 459 00:26:13,549 --> 00:26:19,279 Never, never assume or I can't remember how it goes now, but never 460 00:26:19,279 --> 00:26:22,399 assume that the will of the majority is the will of God. 461 00:26:23,759 --> 00:26:24,639 Something like that. 462 00:26:25,919 --> 00:26:32,559 Never confuse the will of the majority with the will of God. 463 00:26:38,799 --> 00:26:41,279 The pressure is mounting quickly and strongly. 464 00:26:41,279 --> 00:26:47,499 To conform or be categorized and judged is backward and dangerous 465 00:26:47,499 --> 00:26:49,339 to progress and narrow minded. 466 00:26:49,339 --> 00:26:51,899 And on and on and on and on it goes. 467 00:26:52,459 --> 00:26:56,139 But it's absurd to think that our great savior and chief shepherd 468 00:26:56,139 --> 00:27:01,419 who laid down his life for the sheep would lead us to lie down in 469 00:27:01,419 --> 00:27:08,059 brown pastures, Die of starvation. 470 00:27:09,099 --> 00:27:12,299 What I'm saying is, stay close to the Savior and you'll be amazed 471 00:27:13,409 --> 00:27:15,249 at how green the grass really is. 472 00:27:19,969 --> 00:27:24,929 The Bible warns us to be careful that we don't envy the unsaved 473 00:27:24,929 --> 00:27:26,129 and envy the wicked. 474 00:27:27,409 --> 00:27:29,048 God may put us in a place. 475 00:27:29,048 --> 00:27:29,769 Oh, okay. 476 00:27:29,769 --> 00:27:30,769 You want to try it out? 477 00:27:32,449 --> 00:27:33,889 Well, I can arrange that. 478 00:27:35,329 --> 00:27:40,369 God may put us a place to wake us up of how good we really have 479 00:27:40,369 --> 00:27:42,649 it in Christ. 480 00:27:49,289 --> 00:27:50,249 There's a song. 481 00:27:50,489 --> 00:27:52,169 I don't guess I have time to look it up. 482 00:27:52,409 --> 00:27:53,849 Ufi sang it not long ago. 483 00:27:53,849 --> 00:27:55,529 It is wonderful to be a Christian. 484 00:27:56,649 --> 00:27:58,849 People don't look, they don't act like it's wonderful. 485 00:27:58,849 --> 00:28:00,849 But oh, it is wonderful to be a Christian. 486 00:28:00,849 --> 00:28:02,409 It is wonderful to be God's child. 487 00:28:02,729 --> 00:28:05,609 It is wonderful to be redeemed, reconciled forever. 488 00:28:09,729 --> 00:28:13,329 Take that hymn book sometime and slow down a little bit and read 489 00:28:13,329 --> 00:28:14,329 the words of that song. 490 00:28:14,329 --> 00:28:16,849 It's rather a relatively new song. 491 00:28:16,849 --> 00:28:19,249 It's not an old song, but it's in our hymn book. 492 00:28:23,329 --> 00:28:26,249 The modern church is desperately trying to lure people 493 00:28:26,249 --> 00:28:28,769 into an artificial green pasture. 494 00:28:28,849 --> 00:28:29,809 That's all I'm saying. 495 00:28:30,369 --> 00:28:32,449 Why didn't you just say that and go on to number two? 496 00:28:36,659 --> 00:28:40,139 The modern church is desperately trying to lure people 497 00:28:40,139 --> 00:28:40,499 in. 498 00:28:40,899 --> 00:28:42,019 Look what we have. 499 00:28:44,259 --> 00:28:47,619 An artificial green pasture. 500 00:28:52,579 --> 00:28:53,739 The grass is greener. 501 00:28:53,739 --> 00:28:57,739 Where the shepherd is, the grass is also greener. 502 00:28:57,739 --> 00:29:01,579 When you're in the will of God, you get out of the will of God. 503 00:29:01,579 --> 00:29:02,659 It doesn't look so hot. 504 00:29:03,059 --> 00:29:04,419 It doesn't look so green. 505 00:29:05,379 --> 00:29:06,499 You say, it's not working. 506 00:29:06,579 --> 00:29:08,659 The prayers, my prayers aren't getting through. 507 00:29:09,139 --> 00:29:11,459 I'm not enjoying church like I used to. 508 00:29:12,419 --> 00:29:14,619 The choir, they got some problems. 509 00:29:14,619 --> 00:29:18,059 I mean, we start criticizing because we're not really in the will 510 00:29:18,059 --> 00:29:18,379 of God. 511 00:29:18,379 --> 00:29:21,099 You say, well, will you please tell me, how do you know you're in 512 00:29:21,099 --> 00:29:21,859 the will of God? 513 00:29:21,859 --> 00:29:22,579 Yes, I will. 514 00:29:22,579 --> 00:29:23,779 And it's very simple. 515 00:29:24,419 --> 00:29:25,939 You are in the will of God. 516 00:29:26,549 --> 00:29:30,589 When you are in fellowship with God, you say, well, there you 517 00:29:30,589 --> 00:29:30,749 go. 518 00:29:30,749 --> 00:29:32,389 Another one of them simple answers. 519 00:29:33,349 --> 00:29:35,589 How can two walk together except they agree? 520 00:29:37,749 --> 00:29:44,269 If you and God are in fellowship, I mean fellowship you 521 00:29:44,269 --> 00:29:47,109 can't lose your relationship if you're saved. 522 00:29:47,109 --> 00:29:49,589 You are born into the family of God forever. 523 00:29:50,229 --> 00:29:53,719 You will never be kicked out of the family of God, but you can't 524 00:29:53,719 --> 00:29:54,879 lose your fellowship. 525 00:29:59,359 --> 00:30:02,839 But if you can say tonight, yeah, we all want to be closer and 526 00:30:02,839 --> 00:30:11,199 closer, but if you can say, not being self righteous and bragging, 527 00:30:11,199 --> 00:30:15,599 but say, well, I've enjoyed God's fellowship this morning and 528 00:30:15,599 --> 00:30:20,239 today and I've walked with him and we had some good times together 529 00:30:20,239 --> 00:30:20,639 today. 530 00:30:21,629 --> 00:30:23,709 You can't do that and be out of the will of God. 531 00:30:24,349 --> 00:30:32,429 The will of God is not a place, it's the person of Jesus Christ. 532 00:30:34,749 --> 00:30:38,669 In the will of God the world passeth away and the lusts thereof. 533 00:30:39,629 --> 00:30:45,229 But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. 534 00:30:48,599 --> 00:30:52,359 Every time I read that verse, I remember as a teenager coming out 535 00:30:54,119 --> 00:31:02,039 the door to shake hands with my pastor and I was the church's 536 00:31:02,039 --> 00:31:03,159 first preacher boy. 537 00:31:03,639 --> 00:31:09,319 And he would always stick a little note in my pocket, handwritten, 538 00:31:09,319 --> 00:31:10,519 little handwritten note. 539 00:31:11,639 --> 00:31:14,239 And I couldn't wait to get out the door so I could get it open and 540 00:31:14,239 --> 00:31:14,999 see what it was. 541 00:31:15,489 --> 00:31:18,369 And there was more than I can count and remember. 542 00:31:18,529 --> 00:31:20,649 But every time I read this verse, I remember that one. 543 00:31:20,649 --> 00:31:24,489 I looked at it one time as a teenager and I was going through 544 00:31:24,489 --> 00:31:28,489 the things teenagers go through and wondering and this kind 545 00:31:28,489 --> 00:31:29,009 of stuff. 546 00:31:29,809 --> 00:31:36,449 And he put that verse, the world passeth away and the lust thereof, 547 00:31:38,289 --> 00:31:41,089 but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. 548 00:31:42,339 --> 00:31:45,779 Boy, that stuck in my mind and in my heart and in my life. 549 00:31:46,499 --> 00:31:48,819 He said, have you ever gotten out of the will of God? 550 00:31:50,019 --> 00:31:54,339 Yes, yes. 551 00:32:01,219 --> 00:32:02,899 Jesus said, I am the door. 552 00:32:04,259 --> 00:32:08,939 By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved and shall go in and 553 00:32:08,939 --> 00:32:11,939 out and find pasture. 554 00:32:11,939 --> 00:32:13,459 That's what we're talking about tonight. 555 00:32:13,459 --> 00:32:16,019 We're talking about green grass, we're talking about green 556 00:32:16,019 --> 00:32:16,539 pasture. 557 00:32:16,619 --> 00:32:20,299 We're talking about something that doesn't just look good, it is 558 00:32:20,299 --> 00:32:20,619 good. 559 00:32:27,499 --> 00:32:32,419 The world doesn't look very appetizing to the sheep when they're 560 00:32:32,419 --> 00:32:35,619 quietly eating green grass at the feet of the shepherd. 561 00:32:35,619 --> 00:32:38,079 They feel safe, they're calm. 562 00:32:38,079 --> 00:32:42,759 I've got a picture of that in my office at home of a shepherd sitting 563 00:32:42,759 --> 00:32:43,919 on a rock brook. 564 00:32:43,919 --> 00:32:47,519 And the sheep, some are lying down right real close to him and 565 00:32:48,079 --> 00:32:49,919 others are pretty close and they're eating. 566 00:32:50,159 --> 00:32:51,679 It's just a beautiful picture. 567 00:32:51,679 --> 00:32:53,199 You've seen pictures like that. 568 00:32:56,959 --> 00:32:59,479 But you get away from God, you get away from the shepherd. 569 00:32:59,479 --> 00:33:03,799 You go wandering off, you go, wow, this looks a lot greener than 570 00:33:03,799 --> 00:33:07,079 Where I've been, this looks a lot better. 571 00:33:07,079 --> 00:33:08,839 I wonder what else I've been missing. 572 00:33:13,399 --> 00:33:15,759 I'm not saying you laugh every day. 573 00:33:15,759 --> 00:33:17,639 I'm not saying you don't have problems. 574 00:33:18,599 --> 00:33:19,719 Jesus is coming. 575 00:33:19,719 --> 00:33:22,919 Heaven is getting closer all the time. 576 00:33:24,999 --> 00:33:26,599 And we're going to have a great time. 577 00:33:26,599 --> 00:33:32,119 And we're going to have a life that's so far above what this life 578 00:33:32,119 --> 00:33:34,279 is, we can't even comprehend it. 579 00:33:41,949 --> 00:33:43,229 The grass is greener. 580 00:33:43,309 --> 00:33:46,909 In the will of God, the grass is always greener. 581 00:33:46,909 --> 00:33:47,229 Always. 582 00:33:47,229 --> 00:33:49,109 Not just looks green, it is green. 583 00:33:49,109 --> 00:33:50,189 It looks green. 584 00:33:52,349 --> 00:33:53,949 It doesn't look green to the world. 585 00:33:54,269 --> 00:33:58,509 The world feels sorry for Christians that are really seriously 586 00:33:58,509 --> 00:33:59,709 about following Christ. 587 00:34:01,619 --> 00:34:03,539 But the grass is always greener. 588 00:34:03,539 --> 00:34:07,379 In the field of contentment, when you have contentment, do you 589 00:34:07,379 --> 00:34:08,979 have contentment tonight? 590 00:34:09,379 --> 00:34:13,139 On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 is as content as you can be. 591 00:34:14,099 --> 00:34:17,699 Where would you grade your contentment tonight? 592 00:34:20,099 --> 00:34:23,539 Because if you don't have contentment, you start looking somewhere 593 00:34:23,539 --> 00:34:28,139 out there to find something that'll satisfy and bring contentment 594 00:34:28,139 --> 00:34:28,939 in your life. 595 00:34:30,139 --> 00:34:34,019 The Bible says godliness with contentment is great gain. 596 00:34:34,019 --> 00:34:36,299 My sheep hear my voice and they follow me. 597 00:34:41,019 --> 00:34:41,819 The grass. 598 00:34:43,579 --> 00:34:46,899 Are you always thinking, looking, longing for more, longing 599 00:34:46,899 --> 00:34:47,739 for something better? 600 00:34:49,099 --> 00:34:52,499 You sound like looking over there once in a while and feel sorry 601 00:34:52,499 --> 00:34:53,179 for yourself. 602 00:34:54,039 --> 00:34:54,839 We all have that. 603 00:34:54,839 --> 00:34:56,679 We all can fall into that very easily. 604 00:34:56,679 --> 00:35:01,759 We don't want to, we don't mean to, but pretty soon we start 605 00:35:01,759 --> 00:35:06,679 wondering and the devil says, I've been trying to tell you, you're 606 00:35:06,679 --> 00:35:07,639 trying to be a good Christian. 607 00:35:07,639 --> 00:35:10,119 Nobody appreciates, nobody even knows when you're there. 608 00:35:10,119 --> 00:35:11,519 You're there every time the door is open. 609 00:35:11,519 --> 00:35:12,919 The half, the church, they're not there. 610 00:35:12,919 --> 00:35:13,559 They don't know. 611 00:35:14,439 --> 00:35:15,479 What good does it do? 612 00:35:16,199 --> 00:35:17,079 What does it pay? 613 00:35:19,809 --> 00:35:24,929 You could be sitting home, doing other things, enjoying yourself, 614 00:35:25,009 --> 00:35:25,569 resting. 615 00:35:25,569 --> 00:35:27,809 There's not anybody here tonight that's not tired. 616 00:35:29,969 --> 00:35:32,209 But what about the rest you have in Jesus? 617 00:35:33,409 --> 00:35:34,449 What's that worth? 618 00:35:36,289 --> 00:35:44,609 What is it worth to lay down at night on a pillow and feel the 619 00:35:44,609 --> 00:35:45,489 rest that. 620 00:35:45,559 --> 00:35:48,199 That only the shepherd, the great shepherd can give you. 621 00:35:51,559 --> 00:35:57,079 The grass is greener always in the Scriptures. 622 00:36:01,879 --> 00:36:09,799 You know, Job said one time in Chapter 23, he said, I esteem thy 623 00:36:09,799 --> 00:36:12,919 word more than my necessary food. 624 00:36:15,599 --> 00:36:18,319 Chapter 23 of Job, verse 12. 625 00:36:21,599 --> 00:36:22,879 More than my food. 626 00:36:26,159 --> 00:36:29,638 Too often we snack on the Bible, but we spend hours at the 627 00:36:29,638 --> 00:36:30,639 World's buffet. 628 00:36:34,239 --> 00:36:34,879 I'm just. 629 00:36:35,679 --> 00:36:37,399 I'm not hitting on you tonight. 630 00:36:37,399 --> 00:36:43,469 I'm trying to help you to say, you know, sometimes I forget that 631 00:36:43,469 --> 00:36:44,549 that's all a big. 632 00:36:45,109 --> 00:36:45,949 That's fraud. 633 00:36:45,949 --> 00:36:46,709 That's a joke. 634 00:36:47,269 --> 00:36:49,029 It's a deceitful picture. 635 00:36:49,909 --> 00:36:54,149 The television makes it look so easy and so much fun and so good. 636 00:36:56,629 --> 00:36:59,109 And by the way, I'm going to say it again, I already kind of said 637 00:36:59,109 --> 00:36:59,309 it. 638 00:36:59,309 --> 00:37:05,389 But it's so important that our children can see that we are not 639 00:37:05,389 --> 00:37:14,419 unhappy being a Christian, because they notice, they hear us. 640 00:37:16,099 --> 00:37:19,499 If they don't see much laughter and real honest to goodness, 641 00:37:19,499 --> 00:37:22,659 joy and peace in our life, why in the world do they want to grow 642 00:37:22,659 --> 00:37:24,579 up and be like us? 643 00:37:34,589 --> 00:37:36,829 You know, my wife has a. 644 00:37:37,309 --> 00:37:42,429 She don't like me saying this, but she has a knack for decorating 645 00:37:42,429 --> 00:37:44,589 and she's good at it, and I'm proud of her. 646 00:37:44,589 --> 00:37:47,229 And that's one of the many things that she's good at. 647 00:37:47,229 --> 00:37:53,709 And she doesn't think so, but sometimes she'll drag me. 648 00:37:53,709 --> 00:38:00,839 No, I'll go with her to the store, to the Home Depot, which is 649 00:38:00,839 --> 00:38:01,639 her favorite. 650 00:38:01,799 --> 00:38:06,039 She'd rather have a Home Depot visit than a pair of new shoes or 651 00:38:06,039 --> 00:38:07,559 a new dress or anything else. 652 00:38:07,559 --> 00:38:09,479 She wants to go to Home Depot. 653 00:38:10,679 --> 00:38:13,479 But sometimes she takes me there to look at. 654 00:38:13,559 --> 00:38:16,359 They call them paint chips, these little cards. 655 00:38:17,719 --> 00:38:22,919 And she wants something green, for instance. 656 00:38:24,839 --> 00:38:29,629 And I said, well, there's 35 green cards right there. 657 00:38:30,989 --> 00:38:32,749 She says, well, I got them right here in my hand. 658 00:38:32,749 --> 00:38:33,629 There's 10 of them. 659 00:38:35,229 --> 00:38:36,509 They all look green to me. 660 00:38:37,069 --> 00:38:38,349 She says, you're no help. 661 00:38:42,429 --> 00:38:44,349 There's a lot of different shades, isn't there? 662 00:38:45,549 --> 00:38:50,069 The grass looks greener on the other side, but sometimes it's a 663 00:38:50,069 --> 00:38:51,909 shade off or sometimes it's white. 664 00:38:52,139 --> 00:38:52,619 Way off. 665 00:39:00,139 --> 00:39:04,939 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path. 666 00:39:09,659 --> 00:39:12,459 Because of mine enemies, he said, that's interesting. 667 00:39:12,459 --> 00:39:15,619 Because of my enemies, he said, lord, I don't want to guess 668 00:39:15,619 --> 00:39:17,059 and feel pretty good. 669 00:39:17,059 --> 00:39:19,669 And I think I'm on the I, Lord, make it plain. 670 00:39:19,669 --> 00:39:24,869 Lead me in a plain path because my enemies are watching. 671 00:39:25,669 --> 00:39:27,829 And I want to be a testimony for Christ. 672 00:39:28,389 --> 00:39:31,349 And I want to show them that it pays to serve Jesus. 673 00:39:35,509 --> 00:39:36,469 A plain path. 674 00:39:36,469 --> 00:39:38,349 That would be a good thing to add to your prayer list. 675 00:39:38,349 --> 00:39:39,269 Lord, teach me. 676 00:39:39,589 --> 00:39:42,309 Lead me in a plain path. 677 00:39:42,389 --> 00:39:49,009 Because sometimes the colors run together and sometimes I find 678 00:39:49,009 --> 00:39:51,049 myself guessing instead of knowing. 679 00:39:52,809 --> 00:39:54,209 You know, I did a little thing today. 680 00:39:54,209 --> 00:39:54,809 I'm done. 681 00:39:55,929 --> 00:39:57,289 I did a little word study. 682 00:39:57,529 --> 00:39:59,609 Actually, it was last night on discernment. 683 00:40:00,569 --> 00:40:02,649 Most of us here, I know what discernment means. 684 00:40:03,929 --> 00:40:05,449 Wisdom to make a right decision. 685 00:40:05,849 --> 00:40:06,809 But you know something? 686 00:40:06,889 --> 00:40:07,849 I didn't know this. 687 00:40:08,969 --> 00:40:11,129 The root Latin word. 688 00:40:12,639 --> 00:40:13,879 I'm not Trying to impress anybody. 689 00:40:13,879 --> 00:40:16,159 I took two years of Latin and it didn't take. 690 00:40:18,719 --> 00:40:22,159 And my Latin teacher loved failing her students. 691 00:40:23,359 --> 00:40:25,279 She laughed when we failed. 692 00:40:25,519 --> 00:40:27,279 She thought, man, you made my day. 693 00:40:27,438 --> 00:40:29,999 F. Fail, fail, fail. 694 00:40:30,959 --> 00:40:32,159 She was just like that. 695 00:40:33,679 --> 00:40:37,439 But I did take two years of Latin because I thought it would 696 00:40:37,439 --> 00:40:37,839 help me. 697 00:40:37,839 --> 00:40:38,879 Maybe in the ministry. 698 00:40:41,249 --> 00:40:45,569 But the word, the Latin word for discernment actually means separate. 699 00:40:48,529 --> 00:40:59,449 It means pulling apart what is true and important or real so you'll 700 00:40:59,449 --> 00:41:00,649 know that it's not fake. 701 00:41:00,649 --> 00:41:03,409 You're pulling it apart and looking at it carefully. 702 00:41:03,409 --> 00:41:04,249 That's what it means. 703 00:41:04,249 --> 00:41:06,159 Discernment, not a quick decision. 704 00:41:07,359 --> 00:41:11,599 Sometimes we need to act and speed up what. 705 00:41:12,559 --> 00:41:13,439 You know what I'm saying? 706 00:41:13,439 --> 00:41:16,559 Sometimes we take too long when God's already made it clear 707 00:41:16,559 --> 00:41:17,839 this is what we're supposed to do. 708 00:41:18,319 --> 00:41:22,799 But sometimes we need to stop and pray and say, lord, give me discernment. 709 00:41:22,799 --> 00:41:27,319 Help me to pull this apart so that I understand and feel good that 710 00:41:27,319 --> 00:41:31,199 this is definitely what this means and what God wants me to do. 711 00:41:32,779 --> 00:41:36,779 It means the God given ability to judge. 712 00:41:36,859 --> 00:41:42,379 Well, you say what we're not supposed to judge. 713 00:41:42,859 --> 00:41:43,979 Where'd you get that? 714 00:41:45,659 --> 00:41:47,899 Well, it says judge not lest ye be judged. 715 00:41:48,779 --> 00:41:52,779 Jesus was talking to Pharisees and he was talking about judging 716 00:41:52,779 --> 00:41:55,899 people by their standard instead of by God's standard. 717 00:41:56,059 --> 00:41:59,629 In fact, the Bible says he that is spiritual. 718 00:41:59,629 --> 00:42:00,509 Are you listening? 719 00:42:00,829 --> 00:42:04,349 He that is spiritual judgeth all things. 720 00:42:04,429 --> 00:42:05,389 Did you know that? 721 00:42:06,829 --> 00:42:08,829 So quit telling people I don't judge. 722 00:42:09,949 --> 00:42:12,909 You're supposed to judge everything by the word of God. 723 00:42:14,669 --> 00:42:16,069 I got one amen on that. 724 00:42:16,069 --> 00:42:16,829 But it's true. 725 00:42:20,269 --> 00:42:20,989 It's true. 726 00:42:22,749 --> 00:42:25,389 We don't go around judging people to condemn them. 727 00:42:26,949 --> 00:42:27,869 That's God's business. 728 00:42:27,869 --> 00:42:32,069 We're not here to condemn people and we're not here people 729 00:42:32,069 --> 00:42:36,589 to if they don't agree with us on everything, using ourselves as 730 00:42:36,589 --> 00:42:37,269 the ruler. 731 00:42:37,269 --> 00:42:38,789 That's not what the Bible means. 732 00:42:39,669 --> 00:42:43,109 But he that is spiritual, that's another sermon. 733 00:42:44,389 --> 00:42:45,749 But we're to judge everything. 734 00:42:47,109 --> 00:42:50,149 What we look at, what we listen to, where we spend our money, 735 00:42:50,149 --> 00:42:51,589 who we spend our time with. 736 00:42:51,669 --> 00:42:53,349 We're to judge all things. 737 00:42:53,429 --> 00:42:55,589 If we're spiritually minded. 738 00:42:59,029 --> 00:43:02,949 The God given ability to judge well, distinguish truth from error 739 00:43:03,909 --> 00:43:06,069 and what aligns with God's will. 740 00:43:06,469 --> 00:43:07,989 And here let me say this. 741 00:43:08,229 --> 00:43:12,629 It also included in that meaning it's rooted. 742 00:43:13,029 --> 00:43:17,349 Discernment is rooted in honoring God. 743 00:43:19,109 --> 00:43:25,849 Not to prove that I'm right, but to honor God, to make the right 744 00:43:25,849 --> 00:43:32,009 judgment for the glory of God, to honor him, not look at me, look 745 00:43:32,009 --> 00:43:32,529 at him. 746 00:43:34,929 --> 00:43:40,249 That's what it means, lord, give me discernment so that I can 747 00:43:40,249 --> 00:43:44,449 honor you by the choices that I make. 748 00:43:47,339 --> 00:43:49,819 Kind of an unusual sermon for a Wednesday night. 749 00:43:50,779 --> 00:43:55,299 I was up quite a while last night, writing and praying and reading 750 00:43:55,299 --> 00:43:55,579 and. 751 00:43:57,179 --> 00:43:59,379 The grass is not greener. 752 00:43:59,379 --> 00:44:00,339 It looks greener. 753 00:44:00,339 --> 00:44:00,859 That's different. 754 00:44:04,859 --> 00:44:07,739 Don't trust your eyes. 755 00:44:09,419 --> 00:44:10,779 Don't trust your ears. 756 00:44:12,059 --> 00:44:13,499 Don't trust your feelings. 757 00:44:16,119 --> 00:44:16,759 Trust this. 758 00:44:18,919 --> 00:44:21,239 Would you stand with heads bowed and eyes closed? 759 00:44:21,239 --> 00:44:22,119 We're going home. 760 00:44:22,679 --> 00:44:23,719 The Lord willing. 761 00:44:26,199 --> 00:44:32,119 I'll give you an opportunity if God's spoken to your heart. 762 00:44:32,279 --> 00:44:35,559 Tonight he spoke to mine while I was preparing. 763 00:44:35,559 --> 00:44:37,479 And he spoke to me again tonight. 764 00:44:41,649 --> 00:44:44,889 We're surrounded every side. 765 00:44:44,889 --> 00:44:47,329 We're surrounded by fake grass. 766 00:44:48,769 --> 00:44:50,049 This world's not our home. 767 00:44:50,609 --> 00:44:51,729 We're aliens. 768 00:44:53,089 --> 00:44:54,449 We're not of this world. 769 00:44:57,329 --> 00:45:00,849 We've been born and we have a citizenship in heaven. 770 00:45:02,769 --> 00:45:03,449 Let me pray. 771 00:45:03,449 --> 00:45:05,009 And if God set your heart, you come. 772 00:45:05,009 --> 00:45:06,689 And if not, just pray where you are. 773 00:45:06,769 --> 00:45:08,049 Pray for those around you. 774 00:45:09,529 --> 00:45:13,929 Heavenly Father, I thank you that you've given us a Bible and 775 00:45:13,929 --> 00:45:16,089 thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit. 776 00:45:17,209 --> 00:45:21,329 Thank you Father, for a church that understands how important it 777 00:45:21,329 --> 00:45:31,049 is to hold fast the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. 778 00:45:32,489 --> 00:45:34,169 And help it to humble us, Lord. 779 00:45:34,169 --> 00:45:38,549 Help us to not get cocky and proud because we think we know more 780 00:45:38,549 --> 00:45:39,629 than everybody else. 781 00:45:40,989 --> 00:45:44,429 Lord, the more we know, help us to be more humble and realize 782 00:45:44,429 --> 00:45:46,109 we still got a lot to learn. 783 00:45:47,869 --> 00:45:49,469 Touch our hearts tonight, Lord. 784 00:45:49,469 --> 00:45:50,749 We need the every hour. 785 00:45:55,229 --> 00:45:56,829 Pray it in Jesus name.