1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,440 Welcome to the Potter's House Salmon Arm podcast. We are a Bible-Believing Church located 2 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:16,680 in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. We are proudly part of the Christian Fellowship 3 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:21,920 Ministries with 3,000 churches around the world. We are a church focused on world evangelism, 4 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:27,300 discipleship and church planting. Here we will share recent sermons from P.H.S.A. Church 5 00:00:27,300 --> 00:00:31,600 and other sermons from throughout our fellowship. I am Pastor David Bickford and I will be 6 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:35,880 your host for this podcast. I thank you for listening today and we hope these messages 7 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:42,440 are a blessing to you and bring you closer to God. 8 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:52,480 Hello and welcome back to the Potter's House podcast, the Potter's House Salmon Arm on 9 00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:56,480 the 10 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:24,920 because wrath, envy, and pride, 11 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:27,920 we've talked a little bit about the sins of lack 12 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:32,240 and the sins of excess, right? 13 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:33,360 And so with this though, 14 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:35,800 we're gonna look at wrath, envy, and pride. 15 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:39,000 So wrath is a frightfully overwhelming anger 16 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:41,480 that typically has no reason. 17 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:43,920 It's a call for extreme punishment 18 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:48,200 of those that we perceive having wronged us in some way, 19 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,200 but with such a fraught excess 20 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:52,280 that it is wicked in the eye of the Lord. 21 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:53,960 So during World War II, 22 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,980 Hitler and the Germans labeled the Jews as such an enemy 23 00:01:56,980 --> 00:01:58,440 that they needed to be destroyed. 24 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:02,120 And many atrocities were committed by the hateful wrath 25 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:04,880 that consumed Hitler and the Nazis. 26 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:06,520 And with that though, 27 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:09,620 there's lots of other examples to wrath 28 00:02:09,620 --> 00:02:11,880 that we can see even in our own lives 29 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:16,160 when we allow ourselves to be compelled by anger 30 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:20,360 to a point where we lash out in wrath. 31 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,360 And so Frederick Nietzsche, he had a quote that says, 32 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:26,280 "'A bad conscience is easier to cope with 33 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:28,620 "'than a bad reputation.'" 34 00:02:29,920 --> 00:02:32,560 And so this is an interesting thing because Nietzsche, 35 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:35,080 he underpins and he underlines a lot 36 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,640 of what eventually became fascism, 37 00:02:37,640 --> 00:02:42,280 both with Mussolini and with Hitler, right? 38 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:46,840 So like Nietzscheism or the idea of Nietzschean thought 39 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,200 is one that is very Machiavellian 40 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:54,440 in some senses where the ends do justify the means. 41 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:56,720 So he's saying that it's easier to cope 42 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:58,500 with the evil of a bad conscience. 43 00:02:58,500 --> 00:03:01,560 It's easier to cope with your own conscience 44 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:05,160 than it is to deal with a bad reputation. 45 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:08,260 That's a very scary thought from a very scary philosopher 46 00:03:08,260 --> 00:03:10,120 is the thought that you could, 47 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:12,880 as long as you're able to maintain the assemblance 48 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:15,400 of a good reputation, 49 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,740 well, then you can do all sorts of wickedness behind 50 00:03:17,740 --> 00:03:21,400 and allow yourself to deal with your own conscience 51 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:22,640 at a later time. 52 00:03:22,640 --> 00:03:24,640 It's a very worldly view and we see that today 53 00:03:24,640 --> 00:03:26,840 in our world quite often. 54 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:31,840 The text we're gonna be working from today is Ezekiel 33 55 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:33,960 and we'll be diving in at verse 10, 56 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:37,200 go through 10 through 20, roughly. 57 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:38,320 So with that, I'm gonna go ahead 58 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:40,680 and jump directly into the text today. 59 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:42,800 And so it says in verse 10, 60 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:44,960 the subheading to this portion of scripture 61 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:46,760 is why will you die Israel? 62 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:48,040 So in verse 10, 63 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,360 and you son of man say to the house of Israel, 64 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,080 thus have you said surely our transgressions 65 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:55,880 and our sins are upon us. 66 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:58,280 And we wrought away because of them. 67 00:03:59,140 --> 00:04:00,660 How then can we live? 68 00:04:00,660 --> 00:04:03,400 Say to them as I live declares the Lord God, 69 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,360 I have no pleasure in death, in the death of the wicked, 70 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:09,280 but that the wicked turn from his way and live, 71 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:12,000 turn back, turn back from your evil ways. 72 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,720 For why will you die, O house of Israel? 73 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:17,080 And you son of man say to your people, 74 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:20,560 the righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him 75 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:23,080 when he transgresses. 76 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:24,440 And for the wickedness of the wicked, 77 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:28,720 he shall not fall by it when he turns from wickedness. 78 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:30,840 And though the righteous shall not be able to live 79 00:04:30,840 --> 00:04:33,000 by his righteousness when he sins, 80 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,860 though I say to the righteous that he will surely live, 81 00:04:35,860 --> 00:04:39,720 yet if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice, 82 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:42,760 none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered. 83 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:46,280 But in his injustice that he has done, he shall die. 84 00:04:46,280 --> 00:04:49,560 Again though I say to the wicked, you shall surely die, 85 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:54,560 yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, 86 00:04:54,780 --> 00:04:56,600 if the wicked restores the pledge 87 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,060 and gives back what he has taken by robbery 88 00:04:59,060 --> 00:05:02,880 and walks in the statutes of life and not doing injustice, 89 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:06,120 he shall surely live, he shall not die. 90 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:07,720 None of the sins that he has committed 91 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:09,760 shall be remembered against him. 92 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:11,640 He has done what is just and right 93 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,660 and he shall surely live. 94 00:05:14,660 --> 00:05:17,360 Yet your people say the way of the Lord is not just 95 00:05:18,280 --> 00:05:21,960 when it is their own way that is not just. 96 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,160 When the righteous turns from the righteousness 97 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:26,440 and does injustice, he shall die for it 98 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:29,400 and when the wicked turns from his wickedness 99 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:33,640 and does what is just and right, he shall live by this. 100 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:36,880 Yet you say the ways of the Lord are not just. 101 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:39,700 Oh, house of Israel, I will judge each of you 102 00:05:39,700 --> 00:05:41,900 according to his ways. 103 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:47,000 Just gonna go before God and pray real quick. 104 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:50,700 Dear Lord God, I pray that you'd open the eyes, 105 00:05:51,700 --> 00:05:54,440 open our hearts to your word, Lord God. 106 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:58,240 Help us to dig into the meaning of these scriptures 107 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:01,640 and how they can apply to our lives and to this day. 108 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:03,960 We give you all the praise and glory, amen. 109 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:07,560 So the first point I wanna talk about 110 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:09,800 is the battle against nature again. 111 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,760 And we're gonna go with a starting off point with that. 112 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:15,840 We're going to be defining what wrath 113 00:06:15,840 --> 00:06:18,600 and envy and pride are defined as. 114 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:22,000 I like to define things because I think it's important 115 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:26,720 in this day and age that we come to each topic 116 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:29,880 or each idea from the same starting point. 117 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:32,200 Now you can argue these points later on 118 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:34,300 and I'm more than happy to have those conversations 119 00:06:34,300 --> 00:06:37,000 with you, but the reality is is that we need 120 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:38,680 a starting point to launch off from 121 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:40,500 to get that conversation started. 122 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:45,040 So wrath is typically used as a noun 123 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:49,160 and it's a strong, stern, fierce anger, right? 124 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,300 Deeply resentful and indignation and ire. 125 00:06:52,300 --> 00:06:56,200 Vengeance or punishment as a consequence of that anger. 126 00:06:56,200 --> 00:07:01,200 So when you're wrathful, a lot of times you're so wound up 127 00:07:01,220 --> 00:07:03,360 that you're gonna take vengeance as your own. 128 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:06,960 And we know that's not something that we're called to do 129 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:10,240 as Christians and we'll get to that in a little bit. 130 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:14,760 But some synonyms to wrath are acrimony or asperity. 131 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:16,880 Conniption, I really like the word conniption 132 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:18,360 because have you ever heard the term, 133 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:21,160 oh, that person's having a conniption fit. 134 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:23,400 They're raging out, if you will. 135 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:25,800 Like in today's vernacular, that would be like, 136 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:29,320 you know, maybe a Karen moment. 137 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,880 You know, somebody just flipping out on somebody else. 138 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:34,200 They're having a conniption. 139 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:38,200 Exasperation, a flare up, fury, hate, hatefulness. 140 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:42,440 Madness, you know, people can be overwhelmed 141 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:46,160 in their wrath and be in madness. 142 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:50,920 Some anonyms or opposing words would be calm, 143 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:54,760 calmness, delight, happiness, glee, kindness, 144 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,480 love, peace, things like this. 145 00:07:57,480 --> 00:07:59,320 Wrath is like a stage four cancer. 146 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:01,600 By the time wrath takes over, 147 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,760 it's often because the rot in our souls is so extreme 148 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:06,240 that we have nothing left, 149 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:10,200 but the purely animalistic response, 150 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:13,360 some sort of animalism response to whatever's happening 151 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,960 in our life or situation. 152 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:20,080 Lashing out like a cornered beast, we will do anything, 153 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:24,440 even ungodly violence at times. 154 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:27,160 When man takes wrath into their own hands, 155 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:31,040 it's this emotionally fraught idea. 156 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:34,120 And it's often lacking in any kind of logic. 157 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:40,400 Godly wrath, on the other hand, is pure and righteous. 158 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:43,480 And that is why we are called to leave wrath only to God. 159 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,840 In Romans 12, 19, do not take revenge, my dear friends. 160 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,880 Believe room for God's wrath, for it is written, 161 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:53,560 it is mine to avenge and I will repay, says the Lord. 162 00:08:53,560 --> 00:08:55,240 This is an important thing for us as Christians 163 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:57,400 to understand and to know. 164 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,720 We are not supposed to take all the wrath 165 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,040 on God's responsibilities. 166 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,680 And so with wrath, he tells us clearly in the scripture 167 00:09:06,680 --> 00:09:10,640 to leave this to him because he is the ultimate judge. 168 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:12,720 That's why we're called to love. 169 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:14,160 We're called to love our neighbors. 170 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,360 We're called to preach the gospel and love our neighbors 171 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:20,160 because that message of repentance 172 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:22,800 is what the core is in our faith. 173 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,640 And when you think of the book of Jonah, the prophet Jonah, 174 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:32,640 he knew what God could do with his message of grace. 175 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:36,320 And when he was sent to Nineveh, he fled the scene 176 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:39,440 because he didn't want to see the Ninevites saved. 177 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:42,680 In his own anger and hatred towards the Ninevites, 178 00:09:42,680 --> 00:09:46,040 he would rather see them come to the judgment 179 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:49,000 and the wrath of God than to ever have the opportunity 180 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:53,240 to be forgiven because he knew that God was a gracious God. 181 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:56,640 And Psalm 711 says, God is a righteous judge, 182 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,360 a God who displays his wrath every day. 183 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:04,360 And he does every day, but it is his to display, not ours. 184 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:09,960 Hitler and the Germans hated the Jews 185 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:14,960 and many may have started from a place of envy. 186 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:19,640 And this is where we continue on moving from wrath into envy 187 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:21,120 because they're closely tied. 188 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:25,360 The Jewish people are still God's chosen to this day. 189 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:27,160 And for that reason, they are blessed people. 190 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:28,880 In Germany, before the rise of the Nazis, 191 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:31,080 they were also very successful. 192 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:32,520 As a minority ethnic group, 193 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:35,360 this is mostly due to their strong family connections. 194 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:38,060 Have you ever wondered why society is always trying 195 00:10:38,060 --> 00:10:39,640 to break down the family? 196 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:43,720 There's a nugget of truth here 197 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:48,720 that when you link as a family in faith in God, 198 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:52,360 that there's going to be an element of protection. 199 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:56,300 So this connection allowed for Jewish culture 200 00:10:56,300 --> 00:10:58,320 to be able to sustain itself. 201 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:02,440 And so Jewish culture that still strove 202 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:04,700 the fall of the law of Moses was able to carry on 203 00:11:04,700 --> 00:11:07,280 and maintain a distinct culture. 204 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:10,600 Their piety has always made the Jewish people a target, 205 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:12,600 both in Europe and throughout the world. 206 00:11:14,560 --> 00:11:16,880 But what really caused them trouble in the 1930s 207 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:18,140 was their prosperity. 208 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,160 Even in a time of economic depression, 209 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:22,640 it was clear that the children of Israel 210 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:24,920 were being well taken care of by the Lord. 211 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:27,720 And this allowed the spirit of envy to rise up in Hitler 212 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:31,280 and he was able to weaponize the German people 213 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:33,840 by acting on this envy and turning it into hate 214 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:35,000 and eventually wrath. 215 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:38,520 Here's a quote from Alexis de Tocqueville. 216 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:40,880 He says, Americans are so enamored of equality 217 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:42,820 that they would rather be equal in slavery 218 00:11:42,820 --> 00:11:45,180 than unequal in freedom. 219 00:11:45,180 --> 00:11:48,680 So even in the Americas, we can see that envy 220 00:11:48,680 --> 00:11:51,520 can start to grow. 221 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:54,520 It can start to grow in people's hearts 222 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:57,360 because they'd rather be equal in poverty. 223 00:11:58,340 --> 00:12:01,480 They'd be rather be equal in despair 224 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:05,060 than to be unequal in that freedom. 225 00:12:05,940 --> 00:12:09,120 Because freedom requires responsibility, right? 226 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:13,080 Freedom requires you to work, you to put in some effort 227 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:16,200 and to take responsibility. 228 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:19,760 But envy, let's define that, is a feeling of discontent 229 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:23,320 or covetousness with regard to another's advantages 230 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:24,840 or perceived advantages. 231 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:28,600 Success, possessions, or to have an ill will 232 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:32,880 towards someone who you deem is better off than you. 233 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:38,400 So similar words to envy are begrudging, bitterness, hatred. 234 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:41,760 I like this word bitterness because bitterness 235 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:44,520 can be stored within your soul. 236 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:49,520 And it can start to do real physical damage to yourself. 237 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:51,360 Have you ever seen somebody who's just, 238 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:53,480 they feel like they're, or you can look at them 239 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:55,200 and you can tell that they're just holding on 240 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,680 to such anger and hostility or bitterness 241 00:12:57,680 --> 00:13:00,440 to some wrongdoing that came against them at one point, 242 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:03,000 that they just look like they're all twisted up. 243 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:04,880 They're bitter. 244 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:10,000 Jealousy, malice, prejudice, resentment, 245 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:11,840 backbiting is a good one too. 246 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,640 Because oftentimes when you're envious of someone, 247 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:16,680 it's very easy for you to start backbiting 248 00:13:16,680 --> 00:13:18,160 and saying, well, they've got it easy. 249 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:20,280 They didn't have to work for what they got. 250 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:21,880 You might see influencers online 251 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:24,240 or people who've been very successful in business 252 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:26,800 and you're very quick to judge. 253 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:29,440 They're like, oh, they didn't have to work for it. 254 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:33,480 Tell you the truth, most people who actually build 255 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:36,880 a company, they do it and it's very, very hard. 256 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:39,120 They take a lot of risk to get there. 257 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,920 They take a lot of risk to get there. 258 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,080 It's a lot of work. 259 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:49,600 So it's not wise to backbite, to be envious. 260 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:53,720 It's not wise to be covetousness or to show covetousness. 261 00:13:55,840 --> 00:14:00,600 Other words for envy or terms, the green-eyed monster, 262 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:01,960 you probably heard that one. 263 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,800 So anonyms or some opposing words would be friendliness, 264 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:11,800 liking, loving, comfort, confidence, contentness, goodwill. 265 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,400 It's very interesting how we talk about these habits. 266 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,400 We talk about these traits and it always seems 267 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:21,400 like the anonyms for these words are the gifts 268 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:23,080 of the spirit that we read about. 269 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:27,120 But envy is often the root to a multitude of sins 270 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:30,160 and for Paul proclaimed it in 1 Timothy 6, 10, he said, 271 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:33,200 for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. 272 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:36,080 Some people eager for money have wandered from the faith 273 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:37,920 and pierced themselves in many griefs. 274 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,640 It's the actual love of money or stuff 275 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:46,840 that can be the root of all kinds of evil. 276 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:48,280 Where does this love of money start? 277 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:51,560 It can often start with envy and a feeling of discontentment 278 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:53,040 when left unchecked. 279 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:56,720 When we allow ourselves to feel sorry for our situation 280 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:59,160 or we grumble against God, 281 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:01,080 often we turn our gaze to others. 282 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:03,520 The children of Israel did this 283 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:04,480 when they were in the wilderness, 284 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:07,600 when they were in the desert after leaving Egypt. 285 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:09,080 God had done miraculous things, 286 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:12,680 but they were very quick to turn back onto God 287 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:15,280 and to start grumbling under their breath. 288 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:18,600 We always hear this term, the grass is always greener 289 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:19,840 on the other side of the fence. 290 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:22,120 In fact, everything they have is better. 291 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:24,400 If we neglect to judge these feelings, 292 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:26,720 they can grow into that green-eyed monster. 293 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:29,400 And we talked about it last time, 294 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:32,400 as far as taking your thoughts into control, 295 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:35,080 being responsible for your own thought life. 296 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:39,400 Because if we're not, these thoughts, 297 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:41,400 they can live to devour those 298 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:43,720 whom they set their gaze upon. 299 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:49,160 If you allow these thoughts to just dwell within your mind, 300 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:50,920 you become that monster. 301 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:55,040 And as we look at the last portion, 302 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:57,800 we look at pride. 303 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:01,400 At this point, it was easy to take the German 304 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:04,720 people and pour out nationalistic pride. 305 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:08,080 And by pouring out that nationalistic pride 306 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:11,560 onto the German people, 307 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:13,120 this fever swept over the land 308 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:14,680 and it twisted this noble country 309 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,480 into to commit horrible atrocities. 310 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:22,000 We see this also outside of any kind of ethnic 311 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:23,320 or religious background, 312 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:25,920 but we see the same thing happen within 313 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:28,400 the rise of communist China. 314 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:31,400 Where you get entire groups being willing 315 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:35,000 to turn on their family, on their parents, 316 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:39,800 out of envy, out of pride, 317 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:43,200 noble pride or nationalistic pride. 318 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:46,680 Millions of Jews and those allied with them 319 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:49,280 were executed during World War II. 320 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:53,760 Even more so during the purges of Russia and China 321 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:55,680 during the communist revolutions. 322 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:57,800 The reality of these sins, immensely powerful 323 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:00,200 and unlike the sins that we have looked at already, 324 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:02,480 these sins tend to be infectious in a way 325 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:04,080 that the others are not. 326 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:08,080 Many countries fall to envy, then pride and then wrath. 327 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:10,880 We could see an example of this in today's world. 328 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:14,080 Many leaders strive to separate us by leveraging 329 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:19,080 our envy, our greed and our lusts. 330 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:22,880 Then they push pride into dishonorable hands. 331 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:26,680 Then they push pride into dishonorable things, 332 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:29,280 puffing up many that should not be so excited 333 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:33,280 to highlight their own sinful desires. 334 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:37,880 Once this is done, then the purpose of the ungodly leaders 335 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:40,480 is to turn the groups against each other, 336 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:45,080 to foment this vitriolic overwhelming hate or wrath. 337 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:47,480 Now it's not about what this group has 338 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:48,680 that that group doesn't have. 339 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:53,280 It's about how wicked it is for us to be over here 340 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:55,880 with nothing and what they have and we need to take it. 341 00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:00,360 It becomes even more dangerous. 342 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:04,280 It eventually becomes hate and wrath. 343 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:09,760 Pride is also a noun and it stands for high 344 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:12,560 or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity 345 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:15,880 or your importance or your merit. 346 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:18,680 It's a superiority whether as cherished in mind 347 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:19,880 or displayed in bearing. 348 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:24,680 It's the pleasure of satisfaction taking something being done 349 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:27,480 or belonging to oneself or believed to reflect credit 350 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:29,080 upon itself, civic pride. 351 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:31,680 So civic pride can be a good thing. 352 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:37,880 But when that civic pride is tied to envy and wrath, 353 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:41,080 it can become a very wicked thing very quickly. 354 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:43,880 For example, the celebration of a specific minority group 355 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,080 or the affirmation of equal rights for members 356 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:47,280 of that community. 357 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:52,480 The idea that you're going to give one group more power 358 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:55,080 over another group because of pride 359 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:58,880 quickly becomes a very dangerous thing. 360 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:02,080 So some similar words for pride 361 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:04,080 and the respect of how we're dealing with it today 362 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:08,480 would be ego or self-love, self-worth. 363 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:09,680 Those things can be fine, 364 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:14,480 but self-glorification can become very dangerous. 365 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:16,880 Whereas the opposing words, 366 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:20,080 some of them can be considered as modesty or timidity. 367 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:24,080 And this is not necessarily a negative thing in itself 368 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:26,280 because we are supposed to be another one, 369 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:28,480 like humility, modesty and timidity. 370 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:30,080 These are things that we're called to be 371 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:33,280 when we're called to be meek in our Christianity 372 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:35,680 in the sense that we know we're fallen 373 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:38,280 and that it's only through Christ that we're saved. 374 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:39,880 So pride is one of the largest of the sins 375 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:41,280 that we know about. 376 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:42,880 If I had to rank pride as a sin, 377 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:44,680 it would be the highest sin, 378 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:47,080 but only because out of pride, 379 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:48,880 we can commit blasphemy and blasphemy 380 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:50,080 against the Holy Spirit. 381 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:53,880 That being said, the consequence to unchecked pride 382 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:55,480 can be extreme. 383 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:57,880 Satan himself was cast out of heaven 384 00:19:57,880 --> 00:19:59,280 for the sin of pride. 385 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:03,680 His pride was so strong that he led a third of the angels 386 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:05,280 in war against God himself. 387 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:07,680 And you can see that in Isaiah 14, 12 through 15, 388 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:09,880 or Ezekiel 28, 15 through 17. 389 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:14,880 So let's look at biblical wisdom then. 390 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,880 When we go back to our text in 33, 10 through 11, 391 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:23,080 and we can look at what can be done 392 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:28,880 with these sins or with these habits. 393 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:30,880 In verse 10, and you, son of man, 394 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:32,880 say to the house of Israel, thus have you said, 395 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:36,480 surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, 396 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:37,880 and we will rot away because of them. 397 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:39,280 How then can we live? 398 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:41,480 Say to them, as I live, declares the Lord God, 399 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:43,080 I have no pleasure in death of the wicked, 400 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:46,080 but that the wicked turn from his ways and live. 401 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:49,080 Turn back, turn back from your evil ways, 402 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:51,280 for why will you die, O house of Israel? 403 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:57,280 Patience cures wrath by one of the first understand, 404 00:20:57,280 --> 00:21:00,080 like by first understanding the needs and desires of others 405 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:02,680 before acting in the way of God. 406 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:04,480 When God is speaking, 407 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:06,480 in Romans 922, what if God, 408 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:08,480 although choosing to show his wrath 409 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:12,080 and make his power known, bore with great patience 410 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:15,080 the object of his wrath, prepared for destruction? 411 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:18,280 Psalm 37, 8, refrain from anger and turn from wrath, 412 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:20,280 do not fret, it leads only to evil. 413 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:25,080 Proverbs 15, 1, a gentle answer turns away wrath, 414 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:27,880 but a harsh word stirs up anger. 415 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:29,880 Kindness cures envy as well, 416 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:31,880 by placing the desire to help others 417 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:33,880 of the need to supersede them. 418 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:36,880 And we could see that in 1 Corinthians 13, 14, 419 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:39,680 love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, 420 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:42,080 it does not boast, it is not proud. 421 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,080 Job 5, 2, resentment kills a fool 422 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:48,480 and envy slays the simple. 423 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,480 James 3, 16 through 18 says, 424 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:55,580 for where you have envy and selfish ambition, 425 00:21:55,580 --> 00:21:59,580 there you find disorder and every evil practice. 426 00:21:59,580 --> 00:22:01,380 But the wisdom that comes from the heaven 427 00:22:01,380 --> 00:22:05,280 is first of all pure, then peace loving, 428 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:10,080 considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, 429 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:11,680 impartial and sincere. 430 00:22:12,580 --> 00:22:17,380 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. 431 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:23,280 Humility cures pride by removing one's ego and boastfulness, 432 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:26,480 therefore allowing an attitude of service. 433 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:28,480 And remember Christ came as a servant 434 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:33,180 and he died for our sins and through his resurrection, 435 00:22:33,180 --> 00:22:37,680 we have the opportunity for salvation through grace. 436 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:39,480 But in Proverbs 16, 18 it says, 437 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:41,280 pride goes before destruction, 438 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:43,880 a haughty spirit before a fall. 439 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:48,380 Proverbs 11, 12, when pride comes, then comes disgrace, 440 00:22:48,380 --> 00:22:50,780 but with humility comes wisdom. 441 00:22:51,780 --> 00:22:53,980 And finally, if Philippians 2, 3, 442 00:22:53,980 --> 00:22:56,980 do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, 443 00:22:56,980 --> 00:23:01,580 rather in humility value others above yourself. 444 00:23:01,580 --> 00:23:03,780 This is a pretty hard thought, 445 00:23:03,780 --> 00:23:05,680 to value others before yourself. 446 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:07,880 Now you might think, oh, it's simple, I can do that. 447 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:10,780 What it's really talking about is a servant spirit. 448 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:13,980 If someone takes your chair, 449 00:23:13,980 --> 00:23:16,580 because you got up, let them have your chair. 450 00:23:17,780 --> 00:23:20,680 And then maybe say, hey, can I get you anything? 451 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:22,880 I mean, that's pretty simple, it's pretty silly, 452 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:24,380 but at the same time, 453 00:23:24,380 --> 00:23:27,380 a lot of people will get extremely upset 454 00:23:27,380 --> 00:23:28,780 if they feel like they've been slighted 455 00:23:28,780 --> 00:23:30,780 even in the smallest way. 456 00:23:30,780 --> 00:23:34,480 I've known people who, if you sat in their pew at church, 457 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,180 they'd be like, well, that's my pew. 458 00:23:37,180 --> 00:23:38,580 Will they get there earlier? 459 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:41,980 But in the meantime, be nice to this person 460 00:23:41,980 --> 00:23:44,980 and maybe introduce yourself and have a good conversation. 461 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:47,480 Show some humility. 462 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:49,980 So as we close, let's look a little bit more 463 00:23:49,980 --> 00:23:51,880 at some biblical wisdom. 464 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,180 Turning to God's Word in Colossians 3, 12, 465 00:23:54,180 --> 00:23:55,280 therefore as a king, 466 00:23:56,580 --> 00:23:59,280 therefore as God's chosen people, 467 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:00,480 holy and dearly loved, 468 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:03,080 clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, 469 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:05,080 gentleness, and patience. 470 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:08,480 As we turn back to our initial text in Ezekiel 33, 471 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:10,580 we see in verse 17 through 20, 472 00:24:10,580 --> 00:24:13,280 yet your people say the way of the Lord is not just, 473 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:15,980 when it is their own way that is not just. 474 00:24:15,980 --> 00:24:18,680 When the righteous turns from his righteousness 475 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:21,180 and does injustice, he shall die for it. 476 00:24:21,180 --> 00:24:23,780 And when the wicked turns from his wickedness 477 00:24:23,780 --> 00:24:27,280 and does what is just and right, he shall live by this. 478 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:29,180 Yet you say the way of the Lord is not just, 479 00:24:29,180 --> 00:24:30,480 O house of Israel, 480 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:33,280 I will judge each of you according to his ways. 481 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:37,680 We are called to practice humility, kindness, and patience. 482 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:40,380 Now I know this is not easy, 483 00:24:40,380 --> 00:24:42,580 but when you make your focus on others, 484 00:24:42,580 --> 00:24:44,180 then you will find that in the Lord, 485 00:24:44,180 --> 00:24:45,480 you will have the strength 486 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:48,980 to serve others with all of these traits. 487 00:24:48,980 --> 00:24:51,180 When you are tired or frustrated, fall upon the Lord 488 00:24:51,180 --> 00:24:55,180 and remember that you do not do these things for anyone, 489 00:24:55,180 --> 00:24:56,180 but the Lord. 490 00:24:57,080 --> 00:25:01,180 The outcome, the response from other people is not the point. 491 00:25:03,380 --> 00:25:06,080 But rather your faithful service to the Lord is the point. 492 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:10,180 I don't make the, to be honest, 493 00:25:10,180 --> 00:25:13,780 like even preaching, even doing videos like this, 494 00:25:13,780 --> 00:25:18,180 I don't do this for any reason except for the Lord. 495 00:25:18,180 --> 00:25:19,380 I do it under the Lord. 496 00:25:19,380 --> 00:25:20,780 Now I hope it helps people. 497 00:25:20,780 --> 00:25:21,380 I do. 498 00:25:21,380 --> 00:25:22,980 I hope it resonates with people 499 00:25:22,980 --> 00:25:25,380 and I hope you get something out of this. 500 00:25:25,380 --> 00:25:26,780 But the reality is that 501 00:25:27,780 --> 00:25:30,180 I'm exercising something for the Lord. 502 00:25:30,180 --> 00:25:32,380 I know that over time, he'll help me be better. 503 00:25:32,380 --> 00:25:36,180 He'll help me to do, to be able to reach people for his purpose. 504 00:25:36,780 --> 00:25:40,480 But if I focused only on the responses I get back, 505 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:44,180 it's very easy to become, you know, bogged down. 506 00:25:44,180 --> 00:25:46,180 It's very easy to say, well, it's not, 507 00:25:46,180 --> 00:25:48,580 I'm not getting enough traction or another, it's not, 508 00:25:48,580 --> 00:25:50,180 it's not working quite right. 509 00:25:51,580 --> 00:25:52,980 Or if, for example, but you know, 510 00:25:52,980 --> 00:25:55,980 other kind of content creators, stuff of that nature, 511 00:25:55,980 --> 00:25:58,380 they'll get like negative reviews and they'll just be like, 512 00:25:58,380 --> 00:25:59,780 oh, I can't do this anymore. 513 00:26:00,580 --> 00:26:02,980 But if as a Christian, we do it unto the Lord, 514 00:26:02,980 --> 00:26:04,380 and that is the point. 515 00:26:06,380 --> 00:26:08,180 The outcome, the response 516 00:26:09,380 --> 00:26:10,980 is not the point, like I said, 517 00:26:10,980 --> 00:26:13,980 it's, but rather it's, it's a call to service. 518 00:26:13,980 --> 00:26:17,180 For Christ died for us. 519 00:26:17,180 --> 00:26:20,180 He hung upon the cross for us. 520 00:26:21,580 --> 00:26:24,980 He died and he rose again so that we can be saved. 521 00:26:25,580 --> 00:26:29,180 And it is that message of the cross that compels, 522 00:26:29,180 --> 00:26:32,180 you know, Christians to act a certain way. 523 00:26:32,180 --> 00:26:33,380 It compels me to preach. 524 00:26:33,380 --> 00:26:36,380 It compels me to, you know, hopefully get a message, 525 00:26:36,380 --> 00:26:38,580 a gospel, simple gospel message out there. 526 00:26:39,380 --> 00:26:41,180 I'm not the most eloquent person in the world, 527 00:26:41,180 --> 00:26:42,580 and I'm not the most eloquent person in the world, 528 00:26:42,580 --> 00:26:44,180 and I don't even try to be. 529 00:26:44,180 --> 00:26:48,180 But the reality is, is that I want his message to get out there 530 00:26:48,180 --> 00:26:50,580 and I hope that it impacts the people. 531 00:26:52,780 --> 00:26:55,780 Even because even while I was still a sinner, 532 00:26:56,980 --> 00:26:58,980 Jesus went and died for me. 533 00:26:58,980 --> 00:27:02,580 And to the thought of what that means, 534 00:27:02,980 --> 00:27:06,780 you have to really understand, like, let's say you're on trial 535 00:27:07,380 --> 00:27:09,180 for murder, you killed somebody. 536 00:27:09,180 --> 00:27:11,580 And then someone comes in off the street and says, 537 00:27:11,580 --> 00:27:13,580 I'll take the punishment for that person. 538 00:27:13,980 --> 00:27:15,980 You don't know who that person is. 539 00:27:16,580 --> 00:27:19,380 As far as you know, there's no connection to that person and you. 540 00:27:20,980 --> 00:27:22,580 That's what he did for us. 541 00:27:22,580 --> 00:27:24,980 We're all dead in sin, but it was Christ 542 00:27:25,980 --> 00:27:27,580 who came to set us free. 543 00:27:29,380 --> 00:27:32,580 So if I could have, you know, if you're listening to this as a podcast, 544 00:27:32,580 --> 00:27:34,580 like while you're driving, of course, don't do this. 545 00:27:34,580 --> 00:27:37,780 But if you're not listening to this, 546 00:27:37,780 --> 00:27:43,380 if you're not, if you're at home, if you're just doing something around the house, 547 00:27:43,980 --> 00:27:46,380 I like to have every head bowed or every eye closed wherever you're at. 548 00:27:47,980 --> 00:27:49,980 For just a quick second. 549 00:27:49,980 --> 00:27:52,980 Proverbs 22, four says, humility is the fear of the Lord 550 00:27:52,980 --> 00:27:56,180 and its wages are riches and honor in life. 551 00:27:56,980 --> 00:28:00,780 At the end of every message, I like to give an invitation. 552 00:28:01,980 --> 00:28:03,780 Maybe, just maybe, 553 00:28:03,780 --> 00:28:07,180 this message impacted you and you feel the presence of God 554 00:28:07,180 --> 00:28:10,980 and you feel the weight of sin in your life. 555 00:28:11,780 --> 00:28:14,180 You don't have to live in that sin. 556 00:28:14,580 --> 00:28:19,780 You don't have to live in a place where you feel condemned by your actions, 557 00:28:19,780 --> 00:28:22,580 the actions of your past. 558 00:28:23,780 --> 00:28:25,180 You could throw that upon the Lord. 559 00:28:25,180 --> 00:28:30,580 You can give him your life and he will give you through grace, salvation. 560 00:28:30,580 --> 00:28:34,380 And it's very simple. The way to do that is just to repent of your sin, 561 00:28:35,180 --> 00:28:37,980 which means turn away, to turn away from your sin, 562 00:28:37,980 --> 00:28:40,180 accept him as your Lord and Savior 563 00:28:41,780 --> 00:28:43,980 and allow him to be in your heart. 564 00:28:45,180 --> 00:28:47,780 So if you were to put it into a simple prayer, it'd be like something like this. 565 00:28:47,780 --> 00:28:48,980 And you can repeat this after me. 566 00:28:48,980 --> 00:28:51,380 Dear Lord God, I know that I'm a sinner. 567 00:28:51,380 --> 00:28:53,580 I know that I'm not perfect. 568 00:28:53,580 --> 00:28:54,980 I turned from my sin. 569 00:28:54,980 --> 00:28:58,380 I repent and I accept you, Lord Jesus. 570 00:28:58,380 --> 00:29:00,980 To be my Savior, I accept you into my heart. 571 00:29:01,580 --> 00:29:03,580 Help me, help change my heart. 572 00:29:04,380 --> 00:29:08,180 Thank you for the gift of salvation through grace. 573 00:29:08,580 --> 00:29:09,980 In Jesus name, we pray. 574 00:29:10,380 --> 00:29:11,180 Amen. 575 00:29:11,580 --> 00:29:18,380 That simple, simple prayer takes you from having to carry the burden of the 576 00:29:18,380 --> 00:29:22,180 wages of sin, which is death, and being entered in the Lamb's book of life. 577 00:29:23,180 --> 00:29:23,780 That's it. 578 00:29:24,980 --> 00:29:28,180 Now, what I recommend asking you to do is to ask God, 579 00:29:28,180 --> 00:29:29,780 and then find afterwards is fine. 580 00:29:29,780 --> 00:29:31,980 You know, get a Bible, start reading your Bible. 581 00:29:32,780 --> 00:29:35,580 You start praying, which just means have conversation with God. 582 00:29:36,180 --> 00:29:36,780 Just pray. 583 00:29:38,380 --> 00:29:42,680 You can learn, you'll learn as you go and then get into a church, a Bible 584 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:43,680 believing church. 585 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:45,980 And when I say Bible believing, I mean the whole Bible. 586 00:29:47,980 --> 00:29:51,780 From beginning to end, find a Bible believing church. 587 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:57,680 If you're in the Salmon Arm area, British Columbia, then come and visit us. 588 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:01,980 If not, reach out and we have fellowship churches all over the place. 589 00:30:01,980 --> 00:30:04,580 We have over 3000 worldwide. 590 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:09,080 But I thank you again for taking the time to listen to me. 591 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:10,880 I hope this message resonated with you. 592 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:15,480 And I look forward to, you know, doing another one of these messages for you. 593 00:30:15,780 --> 00:30:18,280 And if this is impacting you, reach out to me. 594 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:21,080 I'd love to hear that it's that you're getting something out of it. 595 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:23,180 And I do this under the Lord. 596 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:24,780 Thank you for the time. 597 00:30:24,780 --> 00:30:25,280 Amen.