1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:12,559 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Well, good morning there, friends and faithful listeners. 2 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: My name is Jen I am the host of the 3 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: Bible Explained podcast, and I am so excited to delve 4 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,319 Speaker 1: into this chapter with you guys. We are going to 5 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 1: finish up James three and this is a spicy topic. 6 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: This is a topic that really fires me up because 7 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: we're going to be talking about selfish ambition and jealousy 8 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:33,160 Speaker 1: in the church, and it is in a lot of churches. 9 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: I'm not going to say every church, but in a 10 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: lot of them. And I would even argue the vast 11 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:40,879 Speaker 1: majority of churches deal with this particular issue. So as 12 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: Christians who want to follow Jesus, we really got to 13 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: be aware of all of this and especially remove it 14 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: out of our own lives before we can really say 15 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: anything about anybody else. But you know, unfortunately, a lot 16 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: of pastors, in the way that churches are set up, 17 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: encourage this kind of behavior in the church. So we 18 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: got to talk about this topic today and we will. 19 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 1: Right after a quick word from a sponsor, let's turn 20 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 1: to James chapter three and read this. I will be 21 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: reading as I usually do, from the web. Also, grab 22 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 1: your delicious cup of seven weeks coffee. Which is what 23 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 1: I have right here. In fact, I ruined my seven 24 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,320 Speaker 1: weeks coffee by mixing it in with a different type 25 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 1: of coffee this week because I ran out of seven 26 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:21,119 Speaker 1: weeks and I was like, ah, just mix in this 27 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,120 Speaker 1: store bought coffee with my seven weeks and it completely 28 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 1: ruined the flavor. And I'm really really bummed about it. 29 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 1: I completely destroyed my delicious seven weeks coffee with whatever 30 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: brand of generic coffee. This is I'm becoming a coffee snob. 31 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna lie. If you're interested in seven Weeks coffee, 32 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: check out my link in the description. They are the 33 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:43,320 Speaker 1: coffee brand that supports life in the womb. Let's go 34 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: ahead and read James thirteen through eighteen. Once you're ready, 35 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 1: Let's give reverence to God's word together. Who is wise 36 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: and understanding among you? Let him show by his good 37 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom. 38 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in 39 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: your heart, don't boast and don't lie against the truth. 40 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, 41 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: but it's earthly, sensual, and demonic. For where jealousy and 42 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: selfish ambition are there is confusion and every evil deed. 43 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, 44 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, 45 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:26,839 Speaker 1: without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness 46 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: is sown in peace by those who make peace. This 47 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: portion of James segues perfectly from what we talked about 48 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: on Tuesday when we mentioned the be not many Teachers thing, 49 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 1: and we also talked about how the tongue is like 50 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: a flame of fire, and your words truly do have consequences. 51 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: In fact, words can kill, and we see that time 52 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:52,080 Speaker 1: and time again in scripture that they can damage lives 53 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: and destroy people. So as a Christian, your words should 54 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:57,639 Speaker 1: not be like that. Obviously, you have to learn how 55 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: to control your tongue. And James even says, you know, 56 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: no man can control the tongue. It is like a 57 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: flame of fire, kind of like a forest fire that 58 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: just goes off and you know, does whatever it wants 59 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:12,080 Speaker 1: to do. But the Holy Spirit can absolutely help you 60 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 1: tame your tongue. Now, this doesn't mean that we are 61 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:18,079 Speaker 1: going to be perfect in our speech all the time. 62 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: In fact, James himself says in verse two that we 63 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn't stumble in 64 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: word is a perfect person able to bridle the whole body. Also, 65 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,799 Speaker 1: so even James is like, yeah, we're all going to stumble, 66 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: We're all going to say things that we should not say. 67 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: But the Holy Spirit will help us tame our tongues, 68 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: and he will give us the words to say, essentially, 69 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: and he will convict us to stay quiet and to 70 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: not engage in unhelpful speech. So that is all we 71 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: talked about on Tuesday. And now in verse thirteen for 72 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: our passage for today, James goes back into the teaching thing. 73 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: Remember in verse one, he says, let not many of 74 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive 75 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: heavier judgment. And now in verse thirteen he says, who 76 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 1: is wise and understanding among you, let him show by 77 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 1: his good conduct that his deeds are done in the 78 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: gentleness of wisdom. You know, you're not going to just 79 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 1: be judged as a teacher by the things that you say, 80 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: but also the way you conduct yourself. He mentions, these 81 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: people who are wise and understanding, Now that's actually what 82 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 1: the Jewish people called their rabbis and their priests. They 83 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,280 Speaker 1: called them the wise and understanding ones. So James here 84 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 1: is talking specifically about teachers. So in other words, who 85 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: here is a teacher among you? Let that teacher show 86 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: by his good conduct that his deeds are done in 87 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: gentleness of wisdom. So it's not just about the speech, 88 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,359 Speaker 1: though that is certainly the main battle right here. You 89 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:50,720 Speaker 1: have to learn how to control your tongue, but you 90 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: also need to conduct yourself the right way. In fact, 91 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 1: in One Timothy chapter three and five, and also in 92 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 1: the Book of Titus, we already talked about the requirements 93 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 1: for somebody to become an elder or in other words, 94 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 1: an overseer or a teacher in the church. And a 95 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 1: lot of it is how they conduct themselves. Are they 96 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: good parents, are they good husbands? Are they good at teaching? 97 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:18,359 Speaker 1: Are they not envious? Are they drunkards? Basically all of 98 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 1: it comes down to how they conduct themselves in a 99 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: day to day basis. People can absolutely claim to be 100 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: a good person, claim to be loving, but if they 101 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 1: don't actually do the work to be loving, then they 102 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:33,679 Speaker 1: make themselves out to be a liar. So, of course, 103 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 1: Bible teachers also have to conduct their lives well in fact. 104 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: Jesus talks about this in Matthew chapter seven. It's not 105 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:44,039 Speaker 1: just about what a person says, it's about how they live. 106 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: Matthew seven, starting in verse fifteen, Beware of false prophets 107 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are 108 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 1: ravening wolves. By their fruits, you will know them. Do 109 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles? Even so, 110 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,600 Speaker 1: every good tree produces good fruit, but the corrupt tree 111 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 1: produces evil fruit. A good tree can't produce evil fruit. 112 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 1: Neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Every tree 113 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:11,279 Speaker 1: that doesn't grow good fruit is cut down and thrown 114 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 1: into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you will know them. 115 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 1: So yeah, by the conduct that they present themselves with. 116 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 1: That's how you're going to know if somebody is a 117 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:25,160 Speaker 1: false teacher, or if somebody is a false prophet, or 118 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 1: if somebody is truly speaking the words of God, You're 119 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: gonna know them by their fruits. And that's what James 120 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: chapter three says as well. Who is wise and understanding 121 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: among you, let him show it by his good conduct 122 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 1: that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom. Now, 123 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:43,839 Speaker 1: that term gentleness of wisdom could also be translated as 124 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: the humility that comes from wisdom. In other words, a 125 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: gentle spirit, a humble spirit. Not somebody that boasts about 126 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:56,359 Speaker 1: themselves all the time, not somebody that is brash or 127 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 1: looking down on other people, but somebody who has a 128 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 1: true humanis or gentleness of wisdom. That's another way you're 129 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:06,280 Speaker 1: going to know if a teacher is truly living by 130 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 1: the spirit, are they humble? I am sure many of 131 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: you guys have gone to a church where the pastor 132 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 1: is just high and mighty and points his nose up 133 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: and looks down at you as if you are some 134 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 1: kind of an idiot if you even try to talk 135 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: to him. My mom told me a story when she 136 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: was a little kid about this cardinal that came to 137 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 1: her parish, and this cardinal was just the most arrogant 138 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: person she ever saw, and he acted as if my 139 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 1: grandpa was just like a piece of trash. So my 140 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: grandpa was like beating himself up over this exchange that 141 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: had happened between him and this cardinal and saying like, oh, 142 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: I should have kissed his feet or his ring or 143 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: whatever he was saying. And my mom at the time, 144 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: who was a young little kid, was like that guy 145 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 1: was awful because he had no humility. And even my mom, 146 00:07:57,720 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 1: who was a little kid, could pick that out, and 147 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 1: that's stuff with her for a very very long time. 148 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 1: She still tells that story. And I'm sure that you 149 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 1: guys have experienced something like that as well, where these 150 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 1: teachers really act all high and mighty, as if they 151 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 1: are better than the average populace. But that is not true. 152 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 1: Christian should not have any partiality because if you have partiality, 153 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 1: you are not working in the spirit. So if you 154 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: favor a rich man that comes into your congregation over 155 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: the poor man, and you tell the poor man, hey, 156 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: sit it on the floor while I give this this 157 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: wealthy man the best seat in the house, that is wrong. 158 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 1: First and foremost, every single person is a child of God, 159 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 1: and God doesn't look at anybody as better or worse 160 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 1: than another person. It says in scripture that he loves 161 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 1: the entire world because we're all his creation. Every human 162 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: being is created in the image of God. And so 163 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 1: that's the first reason that we should not be showing 164 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: partiality to people. But the second reason is if you're 165 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: showing partiality to the people in the church. You know 166 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: your brothers and sisters in Christ, then you're never going 167 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 1: to be able to love people that are outside of 168 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: the church. As Christians, we should never be showing partiality 169 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 1: to anybody, so we have to be really careful of that. 170 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: And I mean pastors. Unfortunately, they do show partiality to themselves. 171 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:14,559 Speaker 1: They're like, yes, I'm so much greater than all of these, 172 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:17,840 Speaker 1: you know, little sheep underneath me. But Scripture says that 173 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 1: we are all like sheep, and Jesus had to come 174 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 1: and pay the sins for all of us. So pastors 175 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:27,320 Speaker 1: are not excluded from that. And unfortunately, you know, the 176 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:31,320 Speaker 1: congregants of many churches as well also show partiality by 177 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 1: showing special favor to the pastor over to other people. 178 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,680 Speaker 1: And you can see this when the pastor hurts somebody 179 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: in the church, and all of the people side with 180 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 1: that pastor, even though there are legitimate concerns of people 181 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: who have been genuinely hurt by that pastor. Everybody crowds 182 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 1: around the pastor because for some reason, his title of 183 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:55,239 Speaker 1: pastor makes him immune to any kind of criticism whatsoever 184 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: in the church. But that is not what Scripture teaches. 185 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: It does teach that we are to respect pastors. It 186 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,199 Speaker 1: does teach that we are supposed to submit to them 187 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: and even obey them in most circumstances. But that's only 188 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:10,319 Speaker 1: if those pastors are doing the right thing. You do 189 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:12,440 Speaker 1: not submit to sin, and you do not obey sin 190 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: under any circumstance. It does not matter who the person is. 191 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 1: You don't submit to that. I mean, even look at 192 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:21,559 Speaker 1: the people in the Old Testament, Daniel, Shadrach, meshak Abednego. 193 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: They did not submit to an evil king, though they 194 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 1: would submit to him when he wasn't directly commanding them 195 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 1: to sin against God. They'd submit to him, and they 196 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 1: had deep respect for the king, but they would not 197 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 1: submit to sin. And that is where a lot of 198 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:41,680 Speaker 1: the churches fall short. They submit to these pastors who 199 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,839 Speaker 1: are directly sinning. Here's what these pastors are doing in 200 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 1: verse fourteen. If you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition 201 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:51,839 Speaker 1: in your heart, don't boast and don't lie against the truth. 202 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 1: And there it is right there. You know, these pastors 203 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:56,839 Speaker 1: who are not doing what God tells them to do. 204 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:00,440 Speaker 1: They talk about how much they know, They talk about 205 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: how wonderful they are. Their degree the friends that they have. 206 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 1: Sometimes they'll even say, like I am the pastor, you 207 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:12,080 Speaker 1: cannot go against me. They'll say things like this, and 208 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: some of them even lie against the truth. And what 209 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 1: does James say right here? They have bitter jealousy and 210 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 1: selfish ambition in their hearts. And this is not just 211 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 1: a warning to pastors, by the way, this is a 212 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 1: warning to everybody that you should not have bitter jealousy 213 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: and selfish ambition. Which James will go into that topic 214 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 1: in more depth than an upcoming chapter, but specifically in 215 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: the case of pastors, many of them do have bitter 216 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 1: jealousy and selfish ambition. Their selfish ambition is that they 217 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: cannot be wrong, you know. Selfish ambition is basically self 218 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 1: seeking for a specific goal, like something that's going to 219 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 1: gain them an advantage for themselves, or money for themselves, 220 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:58,720 Speaker 1: or fame, control, prestige. All of these things are considered 221 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 1: to be selfish ambition. Some of them are jealous as 222 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:03,679 Speaker 1: well because they don't like their church. They want a 223 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 1: bigger church, they want a megachurch, they want a pastor 224 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 1: Joe's church down the street. And they're almost like keeping 225 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: up with the Joneses and they have bitter jealousy towards 226 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 1: some of these other bigger churches as well. That's why 227 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 1: James WARN's right here. If you have bitter jealousy and 228 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 1: selfish ambition in your heart, don't boast, don't boast about 229 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 1: how much wisdom you have. Don't boast about how good 230 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 1: you are, how great of a pastor you are, And 231 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 1: don't lie against the truth. Don't twist the truth for 232 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:36,319 Speaker 1: your selfish gain. Don't go against the truth for your 233 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: selfish gain. It says in verse fifteen that this wisdom 234 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, 235 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: and demonic. There is two types of wisdom in the world. 236 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 1: I believe I've mentioned this before actually on the podcast, 237 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:53,439 Speaker 1: but it's been a really long time. There is earthly 238 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 1: wisdom and there's also spiritual wisdom, the wisdom that comes 239 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 1: from the Holy Spirit. So there is two types of 240 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 1: wisdom out there, and as Christians we have to be 241 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 1: really careful that we are not following an earthly kind 242 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:07,959 Speaker 1: of wisdom. But you can see that a lot of 243 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: the problems with the church comes from leadership that is 244 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 1: following earthly wisdom, that is following selfish ambition and bitter 245 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 1: jealousy where they want the control, where they want the 246 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 1: power or the money, or any other goal that is 247 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 1: not in line with scripture. Really, every single pastor their 248 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:32,439 Speaker 1: goal should be to preach the Gospel in a truthful way. 249 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: Their goal should be to teach people to obey the Gospel. 250 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: And if you think that this problem isn't happening in 251 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: your church, well hopefully it's not. And there are some 252 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 1: good churches out there. I'm not going to lie. There 253 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 1: are some great churches even out there, but this is 254 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 1: a very widespread problem because the way that the church 255 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 1: hierarchy is set up in the West, it absolutely breeds 256 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 1: narcissism because the pastor is the head of everything. And 257 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: guess what, that is not the biblical model. It's just not. 258 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 1: I hate to say it, but church in America is 259 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 1: not set up correctly according to Scripture. I mean, just 260 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:11,319 Speaker 1: look at the elders. In one Timothy III. There are 261 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 1: no elders technically above another elder. Once you become an elder, 262 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 1: you are an overseer. Now, there are some elders that 263 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 1: are dedicated to the preaching and teaching of God's Word, 264 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 1: but there is not just one elder above everybody. There 265 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 1: is no senior pastor in scripture. You're not going to 266 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: find it. In fact, even Peter, who we considered to 267 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 1: be like the main disciple of Jesus, and who the 268 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: Catholic Church considers to be their first pope. Here's what 269 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: Peter says in one Peter five, Starting in verse one, 270 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 1: he says, therefore, I exhort the elders among you as 271 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 1: a fellow elder, and as a witness of the sufferings 272 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 1: of Christ, and who will also share in the glory 273 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: that will be revealed shepherd the flock of God which 274 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, 275 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 1: not for dishonest gain, but willingly, not as lording it 276 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 1: over the entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to 277 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 1: the flock. When the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will 278 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 1: receive the crown of glory that doesn't fade away. So 279 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 1: Peter puts himself under the chief Shepherd. He does not 280 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: consider himself greater than any of the other elders. In fact, 281 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: he calls himself a fellow elder, and he mentions right 282 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 1: here in verse three to not lord over the people 283 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 1: entrusted to you, but instead make yourselves examples to the 284 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 1: flock because elders are under the shepherdhood of Jesus. They 285 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 1: are under Jesus, and so they are not supposed to 286 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: be showing partiality to themselves. That is for dang sure, 287 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 1: and unfortunately that is not how the American church is 288 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 1: set up. Again, it breeds narcissism with the way that 289 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:47,840 Speaker 1: the current church hierarchy is. We can't do that. All 290 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: of that is considered by James to be an earthly, sensual, 291 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: and demonic kind of wisdom, an earthly wisdom. This is 292 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:00,120 Speaker 1: not wisdom by the Holy Spirit, especially the bit a 293 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: jealousy and selfish ambition that many of these pastors have 294 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: for themselves, and even if they have it for their church, 295 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: like we're going to be the best church in the area, 296 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 1: we are going to have the most people, we are 297 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: going to have the biggest building. Even that is selfish ambition. 298 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: The goal is not to be the best church in 299 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: the area, the best pastor in the area with the 300 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 1: best sermons. The goal is to lead people to Jesus 301 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: and to teach people to obey the words of Christ. 302 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:33,280 Speaker 1: And that is not happening in our churches. Unfortunately, it's 303 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: just not happening, it says in verse sixteen. For where 304 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every 305 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:43,880 Speaker 1: evil deed. There are a ton of verses throughout the 306 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 1: Bible that talk about how dangerous envy and jealousy and 307 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 1: selfish ambition are. For example, in Proverbs twenty seven, verse 308 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: four says, wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who 309 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 1: can stand before jealousy? So in some ways, though they're 310 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: all bad, dealing with somebody who is angry and wrathful 311 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 1: against you is better than dealing with somebody who is 312 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:08,879 Speaker 1: jealous against you. Here's what one Corinthians thirteen four and 313 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 1: five says. Love is patient and kind. Love does not 314 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:14,680 Speaker 1: envy or boast It's not arrogant or rude. It does 315 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 1: not insist on its own way. It is not irritable 316 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:20,560 Speaker 1: or resentful. So somebody who is showing true love, like 317 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:23,880 Speaker 1: the love that comes from Jesus himself, they're not going 318 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:26,919 Speaker 1: to be envious or jealous. They're not going to be 319 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:31,480 Speaker 1: boastful or arrogant. They're not going to insist on their 320 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:35,639 Speaker 1: own way. Here's another verse from First Corinthians three, verse three, 321 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 1: for you are still of the flesh. For while there 322 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:40,960 Speaker 1: is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of 323 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 1: the flesh and behaving only in a human way? And 324 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 1: now here's Galatians five, verses nineteen through twenty one. Now 325 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:55,720 Speaker 1: the works of the flesh are evident sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, 326 00:17:55,920 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 1: fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envied, drunkenness, orgies, and 327 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: things like these. Man, I mean, jealousy is in the 328 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:07,920 Speaker 1: same thing as orgies. Okay, And to read one more 329 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:11,440 Speaker 1: from Proverbs fourteen thirty, it says a tranquil heart gives 330 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 1: life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. 331 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 1: So the envious person is even miserable. Their bones are 332 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:19,880 Speaker 1: rotting away inside of them because they're not happy. They're 333 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:22,879 Speaker 1: not content with the things that God gave them. So 334 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 1: we should not be having this kind of stuff in 335 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:27,199 Speaker 1: our church. We should not be standing for it. We 336 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:31,159 Speaker 1: need to truly fight against this kind of behavior in 337 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,480 Speaker 1: ourselves first. I mean, that's important. We got to do 338 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 1: it to ourselves first. We got to self analyze what 339 00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 1: does Jesus say in the Sermon on the Mount that 340 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:41,199 Speaker 1: you can correct your brother. But if you've got a 341 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:43,480 Speaker 1: log a sticking out of your own eye, you know, 342 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 1: a blaring sin in your own life. But then you 343 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:49,440 Speaker 1: try to like take away the sin of somebody else, 344 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:52,040 Speaker 1: then you're a hypocrite. You got to get rid of 345 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 1: the sin out of your own life first before you 346 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:58,080 Speaker 1: can really you know, fight the power, I suppose, And 347 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,200 Speaker 1: so it's important to self analyze Christians. And I mean, 348 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:04,440 Speaker 1: I think that James is not just talking to elders here. 349 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: I think he's talking to everybody. We have to remove 350 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 1: this stuff out of the church because even if church 351 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 1: members have it, say the pastor doesn't have this kind 352 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,239 Speaker 1: of stuff, but the church does. That is also not 353 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:16,400 Speaker 1: a good thing because then the church congregants will start 354 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 1: to drive people away, they'll use people and hurt people. 355 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: So jealousy and selfish ambition cause confusion in every evil deed. 356 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:27,280 Speaker 1: We can't have these things in our churches. But to 357 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 1: contrast that, in verse seventeen of James three, it says, 358 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:34,159 Speaker 1: but the wisdom that is from above is first pure, 359 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:39,120 Speaker 1: then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy, and good fruits, 360 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:44,200 Speaker 1: without partiality and without hypocrisy. So the wisdom that comes 361 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:48,000 Speaker 1: from God, not the earthly wisdom, but the good wisdom. Firstly, 362 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:50,440 Speaker 1: it is pure. What does that mean, Well, it means 363 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:53,120 Speaker 1: without sin. That is the first thing that this type 364 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:55,640 Speaker 1: of wisdom is. It is going to be without sin. 365 00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: And then after that, it is peaceful, it is gentle, 366 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 1: it is reasonable, So in other words, you're going to 367 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:06,960 Speaker 1: be willing to backtrack if you are wrong in something. 368 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:10,879 Speaker 1: It is full of mercy and good fruits. So someone 369 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: who is submitting to this kind of wisdom is going 370 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 1: to show from it. They're going to do good deeds 371 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 1: for other people. And they're also not going to show 372 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 1: partiality to themselves or anybody else. And it's without hypocrisy. 373 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: So again, you got to remove the sins out of 374 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:30,520 Speaker 1: your own lives before you can judge another person, otherwise 375 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 1: you become a hypocrite. But if you use this kind 376 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:36,760 Speaker 1: of wisdom, you're going to produce these wonderful things in 377 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 1: your lives, these good fruits, the fruits of the spirit 378 00:20:40,359 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 1: essentially that God gives us when we submit to his will. 379 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: I mean, can you imagine a church full of individuals 380 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 1: like this? Can you imagine a pastor full of this 381 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: kind of wisdom, a pastor who is peaceful and gentle 382 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 1: and reasonable and full of mercy and good fruits, who 383 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: doesn't show partiality, who isn't envious of the church down 384 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: the street, the church in the city over, who is 385 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 1: without hypocrisy. Can you imagine that the churches would be 386 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: in a way different place if we actually put good 387 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:13,199 Speaker 1: leaders in place, if we did more self analyzation, if 388 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:15,359 Speaker 1: we remove the sins out of our own lives first, 389 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,439 Speaker 1: the church would be in a wildly different place. I 390 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,120 Speaker 1: can imagine that the church would be unstoppable. That's why 391 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:24,199 Speaker 1: Satan targets the church. That's why James says that this 392 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 1: worldly wisdom is demonic. Of course, Satan wants to bring 393 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,400 Speaker 1: his demonic wisdom into the church because then the church 394 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,879 Speaker 1: will fracture. That's what it says. Where this kind of 395 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 1: wisdom is this earthly wisdom, there is confusion in every 396 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: evil deed. Satan is going to try to target the 397 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:42,879 Speaker 1: church because he hates the church, and it says that 398 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 1: he wants to pull away even the elect if that 399 00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 1: is possible. So we got to combat Satan's deeds. We've 400 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: got to do that by using the wisdom that the 401 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit gives us. We also have to put on 402 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 1: the full armor of God, and that means all of us. 403 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 1: And to conclude in verse eighteen, now, the fruit of 404 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:05,760 Speaker 1: righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 405 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:10,159 Speaker 1: We have to be peaceful individuals, not self seeking, not 406 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 1: bitterly envious and jealous of other people. But we have 407 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:17,200 Speaker 1: to be peaceful. That's one of the core tenants of 408 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 1: Christianity is seeking peace and finding peace in Jesus. I mean, 409 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: remember what Jesus's name is. He is the Prince of Peace. 410 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:28,239 Speaker 1: If we are following the Prince of Peace, then we 411 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:32,439 Speaker 1: ourselves also should be peaceful and we're going to produce 412 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:35,199 Speaker 1: fruits of righteousness. It says if we are living in 413 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 1: this peace that the Holy Spirit gives us. Man, I 414 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 1: get really fiery about this topic recently, as you guys 415 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:49,200 Speaker 1: can tell, I am fired up. So I hope you 416 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 1: all enjoyed the episode, and thank you for sticking with 417 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:53,920 Speaker 1: me to the very end. But it's not over yet. 418 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: I'm going to move to an ad break and after 419 00:22:56,359 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 1: that I will close up with one last point. You know, 420 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 1: as normal church goers, it is easy to pick on pastors, 421 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: but you got to think about it. It's also the 422 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 1: church congregants. It's each one of us that need to 423 00:23:10,359 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 1: avoid this kind of behavior if we're going to have 424 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:16,200 Speaker 1: a healthy and thriving church. I mean, look at Paul. 425 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 1: He did the best that he possibly could, and his 426 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 1: churches still went off the deep end. Look what he 427 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: was writing to the Corinthian Church. He was with the 428 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:26,639 Speaker 1: Corinthians for a long time, you know, building that church 429 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 1: from nothing, teaching them everything he could about the Gospel. 430 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:34,400 Speaker 1: And yet after he leaves, they're engaging in prostitution, they're 431 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:39,920 Speaker 1: engaging in idolatry, like eating from the table of idols. 432 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 1: They have like a member in their church that's in 433 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:46,080 Speaker 1: an incestuous relationship, like just really crazy stuff. And Paul's like, 434 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 1: what the heck happened here? You know. So it's both 435 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 1: the pastor and it's also the congregants. So going back 436 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:56,479 Speaker 1: to the topic of self reflection, that's very important if 437 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:59,400 Speaker 1: you want to have a healthy church. So what can 438 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 1: we learn from this as average church going Christians? We 439 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:06,959 Speaker 1: can learn that if we have selfish ambition in our hearts, 440 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:09,680 Speaker 1: or if we are bitterly jealous of one of our 441 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 1: fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Then we are being 442 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 1: influenced by demonic sources. That doesn't mean we're possessed. You know. 443 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:21,760 Speaker 1: Even Eve in the Garden of Eden was even influenced 444 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:24,480 Speaker 1: by demonic sources, and she was not possessed. And Eve 445 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 1: had a choice. Unfortunately she listened to the demonic influence 446 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 1: and her husband did too, and the world was thrown 447 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:33,879 Speaker 1: into chaos after that. So as Christians, we need to 448 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:37,880 Speaker 1: avoid the demonic influence. So I want to leave all 449 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: of you guys by reading through which I didn't pull 450 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: this up, I probably should have reading through the Armor 451 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 1: of God. And how to you know, reject these evil 452 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:52,920 Speaker 1: demonic influences in our lives. It says in Ephesian six, 453 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: verses ten through seventeen. Finally, be strong in the Lord 454 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 1: and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor 455 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:01,480 Speaker 1: of Gods, that you can take your stand against the 456 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:05,400 Speaker 1: devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, 457 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 1: but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers 458 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:11,679 Speaker 1: of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of 459 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 1: evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full 460 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:17,439 Speaker 1: armor of God. So that when the day of evil comes, 461 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 1: you may be able to stand your ground. And after 462 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 1: you have done everything to stand stand firm, then with 463 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,679 Speaker 1: the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the 464 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 1: breastplate of righteousness in place, with your feet fitted with 465 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:33,600 Speaker 1: the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace. In 466 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: addition to all of this, take up the shield of 467 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:39,240 Speaker 1: faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows 468 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:42,760 Speaker 1: of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and 469 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:46,080 Speaker 1: the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. 470 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 1: So essentially, you have to remain in the truth. You 471 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 1: have to remain in God's word. You gotta pray, you 472 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: got to listen to the wisdom that the Spirit gives you. 473 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:56,960 Speaker 1: And all of these things are going to help you 474 00:25:57,480 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 1: avoid this demonic influence that is integrated into the church 475 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: a lot of times. Well, faith listeners, I hope all 476 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,760 Speaker 1: of this encouraged you and that you enjoyed today's episode. 477 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:10,400 Speaker 1: If you like this podcast, then you should check out 478 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:12,840 Speaker 1: becoming a member so that you can gain access to 479 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 1: the Friday episode because Fridays are for the members. And 480 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 1: right now we are going through the Book of the Psalms. 481 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: We're in Psalm ninety two tomorrow, and so there's ninety 482 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:25,879 Speaker 1: two extra episodes of the Bible Explain podcasts that you 483 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 1: can gain access to when you become a member. Now, granted, 484 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:33,520 Speaker 1: the psalms will eventually be released to all of you 485 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:37,879 Speaker 1: guys for free, probably in several years, but there are 486 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 1: definitely going to be books and episodes that will never 487 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:43,320 Speaker 1: be released for free that I do on the Bible 488 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:45,600 Speaker 1: Explained on Fridays. 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