Praise the Lord everybody. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah. We are grateful tonight. Amen. Grateful tonight. We thank God tonight that you are here and of course it would not matter if the Lord did not show. So we are grateful that he is here. Amen. And I pray that you came to be with him. Amen. That that is the goal that we would come to his house and fellowship with him. Amen. Amen. Praise the Lord. Well, let's go ahead. We'll get ready to get into this tonight. I'm excited and about what God is saying and ask that um our change y'all can go ahead and and be dismissed. We're thankful and grateful for all our young people that are been coming out on Wednesdays. Thank God for young Pastor Josh and his group. and um want y'all to make sure y'all y'all uh tell somebody, let's make sure we're here on the fifth Sunday to support them um as they will have the service again. And so we're looking forward to seeing our young people doing what what the adults do. Amen. Amen. And so we thank God for that. While we're standing, let's go ahead and get right into this tonight. Um Matthew chapter five. Hallelujah. Matthew chapter five, excuse me. And um we've been kind of flowing through this. So tonight, of course, no different, but I want us to go, if you will, we'll start tonight, Matthew chapter 5. We'll begin at verse number 33. Matthew chapter 5. Starting at verse number 33. Amen. Hallelujah. Praise God. And of course, you know, I'm reading out of the King James uh version, and we'll use a few other translations before it's all said and done. But the Bible says Matthew chapter 5 verse number 33 again ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shall perform unto the Lord thine oaths. But I say unto you, swear not at all, neither by heaven, nor I mean, for it is God's throne, nor by earth, for it is his foottool, neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. Verse 37 says, "But let your communication be yay, yay, nay, nay, for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." You may have your seats in the presence of our life-changing king. Father, we thank you and bless you tonight for your word. And we pray as always that it will go forth with power, with clarity, and with understanding. We thank you, Father, that your word is true. And we've come tonight to receive that truth word from you, asking that it would fall on good ground so that it would bring forth fruit that would glorify you and you alone. And for that we bless you and we do thank you in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Praise God. Praise God. Well, tonight here we are. We still been dealing with these five major discourses of Jesus. We're still on the first major discourse, which is the sermon on the mount. Amen. And um as we're dealing with this sermon on the mount um we've been kind of walking through this this particular sermon and we've taken our time to do it. Um, and we've come to this place now over the last few weeks where we've been looking at Jesus's point of view on the matter because the scripture he says you have heard it said or it may have been said but then he comes back and says but I say and so we've been dealing with what Jesus has said versus what it what has been said. And tonight we're going to look at Jesus's point of view uh concerning oaths and retaliation. Oaths and retaliation. Amen. Now already um I'm I'm excited but at the same time I want to make sure because right where it would appear like uh I don't know how this one applies to me. Um it is incredible when we slow down and bring the scripture to us and you know I have to first find myself in the scripture but then I need to bring that scripture to where I am today because otherwise it'll just be a good story to me. And so the word won't be alive in my life if I don't apply it to my life. And I can't apply it to my life and I if I don't realistically put myself in it to see where I fit and then allow it to get in me so it can overtake me so that I look like and behave like a man or woman of God. Amen. Now with that said, let's look at this because we're talking about what's Jesus's point of view on oaths and regulations. Now the reason this is um again I mean retaliation I'm sorry oath and retaliation and when we look at this again because everything up to this point that Jesus has said you have heard it said he was not lying obviously this is these are the the regulations by which they were living the laws that have been passed down from Moses time until now when they were and this is how they were conducting themselves but we'll see uh that they were taking it and They were kind of going as far as they can. You know, bending the rule just a little bit, twisting it just a little bit, going going so far, but you know, it's like when when you tell your child, don't touch something on the table and they touch everything on the table, but what you told them not to touch, you know. So really, that's when you're supposed to deal with them because what they're doing is defying you um to the to the extent of not actually doing what you said not to do, which is kind of saying, I'm going to live as close to the edge as possible without getting in trouble. Which is why so many Christians struggle with their walk because instead of just walking for God, we walk as close to the world as possible without actually sinning. But if you if you lean too close to a wall, you gonna get dirt on you. Are y'all here? And so here he says this. We'll start with oaths because that's the first thing we see in verse 33 because he says again, ye have heard that it have been said by them of old time, thou shalt not forcewear. Now the word forswear, it means to perure yourself or to break an oath, right? It's to lie false. is to is to to make a false promise to say I'm gonna do something and not do it right and he said you've heard you you've had heard that it was said of old time thou should not forceear or you shouldn't purge yourself you shouldn't break your oath and he says but thou shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths now according to the Mosaic the Mosaic law you know the Mosaic law forbade swearing by the name of the Lord. Meaning you you know you weren't supposed to say I swear I I swear I swear to God, right? Because whenever you said that you were swearing by God, you were literally saying God was witness to your truth, not your truth as your truth, my truth, but telling the truth. I I'm telling the truth. God's my witness. And he said, don't do that. Now, now in Leviticus, just so we can see, uh, Leviticus 19:12, I want you to go there real quick and and we'll get to some good stuff in a minute. I promise you. Uh, it'll make it's going to it'll come around the corner in just a second. Leviticus chapter 19, verse number 12, it says, "And ye shall not swear by my name falsely." That's pretty simple, right? You shall not f swear by my name falsely. Neither shalt thou profain the name of the Lord thy God. I am the Lord. Right? So swearing again because to swear by his name meant you're saying God is my witness that I'm telling the truth. And he said don't put me in it like that. Now now go to Deuteronomy chapter 23. This is where it gets a little more sticky. Um because many times when we think uh when we talk about swearing falsely or perjuring ourselves in order it's what you say, right? To perger you've got to say something, right? And so here's the here's the issue. I know for a fact that the average believer does not take into consideration his conversation because we do more apologizing than we need to. Why do we apologize? Well, you hear this all the time. I didn't mean to say it like that. Well, you said it like you thought it. You, you know, you didn't misspeak. You might not have wanted it to be that loud, but you said what you wanted to say. You understand? Because you, no matter how much, and here's what's crazy. If when if if I'm traveling, if we go to Mexico or or to, you know, to France, no matter how much I want to order my meal in there, I can't do it because I can't speak their language. So for you to say, "I didn't mean to say that." It you It came out too fluent. It's a language you speak. Are y'all here? and and and so watch this now because in Deuteronomy chapter 23 now I need you to well we'll let the scripture just just brace yourself verse 21 Deuteronomy 23 look at verse 21 are you there it says when thou shalt vow a vow hold up pastor thought he's talking about swearing to God or force swearing perjuring yourself well when you vow a vow vow is still a vow and and to swear or to to promise is the same thing in the sense of when you see the word vow where you see the word swear right what am I saying I'm making a ver I'm verbalizing a promise I intend on keeping yeah now this is this gets real good Because he says, "When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it." Y'all still here? For the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee, and it would be a sin in thee. Are y'all here? Verse 22. But if thou shalt forebear, forbear means don't say it. If you should forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in in thee. That which is gone out of thy lips, thou shalt keep and perform. Do you see this? Even a free will offering according as thou has vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou hast, there it is, thou hast promised. How? With thy mouth. You put your mouth on it. Now, here's the danger. Jesus said, I know you heard it said, don't do that. Don't don't don't vow or don't don't falsely swear. Don't say, you know, I'm I'm coming Sunday and you know you're not. Y'all hear? And and here's what gets me is the That's why I say I know most of most believers don't think The Bible says that we are to study how to answer. But but many of us say stuff almost because we're in the moment. Yes, sir. And then after the fact you think about it. The Proverbs says, it says, you know, don't vow and then afterwards say, "Oops, I didn't mean to do that." Because you already said it. You put your mouth out there. Is this making sense yet? Now, now that's Deuteronomy chapter 23, right? verse 21- 23 in the King James. Look at verse 23. Chapter 23, verse 23 in the message translation. Uh, oh, Eugene Peterson, it came through again. Watch this. It says, "If you say you're going to do something, do it." Ain't that amazing? Yes, sir. If you say you're going to do something, do it. Keep the vow you willingly vowed to God, your God. You promised it, so do it. That's good. Now, this this is where it gets again, it gets a little challenging because we say stuff. I'll be there. What time? What time y'all doing it? Seven. I'll be there. I ain't going there. I mean, that's it's like, do you realize how easy you just represented the enemy? He's a liar and the father of lies. And you just told one like it was nothing. Lord Jesus, are y'all here? We talked a little bit last night at Just Men's Fellowship about lying. The question was, when is lying permitted? And I said, you can lie whenever you want to. That's the problem. It's not a permit or or not permit. Lying lips are an abomination. No matter who tells it or when you tell it. Jesus never lied. You understand? Now the reason I say that is because what we say you can lie just because God permitted, right? Permitted or planned. Just because God permitted you to lie don't mean he condoned it. You're with me now. Now, now here's where we'll miss it. I love it. The grace of God is so amazing that it'll make you think you good, sir. Yes. I'm gonna say it again. The grace of God, watch this. Watch this. You could be shacking and have a healthy pregnancy and say, "God, see if God was against you." That's called grace. Anybody talking back? The grace of God is so amazing that he will take my mess up that should have destroyed me. And mess around and have me thinking it was his plan. See, God knew what he was doing. God wanted me to get with her when I was only 15. It was the plan. No, dude. It was the grace of God that made it look like it was his plan. It wasn't his plan. Do you understand? And so why am I saying this? Because we'll say, "God, I got you." And I know I can't. Well, I can be, but I doubt it. The only one in this room that has told God a boldface. My mom used to call them boldface lies. Called it a boldfaced lie. When you said, "God, if you get me out of this one, I promise you get me out of this one, Lord, I'll never do it again." [Music] Are y'all here? And so Jesus said, "Now the Old Testament that that that you're lying. That's an abomination." Still an abomination. But in the Old Testament, it was Mosaic law. Now here's here's how he changed it though because that's already to me that's deep enough. My goodness. Matthew chapter 5. Watch this. Verse 33. Matthew 5:33. Again, let's look at it. It says again, "Ye have heard." Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, "Thou shalt not forear thyself." Don't pure yourself. Don't say you're going to do something, then you don't do it. Right? But thou shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths. You said it. Do it. Now, watch this. Matthew 5:33, Contemporary English Version. Do we have that? The contemporary English. Look at this. What does it say? Do y'all see this? It says, "You know that our ancestors were told, don't use the Lord's name to make a promise." Am I it? Are y'all here? Don't use the Lord's name to make a promise. A promise unless you're going to keep it. That's good. Go to Ecclesiastes. That y'all got too quiet on remember that to go over to Ecclesiastes chapter 5. Ecclesiastes. Are you there? You can go back to the King James. Ecclesiastes 5:4. Ecclesiastes 5:4. I love this because you know how you I don't know maybe y'all didn't you know I don't know what the news par new parents say. New parents be be quoting AI. My mama used to quote her mama and her mama was a little crazy. So we Hello somebody. You know what I'm saying? So, cuz my mama would say, "Okay, you gonna let your mouth write a check. Your brother ain't going to be able to. That's what my mom would say." And what she was saying is, "Okay, yes, sir. Keep on talking." Okay. You understand? And I I like, "Oh, mommy, you ain't supposed to say that, you know, now we're grown." She was. But then I found out that was Willie May's version of the scripture because Ecclesiastes chapter 5 verse4 when thou vows a vow unto God defer not to pay it. Notice what it says. For he hath no pleasure in fools. God says when you tell me you're going to do something and you know you're not in my mind you're foolish. Oh wow. Why? Because the fool says no God. Yes sir. Pay that which thou hast vowed. Verse five. Watch this. Better is that better it is it that thou shouldest not vow than thou shouldest vow and not pay. Verse six. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin. Your mouth about to get your flesh in trouble. Do you understand? Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin. Neither say thou before the angel. This This is powerful to me. Neither say thou before the angel that it was an error. Oops, God. I didn't mean that. Wherefore should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thine hands? Now, can I take I'm gonna get off of this in just a second. I need you. Watch this. I'm like, God. Okay, give me an example. Watch this. Go to Acts chapter 5. Acts chapter 5. Y'all still here? Well, we're in Matthew 5, Ecclesiastes 5. Acts chapter 5. All this grace. Acts chapter 5. Are you there? I need y'all to see something and then we're gonna go one more place and I'm gonna move off. I think by then my picture should have been well painted. Acts chapter five. But a certain man named Ananas with Safara his wife sold a possession. Who's who who what did they do? They sold a possession. You can't sell what don't belong to you. So they sold a possession and kept back part of the price. His wife also being privy to it and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles feet. Watch this. But Peter said, Ananas, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost and keep back part of the price of the land? Well, it's theirs. They can give what they want. True. Here's the problem. Next verse. Watch this. While it rem While it remained, was it not thine own? Yes. And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Come on. Yes. So why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart that thou hast not li? He said, "Thou has not lied unto man, but unto God." Now watch this. What does this have to do anything? If they would have said, "Man, Peter, God is so good, man. We sold this thing for 700,000. We going to give the church 500." Are they lying? Did they keep back part? No. Because they gave what they said. So where's the lie? You told me this is all it sold for, right? So when you get when your tithe is still $10, you got a new house, new car, new clothes, and you still only making $100. You lying. But you're not lying to me. You're lying to the Holy Spirit. And I love it when people say, "Bo, I wish the church today was like it was then." Do you know how many folk would drop dead every offering? Y'all quiet. The scripture says, he said, "You ain't lie to me." And what happened? He He didn't go home and have a heart attack. He dropped dead right there. Right there at the offering plate. Boom. He dead. And the brothers came. He said, "Come on, get him up out of here." Then Safire come from the mall. She got her Louis and she walk in looking for her husband. He said, "Let me holl at you for a minute. Hey, hey, Pete. God is good." He said, "Y'all all the time." Uhhuh. Uh, let me ask you, did y'all sell it for that much? And I I remember years ago we said this. This is to you wives or husbands for that matter. Safire didn't have to die. She could have said, "I just agree. That's what my husband told me to tell y'all." She said, "That's what we did." And they both died. The same man. I know them brothers tired that day. They just finished digging a hole for this brother. Came back to church to get some worship. And he said, "One more thing. Go get him. Get her out. Put her right next to her husband, the ground fresh. Just just put Why? Because you lied." Watch this. Not just lied. This is the piece. You lied about what you gave to God. And in God's eyes, it's worthy of death. Can I take it a step further? So when you stand at this altar, Adrian, happy anniversary, right? And you tell the people and that woman before God, you going to do what the scripture says and you have no intention of fulfilling your vow. You what what do they call them at the altar? They're called what? Vows. That's good. You lied. It is pretty quiet. Give you one more grace. Can we go to another chapter five? Go to Zechariah chapter five. Let's just go there, too. Let's see what that chapter five say. I'm going just stay down here, Bobby. Zechariah chapter. Now this is amazing to me. Old testament close to the new real close to Malachi. Zachchariah. Zachchariah. If you find Malachi just say start 10 page at a time. You'll be there before you know it. Y'all see them. Now watch this. I love this. Can you just for the straight for the sake of I like the one word in the New King James versus in the old the the reg the King James uses the word roll. The New King James uses the word scroll. I love that. But here's either way is a scary thought. Zechariah chapter 5 verse one. Watch this. It says, "Then I turned and raised my eyes and saw there a flying scroll." So y'all know what the scroll is? Y'all see that? I saw a flying scroll. Now watch this. Verse two. He says, "And he said to me, what do you see?" So I answered, "A flying scroll? Its length is 20 cubits and its width is 10 cubits. Keep going. And he says, "Then he said to me, this is the curse." I didn't write it. That goes over the face of the whole earth. Now watch this. It is literally remember just for a real quick park for a moment. Remember the Bible says, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth. Earth was without form and void. And the spirit of God was doing what? Hovering. Hovering. What was it waiting on? It was waiting on God to say something. Right? It was waiting on God to say something. It was waiting so when God said something, it could move. Remember now, watch this. Job chapter one, don't go there. But in Job chapter 1, the Bible says that there would came a day when the sons of God presented themselves before the Lord and Satan came also. And God said, "Where have you been?" And he said, "I've been going to and fro, up and down through all the earth, doing my job, seeking whom I devour. Have you considered my servant Job?" He said, "Yes, but you have a hedge. How do you know?" Because I've been walking by his house every day. Watch this. I just So, I need y'all to get that visual because this scroll does the same thing. Because it didn't say it says it's over what? The whole earth. It's just looking and it says over the face of the whole earth every thief I didn't write it shall be expelled according to this side of the scroll and every purggerer false witness shall be expelled according to that side of the scroll that'll be enough. But go on verse four. Watch this. He says, "I will send out the curse, says who?" The preacher. No, this is the Lord. He said, "I will send out the curse, sayith the Lord of hosts. It shall enter the house of who?" The one whose tithe is still $10. And you keep calling it a tithe. Every time you call it a tithe, this is what God said. It would be better for you not to tithe. Then put that there and call that a tithe. And you'll know you made more than that. got quiet. Where's that scroll coming? Over no where where is it coming? The house of the shall a man. How did I rob you? Tithe. So watch this. The tithe increased. Your offer is still $10. You left more money at Starbucks. And can't remember the last time you passed a buck. I'm just saying some of our problems is not poor stewardship. There's a heavy blanket over our house called a scroll. I love it. I I can hear it even in some of y'all. Pastor, that's Old Testament. That's under the law. I love it. Zechariah is in the Old Testament. Ananas and Safh. Watch this. Holy Ghost had already fell. I bet Z. I bet Ananas wish a scroll would have landed. At least he could have repented. Watch this. It shall enter the house of the thief. And who else? The house of the one who swears falsely. You have heard it said, "Thou shall not." Don't do that. He said, "It's going to come to the p the house of the one who swears falsely by my name, and it shall hang out there, remain in the midst of this house, and consume it with its timber and stones. Have you ever wondered how is it possible?" Now we know. Don't hear. Don't hear what I'm not saying, but hear what I do. Hear what I'm saying, though. How is it possible? Got three people. Three people. We'll just say the Don, uh, Jarius, Bobby, all three of y'all started on the same job, same day. Okay. Same pay, same level. Everybody started same job, same pay, and same level. That's nice. We'll give them a day. What you want? What you want? Make a $1,000 a day, a th000 a week. Listen to them. Okay. So, they got a $1,000 a day. Nice little gig. Nice little gig. They Mom, I got the job. $1,000 a day. Now, since y'all get to tell me what I want, what your salary is, I get to tell you who you are. Jerry's ain't saved. Delon saved, but he carnal is all Bobby saved, sanctified, even living, right? All right. All of them got $1,000 a day. A day. Jar went, bought him a house, traveled the world, ain't never missed no work. Del took out a couple of loans. You know, life is hard. Jerry's just just enjoy I mean, uh, Bobby's just enjoying life. Same pay, $1,000 a day. One's not saved, enjoying his unsaved life. No curse on his life because he ain't never told God he give him a dime. The line is the only one of the three that's the living the worst saved but got this heavy blanket on it. Why? Because you keep opening your mouth and lying. You make $1,000 a day and we can't remember last time you gave a church $500 a week. Now, if I'm not mistaken, $1,000 a day is $5,000 a week. So, the church should be getting $500 a week. That's on the tithe line. Y'all quiet. I'm helping people right now. What? You can tell because we're too quiet. Cuz we're like, "Well, pastor, but but I got bills." Jarius got bills and he even got Jesus. And he didn't been to Paris. He just came back from Dubai. sent you a postcard from Bangladesh and and the line missing church cuz you got to work overtime and we don't even figure this out. We like how is this how is this possible that your unsaved heathen drinking every weekend coworker don't need money and you do you ain't never thought of that. How is this possible? because they've not made no vows to God. And we do. And we come to church and we don't keep it. This is so easy to me. I just don't understand. To me, man, that's why I'm telling I probably I told the brothers last night, I didn't get saved till I was 22. But I tell you, 22 days into my living, I was already in church. I'm sure my mama probably came straight from uh uh Southern Memorial. That's what it used to be. Not the women's hospital. I wasn't born to women's hospital. Y'all moved here. It wasn't UMC yet. Come on. They see it was Southern Memorial. It's same same location. Same location. Just y'all let me I was born here. Y'all moved here. Let me help y'all. It wasn't It was called Southern Memorial. It wasn't women's hospital. The woman's gone by now, but I would She probably left there and went to church. I've been in church all my life. That's probably why I don't like I I kind of, you know, forgive me. I bait you and and and Jo and then I just let you cuz man, I heard all this stuff. I used to say it. Yes, sir. You understand? So these games y'all be I don't pastor it's just hard out ain't that hard. How is it hard now? It wasn't hard when I wasn't saved in church. How is it hard now? Hallelujah. Cuz before I got saved, I ain't promised God nothing. I'll be at church. I ain't how much? I works hard for mine. You know, and now yo Jar Jar ain't never getting Jar Jar every weekend. Jar, oh man, I can't, man. I'm going to the game this weekend. Oh, no. I'm every can I get some overtime. Christians begging for overtime. Heathen said, "Man, I'm out." And we both making How is that possible? Is the devil blessing him? We don't look at we say he's good with money. No, he not. He drink every weekend. How is he not borrowing from Don? But Delon looking to his left and right and asking his unsaved co-workers, can I hold $20 to pay that? It's getting quiet in here. How is that possible? Then we come to super Sunday which we ought to rename and just call it another cuz I ain't giving no super offering. I'm just giving another one. I know it's coming and I vow every Monday after the super Sunday alive next year. who we and we wait till October 1st to try to figure out how we going to do what we said. And so God says, watch this, do I mean elders, God says, listen, just don't say you're going to do it. Cuz if you say it, I heard it. And now I'm gonna be a little bothered if you don't do it. Now watch this. Since you said it, this is what messes with us, too. I'll help you do it. Yes. Yes, sir. Because you asked me for it. Yes, sir. Here's the problem. When I start giving it to you, you forgot what you said you're going to do with it. Make it and we don't even think about it. This makes y'all quiet. Is y'all All right, sir. This good? That's right. That's right. I'm talking about money. I forgot. I'm like, "Why y'all so quiet?" You right. Talk about your mama. Talk about your muffins. Talk about your money. Church get tight. I mean, tight, boy. Don't talk about my babies. Don't you talk about my mama. Don't tell me y'all ain't spending how to spend my money. That's all y'all want is I'm not I'm talking about your vow. Talking about your mouth. That's causing your flesh because I'm not carrying through with what I said I was going to do. Y'all still here? Yes, sir. Now, can I get get go? We're going to go back. This is my last one. Go flip back. Ecclesiast chapter 5 real quick. Verse number six. Watch this. Asia and and don't loan Dolan nut. No, I'm I'm Watch this because I I'm seriously we we laugh about it. But you got to ask yourself if the Bible says, watch this. And and and this is what it displays that life was meant to be enjoyed, not endured. Right? He came that we would have pleasure. When he created a Adam had a sweatless job sweatless. Why do we need so much overtime? I'm not I'm not Please don't get mad at me. I want us to think about it because if I'm always working, William, am I really enjoying? Absolutely not. Not unless I love my job. I mean, you know, I mean, come on. We see we try to get deep. Pastor, I'm working on something. Okay, I get that. When you gonna stop working on that, though. When we gonna if you Okay, maybe that's too heavy. Okay, Pastor Jim, you about to I'm gonna let the secret out. She in the back. So, it's too You about to build your wife a new house. You working on it. He said, "Don't say that now." Cuz she going to say, "Now, what is he talking about?" But you understand? So you're like, "William, I want y'all to come by and just bless the land." This where I'mma build I'mma build Philis a house right here. So the brothers come over just fellowship. We at the land. We walk in the land declaring God's blessing over the land. Few months later, we come by. We see a sign saying coming. Okay. Come back a few months later. You see see stacks of bricks and lumber. Like, okay, the house ain't built, but at least we see it's So, you've been doing all this cuz you working on something. Oh, boy. We ain't heard no beep beep beep. We ain't heard no bulldozers. Ain't no bricks. You've been working on this for 10 years. You working overtime for 10 years. And all every time we drive by, we just see land. Did I paint a good enough picture? Yes, you did. Come on, y'all. It's nothing wrong with working on something. I'm working on something. Amen. But watch this. The moment This is how I know I've gotten out the will of God. When what I'm working on is stressful to me cuz the Bible says he maketh you rich and add noorrow. Overtime is sorrowful. I'm I'm sorry to tell y'all when I got to counsel you and the game on. That's sorrowful to me. Uh oh. You know what I'm saying? That's why I'm representing Kobe. I Who you got? Kobe. Kobe gone. Then Lakers gone, too. I ain't That's what I'm trying to get y'all to understand. Do you understand? I'm serious. Because what we'll do is say, "Pastor, I I just I'm trying." Okay, work on it. I ain't even bothered with that, but you was working on it last year. We should at least have some wood on the project by now. Y'all still here? Ecclesiastes 5:6 verse uh verse six. Put it in the message translation so I can give you the second piece. Y'all ready? Watch this. Don't let your mouth make a total sinner of you when called to account you won't get by with. Sorry, I didn't mean it. Why risk provoking God to angry retaliation? Why risk God releasing the scroll? This is See, we don't look at it like this. We think the devil, the devil, the devil. We make his job easy when we say we're going to do something and don't. Okay. Matthew chapter 5. Watch this, sweetie. Matthew 5 verse 36. What it say y'all? There back to Matthew 5 verse 36. He says, listen, actually verse 34, he says, don't even swear. Don't even swear by heaven. And the reason he says, but I say because see what the Jews had did, the line the scripture had already told him, don't God said, don't be using, don't be swearing by my name. Don't even use my name falsely. Don't put my name with your promise that you ain't going to keep. So what they start doing to circumvent it, they start swearing by earth. I swear by heaven. I swear by earth. I swear by Jerusalem. You know we be now y'all be I swear by my mama. I I I put that on my mama grave. What you saying? You understand? He said stop all that. He said, but I say don't even do that. Here it is. I almost called the message. This is what I almost called it tonight, babe. Just listen. Just a simple yes. A simple yes. That's what he said. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. If they say, "Hey man, you coming by later?" If you don't know, just tell them, "I don't know." If you know you ain't, don't say, "I'll think about it." You're lying now. You already know you're not going. Too easy. I ain't gonna be there, bro. And if they ask you why, tell them the truth. I'm sleepy. I'm going home. I mean, we we we feel so obligated. You know what I'm saying? And then you don't show up and like, man, well, I thought you was coming. Oh, man. Something happened now. That's two lies. Hey, Rob, you going? No, bro. I ain't gonna make that one. I just got brother call me yesterday. I was like, thank you, Lord, cuz I don't want to go to that. I don't want to go to that. As soon as I'm Let me check my calendar, man. I ain't gonna lie. Let me check my calendar. Lord, please let there be something on [Applause] there. You know what? You know what? I have a feeling I'm going to need my teeth clean that day. What time you doing? I ain't y'all. You understand all of that? Instead of say, you know what? No, sir. Y I mean, this is real. It is unfortunately real because we laugh about it. But the truth is some of us are in unholy alliances right now because we didn't know how to say I want to be with you. Y'all still here? I'm trying to get to retaliation, but let me give you one more because he says, look at Matthew 5:37. Let but let your communication be what? Yay. Yay. Nay nay. Now watch this. He said, "For whatsoever is more than these cometh evil." Don't add nothing to it. Well, you know, I'mma try if is You know what? You know what? No, for real. I'm gonna check in now. No, really, you ain't come. No, for real. I'mma see. I'mma see. Hold on. I'm gonna call my wife right now. Oh, she at church. You know what? I I'll get back with you. You're lying again. What's all of this? Now, here's one. I I'm getting off of money because money is a part of it. You know, that's that's the vow piece. That's just a part of the vows. When you stand here before God, that's a vow. When you answer the altar call, that's you're still making a vow. You're saying, "I'm not going to do this or I am going to do that." It's quiet. Go back to verse 34. Watch this. And put in the message translation. Y'all here, sir. Watch this, Mark. Clarice. Matthew 5:34. Y'all there? Yes, sir. It's in the message. Is that the message? You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk. Lord willing. It's not if the Lord is willing. Are you willing? Right now, watch this though. It gets deeper. saying, "I'll pray for you," and never do it, or saying, "God be with you," and not meaning it. You don't make y'all hear. You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. You know what? You know what? No, Dylan. Really? Lord willing, man. Honestly, if the Lord will chhatar is coming, I'm praying that God will allow me to get there, man. For real. I ain't going to that thing. I ain't going to that thing. You walk away before you can get out of his earshot. You say, "I ain't going to that." You just lied to him. You know, could you be praying for what's your name? I'll be praying for you. Lying. That's why we say pray now. If you ain't got time to pray now. Listen, I don't know about you. Y'all know I ain't good with names now. I I'm still struggling with names. Father, forgive me. I'm getting better. I'm getting better. I give everybody a nickname if I could. I told you I'm a little older school than I thought. That's probably why everybody had a nickname. Especially if they had more than one kid. You know, all of them. They call you by the wrong name. Everybody got answer. And if you say that my mama, that's not my name. It's your name now. Cuz you about to get a whooping in the name of the wrong name. You understand? But I'm telling my mama was something. But any here's the thing, Bobby. And here's the piece. Jerry said, "Man, can you pray for me, man?" Yeah, man. What's going on? I'll pray as soon as I'll be praying for you, man. And we're quiet now. We left that. I'm thinking, "Thank God he said he prayed for Now y'all was y'all was quiet about the money. Now I need to come on now. Y'all still quiet. Yes, sir. We got to be careful how we throw stuff. What? We throw our words out there like ain't nothing. I got you, sir. What time? What time? Yeah, I'm Nobody even checked their calendars. Y'all laughed at me. At least be honest, bro. I ain't gonna tell you. I don't even know if I can be there. It's good, sir. Can I give you this next one? Watch this. Watch this, babe. 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 20. It clearly says in G. This is where we say it says for the for how many of them? For all the promises of who? God. Of God. All the promises of God in him, that him is Christ. All the promises of God in him are yay or yes and in him amen unto the glory of God by us right now. Now watch this. Why does God hate lying? Because all of his promises are yes. Everything he says is true. So when you especially representing him say what you have no intention of doing. Okay. Verse verse 20 New Century Version. We had an NCV. The yes to all of God's promises is in Christ. And through Christ, we say yes to the glory of God. The yes to all of his promises are where? Y'all quiet. Come on. The yes to all of his promises are in Christ. Now, if any man be in Christ, so when a man in Christ says he's going to do something, it's a poor representation of Christ to be in Christ with no intention of doing what you said when every promise of God is in Christ. One more. Watch this, babe. Here's one we don't like either. Go to Go to Psalm 15. I gotta hurry up, too. Psalm 15. I'm gonna get to this retaliation. This real easy. That's real easy. This is real easy. I think we need to work on this this mouse thing a little longer because we all you ever walk up on somebody, you hear them lying. Y'all laughing. I'mma tell y'all. I I'm trying to move on. William, my I love my I love I I love mine just like you love yours. You hear me? I love mine just like you love yours, Silky. My children would do better robbing a bank at gunpoint than to tell me they did something they didn't do. I hate it when they lie to me and they knew it. Did you do that? Don't lie. Because if you lie, watch this. I still got to do with what you did. But I'm going to deal with that lie. Did Did you do it? Yes, sir. Okay. Thank you for telling the truth. Go to your room. I'll be there in a minute. I don't think we ever put them on restriction. What is restriction anyway? I ain't never anyway. Come on. Give me that PlayStation, man. Please. You can keep the PlayStation. Come on in here for a minute. I ain't taking a game. I'm about to take some hiding part cuz foolishness is bound up in the heart. The rod of correction, not taking the PlayStation. You took everything from a name and never drew them out. Drew the foolishness out and they look you in your face and lie and smile about it. And you said, "You telling me the truth?" Yeah, ma'am. Okay. Don't lie to mommy. Okay. No wonder why our kids think we stupid. cuz you sat there and you know they lying. Okay, you could the teacher call. Uh uh um um Mr. Jones, we've had an incident. What's going on? Um well, you know, just can you come down? Yeah, calm down. Okay, son. What happened? Dad, she lying on me. She don't like me. Ain't that teacher? You know how they Okay, son. Now, my son said, "You're lying. I'mma defend my son who don't read his Bible, don't pray, don't even look like he believe in God, but I'mma believe my son over you because you're paid to teach him. And I know you're not teaching my son, are you? I can tell y'all quiet in here, mama. I didn't do it. He said he didn't do it. That's what we're going with. Well, he g My kids don't lie to me. Don't wait till Sunday. You come here now. Just lay it. Just stay here. Don't even wait till we get off. Just lay on there. Let me keep preaching cuz you deceived. Absolutely. You don't need counseling. You need you listen. You need deliverance. A demon got you. Your kids don't lie, sir. Are y'all here? Yes. Watch this. Jerry do it. Well, pastor know. And y'all get y'all see I know y'all think pastor stupid. This how I know. This how I know y I think y'all y'all think pastor stupid because I don't deal with you the way I deal with Joshua or Shakina. I just said okay. Okay. So Silky, what happened? You you what? I thought you said I was going to be here with pastor. See, what happened was, "Oh, cuz cuz Lisa said y'all had planned on going out of town three weeks ago. Why don't you just tell me you're going to be out of town?" Now, Lisa, why you had to tell? We laughing y'all, but think about it. Have you ever wondered how in the world? Think about this. How in the world can the devil stand before God day and night and constantly accurately accuse you? My God, he ain't ran out of fuel. He has not ran out of info. Day and night, the Bible says he's accusing the brethren. He's not lying on them. He's telling God, "How you keep on forgiving him?" Look at him. He didn't read his Bible today, but he told his brothers he was in the word. Y'all laughing. Think about that. Here's my Can you just work on this? Watch this, Fred. Let's work on the devil not having so much to talk about me tomorrow. Can you just work on that instead of I know she don't like me. The devil hates you. And he said, look at her. She's still so childish. She can't even get over a look. Right. Is he lying? She about She left that church. Is he lying? Come on, y'all. Psalm 15 NIV verse one. Because King James says, "Who shall ascend into the to the hill of Lord?" Watch it. It says a Psalm of David. Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? I love it. It's only five verses, so let's just read them all. End of it. Who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? Are y'all still here? Excuse me. The one whose walk is blameless. Okay, let's check some boxes. Who does what is righteous? Who speaks the truth from their heart. Whose tongue utters no slander. who does no wrong to a neighbor and cast no slur on others, who despises a vile person, but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps an oath even when it hurts and does not change their mind. Who lends money to the poor without interest. who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken. My God. Verse four, the latter part of verse four. Who keeps an oath? Who keeps an oath even when it hurts? What's that? Own up to your own hurt. Listen, you got to deal with it. You said you was going to be there. I And there's been times I've literally said, "God, I Oh, God. I shouldn't have said that. I don't want to go to this thing, baby. Going. I said I was going. Got to go." Now, watch this. I can't come with a bad attitude. I can't show up like, you know, I don't want to be here. Own up to your own hurt. Yes, sir. That's good. You understand that? Now, watch this. I gotta move on because I I I hope this is enough for y'all. Ken McGee McGee, three minutes of retaliation. Don't do it. No. No. Really? Here it is. Here it is. Go back to Matthew's five. Own up to our own hurt. See, didn't you did you promise me a cake? Okay. She was like, "Hold on now." Because if you did, you got you got to own up to it. Yes, sir. Don't Don't be talking about, "Well, pastor, you see how much eggs are you should have?" No, I ain't got nothing to do with that. I'm trying to make keep this light because we do things silky and we just flip it. You know what I'm saying? Remember the old saying and it's old. My word is my bond. And I say it's old cuz we say I mean if think about it if my word is my bond today and half the stuff I say I don't even intend on doing I mean wow. Do you understand? So, so, so watch this. Matthew chapter 5 verse 38 again. It says, "You have heard that it have been said, eye for an eye." You heard that? Two for two, right? And then verse 39, watch this. He says, "But I say," now he about to flip this one, too. Come on, Jesus. Can't we have any fun? He says, "But I say that you resist not evil." Wait a second. What do you mean don't resist evil? He says, "But whoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other." Now I Bobby, I promise you, I used to preach this. I I ain't Jesus. I only got two cheeks. That's what I used to say. I used I used to say that from the pull pit because it didn't make sense. Hold up now. Cuz am I the only one that your mom said, "Don't you be out there fighting." But here's that's the that's rule number one at almost every house. That's rule number two. If they hit you back, you better hit them back. And Jesus said, if they hit you, give them the other cheek. Wait a second. Hold up. Talk to us, sir. Because I for an eye. The reason it was eye for an eye, it was both a command for punishment and a limitation to punishment. All in one thing. Don't take both eyes. Just take one. Don't knock out all their teeth. Just take one. I'm serious. That's what he was saying. If if if they killed your ox, you get that. You don't get their ox and their sheep. Gotcha. Eye for an eye, match for match, right? Jesus said Jesus said that. That's what you heard, right? He said, "But this what I say. Don't retaliate at all. Go toothless." This is good. See, watch this. You know why saints stay offended? Cuz you done ran out of cheeks, and you got retaliation in your heart. Cuz you don't believe what that scripture says means anything to you. Jesus said, "Don't retaliate at all." So when you roll your eyes, or when you go that way just so you don't have to walk right by her cuz you're the better Christian. You're the bigger man. Come on y'all. This stuff is so simple. But when we break it down like that, then we like, "Oh, that's me." Yeah, that's you. Ain't nobody slapping your cheeks. Ain't nobody running around punching you in the face and you're like, "Here, get here. You missed a spot. That ain't, you know, we're looking at it in the literal, but what I'm saying is why she can only cross you once. Do you know how many members I would have if I put you out every time you cross me? One. Okay. Two. No, but watch let's let's let's sir flip the coin why I'm not your pastor no more even if you're still a member here. He said he was going to call me back good to me. Michael Todd dress like a woman and say God love you. You remember it. I say, "Don't do that. I'm in the house, Poppy." Why? Cuz I'm not your pastor no more. Cuz you only got one cheek. You got one more time. Let him Let him say it again. Remember that one. Oh boy. What happened? I know you're wondering. God told me if they correct me one more time to leave. Okay, let me get this. So God told you to do something that requires correction. Don't lie on God. Just leave. Don't make this spiritual. Tell the truth. That's what this is all about. Jesus said, "Stop doing that. Just tell the truth. I left because I was offended. Tell the truth. God ain't called you nowhere. You ain't heard him here. I hadn't called you somewhere else. How in the world your day your your season is up and you ain't planted no seed up in here. Ain't no fruit from your life up in here but your season is up. I got to close my time gone. Retaliation. Watch this, William. My my lawn got I told pastor we just just got I'm driving down the street. I'm looking at my yard looking pretty nice. I got all this light green, you know, spring green. I got yellow flowers, red flowers, orange. You know what I'm saying? My mama used to say orange, orange, you know, and I got all this and there's one dead bush. All this beautiful green and and colors and all I can see is that dead bush. I'm like, dog on it. I said, baby, look at it. It's dead. Oh, man. One dead bush, Jar. Just one. Most folk don't even know. I see it. It's in my yard. One dead bush. I see it. See, we don't like pastor to deal with the dead thing in your life. But pastor, look at all these flowers. I got that. But what about that dead thing? See, he always find a negative. So I said, "Oh man, we got a dead." And and before I had to call him, he told Pila, he said he said, "I check it out. We're going to replace it." Why would you replace it? It's dead. You planted it the same day you planted that one. Flourishing, not. It's getting water, but it's dead. Solution. Take it out. Put another one down. Just put another one down. Put another one. Why? It's not fruitful. This season ain't up. It never produces. Talking about my season up. And you ain't been green since you've been here. People say, "I understand. I've been hurt by church, too." And I said, "You know what?" I told I said, "Babe, I can't lie. Them pastors didn't do us wrong. We saw some stuff. They pastored their church." That's right. Y'all got quiet. They pastor the church. They ain't hurt me. Not like that. Now, I ain't saying there's some out there. There's some, don't get me wrong, there's some fools in the pullpit. I understand that. But I can't say I understand how you feel because mine too. Mine didn't do that to me. He wrote out a Listen, the woman wrote out a budget for us on a yellow sheet of paper here. Just go home and do this. She y'all go do this. I'll be all right. We looked at that thing. We can't do that. But we can file bankruptcy. The bush was dead. I'm blaming the gardener. And they got one more time to say, "Why ain't y'all got no money?" They got my I ain't got nothing. They know she gave us Here you go, brother fool. Just do this. This is easy. Y'all ain't that Y'all ain't even that bad off. Just do this. You know what? I just need to I feel the Lord is just how you feel the Lord and you you're dried up. See, all all jokes aside, stop lying on God. The truth is, babe, I'm ready to leave this church. Why? I don't know. We just want out. Are we doing what they say? Nope. We praying? Nope. We letting it go? Nope. So why you want to leave again? Cuz I'm wasting my time here. I ain't doing nothing they tell me to do anyway. Now I ain't I I'm not leaving y'all. I'm just saying Pastor Jim, I'll be here. The Lord should Terry's coming. The Lord should I'll be here. I ain't leaving you. I ain't leaving you. Now you leave. You can leave if you want to. I think Pastor Philly's gonna stick around. You leave, we coming after you. We're gonna whoop you when we find you, too. No, but I'm jo I'm joking on the whooping part. But seriously, y'all, and I got I I want y'all to think about this. The retaliation is real simple. Jesus said, "Let it go." Watch this. But they hurt me. Okay, I'll heal you, but let it go. See, we don't Here's the problem. Watch this, Pastor Jim. This is my last one. I don't want him to just heal me. I want him to hurt her. I don't feel better till you feel bad. But I love Jesus. God hate ugly. Watch. God hate ugly. You ugly saying that. God hate ugly. Be careful. You know what I'm saying? Cuz you're looking pretty bad right now. God hate ugly. You understand? God g over there. Over there. God gonna watch, watch, watch. And then you ain't in church. Look, look, look. It's a shame. Why? Because I won't be satisfied till they're dead. I asked somebody this. Don't y'all get swole on me. Bobby, I as somebody, you know, cuz pastor, she always the problem. So, pastor, I said, let me ask you this then. What? I said, what you I said, what what's what do you want me to ask her? You want me to ask God to kill her? I didn't say that. Well, you can't stand a living. And obviously, you ain't got no problems. What's the sol y'all? Quiet. What's the solution? Rather than change your filthy heart, let's just kill everybody you don't like. It's quiet. We don't like it, Bobby. I People say, "How can a person kill their parents?" People kill their pastors all the time. I see it every day. It's sad, but I see it. I can see it. Why? Because I didn't like how you said it. And I didn't like you checking me the way you did. Even though you deal with your child, but then you talking about how much you love me. Come on, man. Please. I wish Connie would have said, "Dad, I love you, but mom, boy, I mean, girl, I mean, get her up out of here. Got me beatboxing. I don't know what to call you now. What you mean, but mom? Your mama saved me from whooping you sometimes. Why you talking about but mom? Your mama was in there praying for you. I wasn't praying. I was watching the game bothered. I'm gonna tell the whole truth. She in there interceding for you and you think she the one that don't like you. I ain't praying for you. I marked you a while ago. Y'all better stand up. I love it. Pastor Sheila don't like me. Pastor Sheila the only one calling your name out. But watch it. It's fitting though, Imani. Cuz the same folk that said hosana, hosana. Yes, sir. So Jesus teaches us though, he's telling us, listen, I know I know you want to pay him back. Here's what I'm saying for me. Can you let it go? Can you let it go? feel like the Godfather. That's why I love the Godfather for you young folk, Jerry can't get with it. It's It's the most profound. I love the Godfather because he's the Godfather. And sometimes the Godfather would say, "William, to the Jones family, watch this. I know Tucker messed up the deal, but I need you to let it go. I know it cost you. I know. I need you to let that go for the sake of the family." Yes, sir. Godfather has spoken. Now y'all y'all kiss and make this thing up. Look, thank you, William. But so yeah, now you got to go watch the movie. That's what happens when the Godfathers go against it if you want to. Jones family out, we would take the whole family out if you're not willing to forgive him. After the Godfather has spoken, God said forgive her. Why are we still dealing with this? Silky, why you keeping score? Why are we doing this, y'all? The father said, "Bobby, own up to it. I know it hurt. I'll heal it. Stop nursing it. Let me heal it. You let them go." This make sense? Yes, it does. Let's pray. Father, we thank you tonight. Oh God, help us to understand to be mindful of our words that we stop promising things and then thinking it through. Jesus said, "No man having put his hand to the plow and afterward looking back is even fit for the kingdom." Help us to be careful not to say, "Yeah, I'll do it. I got you. Count on me." And then, "Oh, you know what?" Help us to be honest and say, "If I can, I'll I I'll do that. if I can. So, we won't be counted on or being counted for and founding ourselves unaccounted because we didn't even show up. We forgot or we did this or something else came up more what we wanted to do than what we said we're going to do. Help us to learn to own up to our own hurt. even if I didn't feel like doing it. Trips we've had to take, places we've had to go, things we've had to do, not because we wanted to, but because we said we would. And so, Father, I thank you. It's not an indictment. It's definitely not a condemnation, but let it be an evaluation that we would take heed to ourselves and be mindful of what we say. That's why it's more blessed to be a man or woman of few words. Yes. Yes, sir. Because in the multitude of words, sin is not lacking. So God, we go from this place tonight, not with a bunch of words, but thinking and pondering on what we have been saying, asking you to show us where we've been putting our mouth on people and just sewing seeds uh and and false promises that we've been saying this and that with no intention. Forgive us and help us to be more mindful of what we say. Help us to be more mindful of what we do. And most importantly, God, help us to be more mindful of you are in every place. Therefore, in every situation, our purpose is to give you glory. And so for that, we thank you. We bless you. And we indeed do give you praise in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Amen. And I love y'all.