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2 Samuel 19, we have the aftermath of this battle between the forces of David and the forces of Absalom. Of course Absalom's been killed, David has won the victory, and the whole nation of Israel had followed after Absalom, and they've now been defeated, but in the aftermath here there's some strife and confusion over whether or not David is going to be reinstalled as king or what, because if you remember, the men of Israel had kind of burned their bridges with David a little bit, they'd done some really bad things, and they've gone along with Absalom's wicked treachery. But also for David, the victory is a little bit bittersweet, because even though he's won the battle and defeated the enemy, his own son Absalom has been killed, and even though his son was wicked and rebellious, he still obviously had feelings for his son, and still loved him. And obviously that's a hard thing for people when they have a wicked son, because on one hand it's their son, but then on the other hand, you know, they're looking at the wickedness and the rebellion, and so there's a struggle that goes on there with people. And so David is weeping, because even though his son was a wicked person at this point, he still just, on a human level, is just sad to see him killed, he would have rather seen him restored, and so forth. So it says in verse number 1, and it was told Joab, behold the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom. And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people, for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son. And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. So this is talking about the winning side, and it's saying that even though they won, they're not going home triumphant and cheering and woo, they're actually going home as the loser would have gone home, he's saying. They're going away in stealth as those who've been defeated with their heads hanging. Even though they've won, they are acting as if they haven't won because of the fact that David is kind of putting a damper on it by being so upset about losing his son. So it says in verse number 3, the people gat them by stealth that day into the city as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. But the king covered his face and the king cried with a loud voice, oh my son Absalom, oh Absalom, my son, my son. And Joab came into the house to the king and said, thou ashamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters and the lives of thy wives and the lives of thy concubines, and that thou lovest thine enemies and hatest thy friends. For thou has declared this day that thou regardest neither princes nor servants, for this day I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well. Now therefore arise, go forth and speak comfortably unto thy servants. For I swear by the Lord, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night, and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now." So basically what Joab is telling him is that he needs to pull it together because of the fact that just because Absalom is dead, that doesn't mean that he's just automatically king again. And if he doesn't pull it together and rally the people that are on his side, he's going to end up just being killed by someone else. Someone else is going to step in and fill that void and do the same thing that Absalom did, and he needs to stop just being, you know, in a pity party for himself about losing his son and realize that he had all these other people who banded together and helped him. I mean think about it, what about all the soldiers that are fighting in his army that just finished risking their lives for him? You know, they could have just gone over to the other side, but no, they were loyal to David, they stayed true unto him, they followed him into the wilderness, they put their lives on the line to win the battle, you know, they want to enjoy a victory. They don't want to cry about how the enemy was defeated, you know, because of the fact that, you know, they did their best for their leader and so forth. So David is getting this advice from Joab that he better go out to the people and say something nice or else he's going to lose everything because of the fact that those people did a lot for him and he needs to show them some kindness and gratitude instead of just being so focused on himself. You know, and honestly, I think Joab's right here because of the fact that, you know, David is just feeling sorry for himself, you know, this is God's will. You know, he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword and yeah, it's human obviously for David to be sad and weeping for his son, but you know what, he also needs to show some gratitude and kindness for the people around him. You know, it's important that when bad things happen in our life and when we do go through sorrow and when we go through hard things and trials and afflictions, that we don't lose sight of the people around us. The Bible says, look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others and it's easy for us sometimes when we're going through a bad time to just, that's all we can see and we forget about everyone and everything around us and not, and we don't realize, hey wait a minute, other people have needs too. Other people were killed in that battle too. Other people are suffering too and we need to not just be focused on ourselves, but we need to care about other people and especially as a leader, you know, we need to care about our followers and not just, you know, just think that they're just there to serve us and oh, things don't go our way, we're just going to wallow in self-pity. So I think Joab is right here with the advice that he gives to David. So David goes out to the people in verse number 8, the king arose and sat in the gate and they told unto all the people saying, behold, the king doth sit in the gate and all the people came before the king for Israel had fled every man to his tent. And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel saying, the king saved us out of the hand of our enemies and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom. And Absalom whom we anointed over us, he's dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back? And the king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priest saying, speak unto the elders of Judah saying, why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house seeing the speech of all Israel has come to the king even to his house? Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh, wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king? So David is saying to people, hey, we need to reinstitute the kingdom and he's saying to the men of Judah, you guys should be the first ones to install me, you're my bone, my flesh, my near of kin. Now look what's interesting, go to the end of the chapter, let's jump to the end to verse number 41 just so that we can kind of cover this subject. And look what happens, we'll start in verse 40 actually, it says, then the king went on to Gilgal and Kimham went on with him and all the people of Judah conducted the king and also half the people of Israel. So notice, all the men of Judah and half the people of Israel. And it says, and behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen thee away and have brought the king and his household and all David's men with him over Jordan? And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, because the king is near of kin unto us. Wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? Have we eaten at all of the king's cost or hath he given us any gift? And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, we have ten parts in the king. Talking about the ten tribes there. We have ten parts in the king and we have also more right in David than ye. Why then did ye despise us that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel. And of course there's going to be that rift in the next verse in chapter 20 verse 1. There happened to be there a man of Belial, and there usually is, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichrai, a Benjamite, and he blew a trumpet and said, we have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, O Israel, so every man of Israel went up from after David and followed Sheba, the son of Bichrai. So now there's another war, another battle, another split now because of this man of Belial who rises up. Now, what is going on here? When you read this, doesn't it seem a little bit childish and juvenile? The way that they're arguing about who gets to be the one to bring the king back into Jerusalem as king, isn't that a little bit silly? Does it really matter? You know, they're saying, well, you know, we're of Judah, he's near of Kendaz. We're going to bring him back. We're going to stand next to him when he walks into Jerusalem. And then these Israelites, no, no, no, we have 10 parts in him because there's 10 of us and one of you. So you know, we're going to bring him back. It's ridiculous, isn't it? It's silly. Now, what I think God's teaching us here, because there's a New Testament passage that actually kind of goes along with this in 1 Corinthians chapters 1 and 3. Look over to 1 Corinthians chapter number 3 and I'll show you what I'm talking about. But you see, the spiritual meaning here is that in life and in the world in which we live, there's a battle going on between right and wrong, a battle between good and evil. And it's really not about the personalities of individuals in the scheme of things. It's really about what's right and what's wrong. Now, the Bible says that God is not a respecter of persons. And the Bible teaches that men of God, leaders that are lifted up by God and anointed of God, whether they be the kings of Israel in the Old Testament, prophets throughout the years, pastors, preachers, whoever they are, you know, their personality is not really the important thing. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the important thing. The word of God is the important thing. The truth is the important thing. But we as human beings tend to put too much emphasis on the person and on the personality. You see, the reason that David was king over Israel was not just so that David himself could be exalted and worshipped as a person and everyone could just look to David as being such a wonderful... I mean, what was the purpose of having a king in the first place? The purpose of having a king was to go and fight the battles for the people. The whole reason that they wanted a king was to go before their armies and to lead them and to govern them and to judge righteously. In reality, the king was to serve the people. He's a minister unto them. That's why Jesus even said, whosoever will be the greatest among you, let him be your servant. That's why those who pastor churches are often called ministers because they're not there just to be, you know, served and exalted and allotted. They're there to serve and to, and you know, those who lead politically, that's what they're supposed to be doing, I mean, they're supposed to be looking out for the people, not just serving themselves. You know, you think of the royal family in England. I was at the store and they had a whole magazine about the royal family of England just showing, look at the new dress, you know, that so-and-so the royal was wearing. And she was wearing this dress that was just so bland, it looked awful. I'm sorry. But she's wearing like this tan or, I'm kind of a little bit colorblind, but she's wearing like this tan or peach like skin color dress that just was just so, and she's wearing this weird hat. It looked like she had an ice pack on her head, like somebody had hit her on the head and she had an ice pack to fix it, okay? And you know, she's wearing, but it's just like, ooh, let's look at every possible picture of the royal family and oh, here's her in this dress and then this, oh, here's him over here and just, it's just, it's stupid. It's stupid. It's idolatry, you know, just worshiping any of these rock stars or actors or royal family, you know, just the People magazine where you're just looking at these celebrities and just want to idolize them like, you know what, they're nothing. You know, we ought to worship and glory in the Lord and not put too much emphasis on people and basically have a cult of personality around the person where we just want to look at all these pictures of them wearing all these different outfits and the giant poster, you know, above the bed, you know, that glows in the dark or whatever. That's not what a king is supposed to be, okay? It's supposed to be someone who's there to lead and to guide and to govern righteously and to serve, not to be just idolized and worship and to have a fan club. But you can see how in 2 Samuel 19, you know, these people who are just trying to get real close to the king, you know, and they want to be the ones who bring them in. It's sort of like people who would want to be in the entourage, you know, the courtiers or the groupies around, you know, some royalty or some rock star or something. You know, that's not really what the position of being a king is even supposed to be about biblically anyway. And that's what we see happening with David there. They are carnal. What does it mean to be carnal? Well, let's look at the scripture here in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 because it uses this word carnal to describe people who have this mentality. It says in verse number 3, for ye are yet, we're in chapter 3 verse 3, for ye are yet carnal for whereas there is among you envying and strife, and if you remember it said that all Israel was at strife about this issue of, you know, who's going to bring the king back? Judah or the rest of the tribes or both or what? He says there's among you envying and strife and divisions, are you not carnal and walk as men? For while one sayeth, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul and who is Apollos but ministers by whom ye believed even as the Lord gave to every man? I've planted Apollos water but God gave the increase. Now isn't he saying here that they're putting too much emphasis upon the person Paul and the person Apollos and getting too wrapped up in the personality of, well I'm of Paul and I'm of Apollos, the personality cult there where they're getting too wrapped up in the man instead of the doctrine, instead of the gospel, instead of the teachings of the word of God and Christ. Go back just two pages there to chapter 1. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 1 in verse number 10 it says, Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared unto me of you my brethren by them which are of the house of Chloe that there are contentions among you. Now this I say that every one of you say it, I am of Paul and I am of Apollos and I have Cephas and I have Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas, besides I know not whether I baptized any other for Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. So what's he saying here? Look you're saying I'm of Paul, I'm of Apollos, I'm of Cephas, you're carnal. Why are there divisions? It wasn't Paul that was crucified for you. You weren't baptized in the name of Paul. It doesn't matter who baptized you, whether it were Paul or Apollos or Cephas, it doesn't matter because you're baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost and because it's Jesus that you believe in and that is the rock of your salvation. It's not about the person. It's not about the name of the man that won you to Christ or the church that you go to. It's about Jesus, okay? These people are putting too much emphasis upon the man. Now this is carnal. Now the word carnal means fleshly, okay? If you speak Spanish, you know the word carne, right? And you know, or even if you don't speak Spanish, you've ordered carne asada, right, come on. And what was it? It wasn't a vegetarian dish. So carne, you know, it's flesh, it's meat. So when the Bible says you're carnal, he's saying that your mind is on the things of this world. Your mind is on that which is physical and physically seen as opposed to that which is spiritual. The opposite of carnal is spiritual. Now if we were spiritually minded, the Bible says the things that are not seen are eternal, but the things that are seen are temporal. Everything that we see is temporary. Our bodies, this building, the chair, everything in this world is going to be burned up someday. And our bodies are going to go to the grave and they're going to decompose, you know, be eaten of worms. But that which is unseen, the soul continues. The spirit goes on. And so those who are carnal are too focused on the things of this natural world, the material world here. And why is this carnal for them to make a big deal about Paul and Apollos? Because they're not seeing the spiritual battle. They're not seeing the spiritual picture that what matters is whether we're in Christ. Now it's easy to see a Paul or an Apollos or a Cephas and that's why sometimes people get really wrapped up in the man. Because he can be seen. Because he can be looked at. And people want to, you know, look to something that they can see. And God does teach throughout the Bible that it's great to have leaders and role models and you know even Paul himself said, be ye followers of me. He said follow me as I follow Christ. He said follow us and mark them which walk so as you have us for in samples. He's saying look, I want to be your example. I want you to follow me. I want to lead you. But you need to be careful to understand that at the end of the day your loyalty is to Christ not to that man. Now you need leaders. God gave us pastors and teachers and evangelists and he gave them to us for the perfecting of the saints. For the edification of the body of Christ. These men are here to help us but at the end of the day we're not loyal to that person. We're loyal to Jesus Christ. And the only reason we're following that person is because he's preaching to us the words of Jesus Christ. And as soon as that person begins to preach lies or begins to lead astray then it's time to part ways and find a leader that's going to lead you in a right path. And not to just well if that's what he says we're just going to go with it. And you know I've seen it where there's a Bible believing church and you have a pastor who's preaching things that are true and then he'll start backsliding or going astray and turning to false doctrine and you'll see that there'll be a division that'll come in where a lot of people will say wait a minute he's not preaching right. This isn't what the Bible says. But then other people are just so loyal to that man where no matter what he does they will continue following no matter what he does no matter what he says. There are people who are just going to follow. And here's the thing if I got up and this is just a fact of life if I got up and started preaching false doctrine there are some people who would just you know but but you shouldn't though you know hey though we are an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you let him be accursed because at the end I mean Paul's saying look it's not about me if I come to you preaching lies then curse me if I'm preaching a false gospel if I'm preaching false salvation because it's not about the person it's about good and evil it's about the truth versus lies. Now we don't want to obviously go the other direction some people take this too far the other direction where they just everything that come out of the pastor's mouth they're just you know looking for error. Now look if you're looking for error you're going to find it because I'm a human being any pastor any preacher that you have if you're looking for error and you're just ready to condemn and you go into it with that mentality then you're going to find error because there's always going to be error there. So you don't want to be one that's just trying to pick it apart and any church that's not perfect it's like oh that's it I'm leaving you know I he said something wrong I'm done he did something I don't believe in I'm out of here you don't want to go to that extreme because you need to understand that obviously people are human beings you know you just need to follow a zealous man of God that's teaching you the Bible he's not gonna be perfect but you know you go you learn you grow and you follow the leader you follow an example but and then on the other side of that coin you don't want to just become this blind follower where it's just you're more loyal to the person whether that's you know Paul a Paul a Cephas doesn't matter where just they can do no wrong I don't care what the Bible says because I'm following this guy you know so those are the two wrong extremes what you ought to do is make the Bible your final authority the Word of God is the final authority and that's all you're loyal to you'll turn on anybody if it's if it's biblical you know you even you know you'll you'll stick with the Bible no matter what anybody else says it does around you but when it comes to how your attitude is toward leadership it should be what the attitude of the Berean Church was where it says that they received the word with all readiness of mind and they searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so see there you have the perfect balance because you have them ready of mind to receive the word see a lot of people just focus on the fact they search the scriptures daily whether those things are so but you got to get the other half of that equation too they received the word with readiness of mind meaning that they came to church not with an attitude of I you know I'm gonna pick it apart and find something wrong with it but rather they came ready to learn something and here's the thing if you can't come to faithful word Baptist Church with an attitude that says hey I respect Pastor Anderson and I respect his knowledge and I'm ready to learn something from him then honestly you should go to a church where you can feel that way about the pastor you should go to a different church if you think that my preaching is filled with error and that I don't know what I'm talking about then what in the world are you doing here yeah that makes you a fool for coming here you know but I mean if you believe that I am a man of God that's preaching the truth then come to church with a mind that's ready to receive God's word and receive the word with all readiness of mind but now get the other side search the scriptures daily whether those things are so because you can't just trust me to tell you the truth because I'm fallible I'm a human being I can make me say and here's the thing even if I'm serving God today loving God today right with God today who's to say that I'm not going to be backslidden five years from now and start allowing all kinds of compromise and sin to come in do you think that I am above that do you think anyone's above that let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall and God forbid remember I had to make that time capsule a few weeks ago just in case but God forbid that I should ever back down or that I should ever compromise the word of God and honestly I you know I can't ever see that happening if I did I just stop pastoring and just go get a different job you know what's the point if you're not going to have integrity I don't understand what the point is there's other ways to make a living my friend but what I'm saying is that you need to search the scriptures daily whether these things are so and not just get so wrapped up in the person because you know what if you're just looking to me or anyone else and just look into that man to that man you know what about when that man lets you down okay where does that leave you but Christ will never let you down or or what if I what if that man just dies even if he doesn't let you down even if he is faithful unto Jesus to the grave but what when he dies and it's like no what do we do now what is that same thing you were doing and you know what I honestly believe that if I were to fall over dead right now this church would continue and thrive and grow and succeed and many other men would follow in my footsteps and continue to do that which I have done and that which I have taught them to do and it's not like it's all just about me as a person I could die guess what the work of Christ was happening before I was ever even born and the work of Christ will continue to happen after I die because it's not about me now here's what's funny too when I get up and preach the truth people will try to make it about me sometimes and try to insult me as if that negates the truth of what I'm saying this is called an ad hominem attack where they attack the person instead of attacking the content you know for example you know put out the movie Marching to Zion and it can't be refuted it's bulletproof it is I mean you can't refute it it's just it's facts wall to wall it's scripture it's and you know we don't just say hey here's what they believe it's all coming out of their own mouths there's nothing is left for you to trust us oh no it's all right there but you know it's funny all the attacks I've seen none of them have no one I haven't seen one person who went through and refuted the points made in the film none but I've seen all kinds of videos and people out there who are saying well look I just want you to know what kind of person Stephen Anderson is though you know just so you know he you know he hates homosexual of course I hate homosexuals what you don't oh you're one of these modernistic brainwashed fools did you know that every listen to me very carefully did you know that every single independent Baptist pastor when I was a kid believed the way that I believe about that subject in America did you know that in the 1990s if you asked any Baptist pastor they all would have said the same thing I was even thinking about you know I'd love to do because I have all kinds of old preaching tapes I've thought about just going through all my old preaching tapes and just putting together a montage of what preaching used to be like in the 1980s and 90s before this modern just wave of just brainwashing and now everybody acts like I'm nuts no I just haven't changed I'm just preaching the same preaching that I heard in independent Baptist churches my whole life look I was born and raised an independent Baptist and look when I was a kid the preaching was red hot in a lot of these churches and now it's lukewarm you know so but but it's funny how they want to attack the person and it's funny people have attacked preachers for being young or they'll attack like Pastor Jimenez because he's young see they're making about the person why would we listen to this guy look how young he is well he's not as young as he looks folks you just look he just looks real young okay but they you know it's like well look how young he is but you know what my grandfather was was basically one to the Lord through the through the witness of a five-year-old boy okay my grandfather who it's you know it's because of my grandfather and my father getting saved that I'm saved you know obviously that's because of the fact that that family got saved but here's the thing a five-year-old boy walked up to my grandfather and preached the gospel unto him and he didn't get saved right then and there but within a week he said I'm going to that kid's church you know because he was so impressed that this five-year-old boy came and preached unto him the gospel and quoted the Romans wrote to him told him how to be saved that he went and visited the church and then the pastor came over to his house and wanted to Christ so he was saved as a result five-year-old boy you know the Bible says out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou has perfected praise you know God's Word is true whether it's coming out of the mouth of a five-year-old or a 50-year-old it doesn't matter and you know I remember when I used to go soul winning as a teenager people would despise your youth and the Bible says let no man despise thy youth but be thou an example of the believers in word and conversation and charity and spirit and faith and purity and listen when I was a teenager people would always say to me you'd show them the gospel you show them how to be saved from the Bible and that's what they'll say how old are you and whenever they say that to you you know where they're going with it how old are you they're trying to talk down to you because of who you are and you know what I always said always said the same thing I always say well this book's older than both of us look what it says it's not about me it's not about me and when we go soul winning and people reject the gospel don't get all mad you know I've been so many people where they get mad and you know what they never last at soul winning you know you got to be able to stay cool out soul winning because honestly if you go out soul winning and every single door that somebody's rude to you you get real worked up eventually you'll probably quit soul winning you know you got to be able to roll with the punches and realize that when you go to somebody's door and show them straight from the Bible how to be saved and they get angry and yell at you they're not really yelling at you they're actually upset at the word of God because that's all you're showing them you're just the messenger it's the word of God and that's what Moses kept saying because the Jews would grumble and and and and they'd grumble against Moses and against Aaron and he would always say look you're not grumbling against us who are we he's saying you're grumbling at the Lord who are we we didn't choose this we didn't tell you to do this we're just you know messengers of the Lord here and you're not your beef is not with us it's with the Lord you know it's God that you have a problem with and so we need to understand that in this world it's not about the person it's about God's Word it's about Jesus it's about good versus evil so if someone comes to us and tells us the truth it doesn't matter whether it's a five-year-old boy or a five-year-old girl who tells us the truth the truth's the truth and it shouldn't matter how old someone is or how many degrees they have behind their name you know it's what are they saying is it biblical that's what matters because God's not a respecter of persons and it's not about the person it's about the truth it's about the doctrine you know if you want to tell me why a doctrine is right or wrong don't just tell me well here's what I don't like about this person you know it's like well wait but what about what about the doctrine what does the Bible say you know that's what it comes down to and so we need to not get so wrapped up in the person now when we see this story with David go back if you would now with that in mind to 2nd Samuel and let's look at that story again in 2nd Samuel chapter 19 look at chapter 20 verse 1 here's a key statement here in the scriptures 2nd Samuel chapter 20 verse 1 says this and there happened to be there a man of Belial now what does that mean a man of Belial now Belial there with a capital B is Satan okay this is also known as Beelzebub Belial all of these spellings are found in the Bible B E L B E L I A L B A A L okay this is all the devil and when the Bible talks about sons of Belial he's talking about sons of the devil even in the New Testament Jesus said you're of your father the devil unto the Pharisees right he said they were children of the devil he said he that sowed the good seed is the son of man but the tares or the weeds are the children of the wicked one so the Bible talks about men who are the sons of the devil okay so when he says here that there happened to be there a man of Belial this man is satanic does everybody understand that he's satanic he's of the devil he's a wicked evil person they don't know that but he is because the Bible's telling us that he is so when these people are whining about oh well who's gonna get to go with the king and well well but he's of Judah well yeah but he's an Israelite too and they're why see what they're getting so wrapped up in the person and in the physical aspect that they're not seeing the spiritual battle here between their nation being led by a man after God's own heart versus a man of Belial those are the choices the real choice is would you like to be met led by a man after God's own heart or would you like to be led by someone who is of the devil those are the choices it's not about whether it's David or oh well you know David did do that battle against the Philistines no that's not the point David worships the Lord and you know what when the house of David stopped ruling over those ten tribes you know who they were ruled by a bunch of men of Belial because God ordained that house of David to be their leader and when they went after the house of Jeroboam and when they went after all these other wicked kings you know that's the choice that they were making it wasn't just about well what tribe are you you know because I mean we're of Benjamin so that's the house of Joseph you know we're of that tribe you know because Joseph and Benjamin I mean they had the same mother you know so we're a little more blood related over here with the Benjaminites and the house of Joseph you know the house of Judah well that's a different tribe who cares does it really matter what tribe you're of does it really matter whether you're red yellow black and white in this world I don't think it matters at all these are the things that are carnal you know the way that we look is carnal you know what color we are whether we're good looking or ugly or somewhere in between you know that's all just temporal that's all just carnal is that really what matters is that really what life's about but that's what these people are hung up on is well what tribe are you and what tribe is he and which tribe is the best tribe and people have so much pride in their tribe and they glory in you know you know being a part of you know La Raza you know or being a part of you know we're you know we're we're the the Nordic Aryan race or whatever we're right you know what it's stupid it's stupid when people are white supremacists and say like oh we're the Supreme you know what I'm not seeing it friend because you know what you know I've had people tell me you know well every every great achievement and every great discovery was made by white people you know it just isn't true it's just a lie it's stupid because I could show you all the technology and all the things that have been invented in other parts of the world and it's funny because sometimes we're even taught things that aren't true like everything's invented by Europeans according to us seriously like when I was in school I mean I I remember thinking like why are we the only people who invent stuff everything's invented in America and before that it was Europe but you know it's really not true because actually you know even the the you know the movable type printing press was not invented in Europe but I learned my whole life I was Gutenberg you know invented in Germany but no actually it was invented in China and it came to Europe because the Mongolian Empire created all those trade routes between China and Europe and brought a lot of that technology from China into Europe that allowed them to print Bibles in Europe you know God God used that plan you know God works in mysterious ways and he allowed that technology through the Mongolians to come from China into Europe get in the hands of a guy like Gutenberg and these different people who started printing Bibles and printing scriptures and and you know they started translating the scripture in all these different languages and using the technology to get it out to all the people but it wasn't just all invented by white people or something you know it's stupid but then there are other people you run into who have just as much pride about being black and we're the true Israelites you know the black the black Hebrew Israelites we're the true Israel you guys are Edomites and you guys are of Cain and all this stuff and then and then you know what you'll run into people of all different nationalities who think that their nationality is the best and we're better you know what it's stupid it's carnal it's not biblical I don't care what anybody says you're not going to find that in this Bible the Bible says let him the glory of glory in the Lord why would we glory in our nationality we're all human beings doesn't even matter right now I don't believe in uniting all the nations I don't believe that we should all be you know part of the same nation speaking the same language you know I believe that we in America you know this is our nation we should speak English we have our culture you know people in other countries have their language and their culture and that's great you know they're just different you know they have different pros and cons but you know to sit there and get so wrapped up you're falling into the trap of the devil when you get so wrapped up in being so proud of anything other than Jesus you know where you're just so proud of you know America you know what nuts to America Jesus Jesus that's all I'm proud of you know I'm not gonna say oh and here's the thing is it of my own virtue and goodness that I was born in America no I mean I just I can't decide what color I'm born or where I'm born or how ugly I am you know that's not a choice that I made why would I glory in that I'm gonna glory in the Lord that's the only thing worth glorying in but people are getting involved in this carnal fighting instead of saying hey it's about the truth it's about Satan versus a man of God here and when they follow the house of David they're choosing biblical religion and when they reject the house of David they're following Belial okay that's what's really going on here Absalom was of the devil this guy is of the devil and that's what the Bible is trying to show us here is that it's what it's really about is a spiritual fight okay so you know think about that when you're choosing a church think about that when you're deciding on it you know are you on the Lord's side or on the devil's side don't get so wrapped up in personalities you know how you feel about the person or what what color they are or what they look like or what you know that stuff is all vain and carnal and doesn't even matter it's it's meaningless it's worthless let me just point out a couple other things about this chapter David says you know in verse 12 you're my brethren you're my bones and and my flesh wherefore then are you the last to bring back the king and say ye to Amasa are now not of my bone and of my flesh God do so to me and more also if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab now Amasa is the enemy general this is the general of Absalom's armies so David is reaching out to his enemy and saying I want to forgive you I want to bury the hatchet I want to forgive you and I want you to be the captain of my host and let's unite the kingdom you know the ten tribes with Judah and let's make peace and look what it says in verse 14 and he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah even as the heart of one man so that they sent this word unto the king return thou and all thy servants so by that gesture of reaching out to Amasa with forgiveness he actually bowed the hearts of all the men of Judah and got them on his side also a few verses later Shemaiah comes and apologizes to him remember the guy that cursed him and thrown dirt and rocks at him a few chapters ago he comes and apologizes to him and what does it say in verse 22 you know David's men are saying slay him it says in verse 22 David said what have I to do with you you sons of Zeruiah that ye should this day be adversaries unto me shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel for do I not do not I now know that I am this day king over Israel therefore the king said unto Shemaiah thou shalt not die and the king swear on him so again what's he doing he's being a peacemaker here the fighting's over the battle's over he's trying to reach out to people and give them away to come home now this is a great lesson to us from the Bible and David is a great example of course of loving his enemies and being a peacemaker what does the Bible say blessed are the peacemakers the Bible says the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace David himself said I am for peace but when I speak they are for war he's saying you know I've done a lot of fighting but it's because of them it's not me I want peace I want to get along with people and the Bible says that as much as is possible as much as lies within us we should strive to live peaceably with all men we should try to be at peace with people now there are going to be times when we have conflict with people but when we have conflict with people you always want to try to help the other person have a way back or have a way for them to save face as it were you know what I mean if you get in a in a in an argument with someone or have contention with someone you don't want to just burn that bridge okay because the Bible talks about you know it says in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will and sometimes people who were your enemy in the past can eventually become your friends but only if you reach out to them you know if people are mean and hateful to you and you actually turn the other cheek and actually overcome evil with good a lot of times those people will eventually come over to your side and they will actually be a peace and a Mesa guess what a Mesa came over to his side and joins up with him so yesterday's enemy can be today's friend but we have to be humble and want to make peace and not just pay back I got to pay him back for what he did to me is that really what it's about no it's about getting people on the Lord's side it's not about past grievances we need to forgive and give people a way over you know there have been people I remember this one guy he made this he made a video Stephen Anderson is a false prophet or something you know and this video was on YouTube for years for years and eventually this guy took down the video and wrote to me and said I'm sorry that I made that video you're not a false prophet because he was calling me a false prophet because of the because of the saying that the rapture is not pre-trip you know Stephen Anderson the false prophet made this big video about it and he wrote to me and said you know I'm sorry you know you're not a false prophet actually I realize that the pre-trip rapture is a fraud now I'm trying to get you know you know I'm an assistant pastor he said and I'm trying to get the senior pastor can you give me some tips on how to straighten him out you know it's like you made a video that I'm this false prophet so what I'm saying that's pretty extreme I mean that's not somebody who's on the fence when you're making a video say he's a false prophet you know this is like oh man sorry you know you're actually right I've actually come over to your side but guess what that's what people that's the way life is you know so you have to not burn bridges with people and try to give people a chance to come back and make peace with people and not just burn that bridge you understand what I'm saying you know and that's what we see with David he wants to get along with people he doesn't want there to be bloodshed and warfare he wants to get along and we should strive for peace now look we're not saying peace at all costs we're not saying hey compromise the word of God in order to have peace compromise what you believe in order to have peace no but here's the thing as much as we can we should try to live at peace with all men without compromising our morals and our principles and what we believe in we should stand firm on our beliefs but we should try to be peaceful with people and get along with people as much we can you know I in all the many years that I worked out in the construction industry and worked around some pretty rough people you know I didn't go around just sticking my finger in everybody's eyeball telling them that they were wicked and ungodly and and what you know I just went there and played it cool and I did my own thing and I lived for God and I and I you know kept myself as clean as I possibly could but I didn't go around just trying to start stuff with everybody that was ungodly or of this world you know I wanted to be at peace with the people that I worked with didn't mean that I'm gonna compromise what I believe in or participate in sin but you know what we should be at we should want to be at peace with other people that are different than us but not to the point of crossing over into sin you know what did Paul say he said I've become all things to all men that I might by all means save some what chapter is that in somebody help me out I should know this first Corinthians chapter 9 where is it somebody help me out I usually know stuff like this because I where is it chapter 10 can you be a little more specific it is 9 yeah I do know what I'm talking about okay here first Corinthians 9 here we go look at chapter number 19 for though I be free from all men yet if I made myself servant unto all that I might gain the more and unto the Jews I became as a Jew that I might gain the Jews to them that are under the law as under the law that I might gain them that I might gain the more and unto the Jews I became as a Jew that I might gain the Jews that are under the law to them that are without law watch this to them that are without law as without law but there's a real important phrase right after this okay don't miss the next phrase he says being not without law to God but under the law to Christ that I might gain them that are without law to the weak became I as weak that I might gain the weak I made all things to all men that I might by all means save some and this I do for the gospel's sake that I might be partakers thereof with you so when he says there you know to those that are without law I became as without law but he said but I wasn't without law to Christ what he's saying is I'm not going to cross the line to where I'm sinning because I'm still want to be under Christ's rule in my life so a lot of people will abuse this and say oh yeah to those without law I'll be as without law so you know I'm going to go drink a beer with you and tell you about Jesus and whatever and they're going to participate in the sin in order to reach people man you know this guy there was some guy in the news saying he's going to join this wife swapping group because he wants to tell them about Jesus so he's going to participate in it too because hey these people need Jesus too that's wicked but here's the thing ungodly people though we can be like them but not when it comes to crossing the line of getting into sin but you know what we should try to reach out to people and reach them where they're at as long as we don't cross the line into that which is sinful and he says look I didn't go in basically you know I'm not going to go to work and just go around and just stick my finger in everybody's eyeball and I'm better than you and you're all wicked and you're all the devil but rather to go to work and try to fit in in all regards that are not sinful what's he saying you know if you're in Mexico you dress like a Mexican and you speak Spanish right you know and if you're if you're in India you dress like an Indian and you speak their language okay you go to the Navajo reservation you eat that Navajo taco you know and you say and you try to speak their language and you know you put on the turquoise and whatever but you're not going to smoke a peace pipe with them you know you're not gonna you know you're not gonna you're not gonna worship false gods you're not gonna do that which is sinful but you're gonna try to what you know get along with them are you gonna go in there and fly the American flag in some foreign country you know I've seen missionaries that go to a foreign country and try to teach the people in Germany or France to celebrate the fourth of July in the church and they have an American flag in their church and they're in Germany that's stupid what are you bringing the gospel of America or the gospel of Jesus you see what I'm saying so there's nothing wrong with trying to get along with people and trying to find common ground with people on that which is not sinful and to be at peace with people and be a peacemaker or you can just go around sticking your finger in everybody's eye and just trying to pick a fight with everybody and that doesn't accomplish anything let's fight the devil let's fight sin let's fight the children of Belial let's fight the reprobates but let's not just go around and and and stick our finger in everybody's eye let's be a peacemaker and try to get along with people even people who've done bad things let's try to reach out to them and try to be peaceful and get along with people and try to understand other cultures and other people and reach out to them that's what we see in the life of David being a peacemaker becoming all things to all men that he might by all means save some you know this is what we see in life David so what do we learn from this chapter you know basically we learn that we shouldn't be carnal we shouldn't be so wrapped up in what tribe you are we shouldn't be so idolizing of a person it should be about the gospel it shouldn't be about English versus Spanish language it shouldn't be about black versus white you know it shouldn't be about Jew versus Gentile it shouldn't be about you know oh well you know you're following Steven Anderson well I'm following this other preacher I'm following you know this other guy it's like no that's not what it's about it's about what the Bible teaches let's not get so wrapped up in the person and make it all about who that person is and look at them with a microscope well you know you're gonna find fault with anyone it's about the spiritual it's about things that are not seen and you know what this country is going to cease to exist someday but you know what the word Lord abides forever so what you know what what are you wrapped up in tonight are you wrapped up in something temporary or something that's eternal and if to you it's all about being a white person or being an American or you know but you know what then you're wrapped up in that which is carnal and temporal and if you say oh it's all about faithful word and Steven Anderson or whatever your favorite Bible teacher is or whatever person you're following you know what why don't you get your eye on Jesus and that which is eternal and on the word of God and if Steven Anderson is preaching the truth then follow him and if not then follow someone else that should always be the criteria right there let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer father we thank you so much for your word Lord help us to keep our eyes on that which is eternal help us not to be like the people in this story who were so into just being a fan club and and idolizing man and being so proud of what their ethnicity was or what tribe they were who was the closest relative to David or what Lord help us to understand that wait a minute it's about it's about not letting the sons of Belial take over it's about standing on the word of God it's not about person and and and and idolizing him or her or anyone Lord and help us to listen to the truth no matter who tells it to us whether it's a five-year-old or or whoever tells us the truth Lord help us to always receive the truth when it's from your word in Jesus name we pray amen