Are You Being Trained Now?

Are you being trained now to be a king? I've heard sometimes people say, well, you know, how can I be a king? But, you know, we are to be kings and lords under Christ because he's the king of kings and lord of lords. So we're gonna be kings and teachers. Maybe some will be kings and some will be teachers. Maybe some will be kings and some will be teachers. Maybe it'll be a combination. We don't know. We don't know. But we do know that we read a few scriptures which I'm gonna make reference to now without turning to. We know in the Beatitudes blessed are the humble or the poor in spirit because this is the kingdom of God. And then further down in verse 5 of Matthew 5, it talks about the meek that they will inherit the earth. And then we read in Revelation chapter 5 verse 10 that says we'll reign on the earth. And then we see more towards the end of Revelation. Revelation 19, we see Christ returning to earth as King of kings and Lord of lords. That's 19 verse 16. And then we get into Revelation 20 that it says shows about the first resurrection and it will reign with Christ for a thousand years. Well, it will reign with Christ forever but initially for a thousand years on planet earth. And then it will be a new heaven and new earth. And then it will reign for eternity in the new heaven and new earth.

And we also read that there's going to be a second resurrection and a judgment of the world. But obviously people in the millennium will also be in charge and will be there assisting Christ in helping him rule. There's a very interesting scripture in Daniel chapter 7, which I'm going to turn to now, in Daniel chapter 7. Well, when we read Daniel chapter 7, it's good to read it in conjunction with Daniel chapter 2. It's important for us to, if we really want to understand prophecy, there are some really key things that we need to understand prophecy. One of them is understand who is Israel, because a lot of people don't understand who is Israel.

And if you don't understand who's Israel and versus who's Judah, we really don't really understand a lot of prophecy. That's important. But another important part of prophecy is understanding the basic framework, which basically starts in Daniel 2, which is about that image. And then in Daniel chapter 7, that is expanded in more detail. And then in Daniel chapter 7, verses 13 and 14, he says, And behold, one like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. And that's obviously Christ. And he says he came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him.

And then we read a little bit further that in verse 19, that the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom. So we see Christ is going to come back to earth, and we as the saints are going to rule with him and possess the kingdom forever and ever. And so, yes, we'll reign for a thousand years on planet earth, but our destiny is to reign beyond that forever and ever in God's government and in God's kingdom. And it is important, therefore, to understand God's plan, the plan of God. Now, you and I just completed a cycle from the beginning, earlier in the beginning of this year, around about March, till now in October, we completed, let's call it, a cycle of God's early day plan from Passover all the way till the last great day.

And we have an excellent booklet that's God's early day plan that highlights very clearly God's plan. It is a pity that the wall does not understand God's plan. I mean, the wall says, oh well, you can't keep God's early days or why keep God's early days and things like that. And they raised so much objection to that.

Meantime, last night, I was singing, I was getting completely forgotten. I was actually recording my sermon in Portuguese for the Portuguese brethren, and I was hearing the front doorbell, bing, bing, bing, ring. And I was saying to myself in my mind, are we getting more salesman at the door at this time? But when I came downstairs and asked Kathy what happened, oh no, it's Halloween.

It's all the people knocking at the door. I said, oh, okay, I'd forgotten. But yeah, the wall raises so many objections about God's early days, but Halloween, which is completely pagan to it. Oh no, that's fine. That's fun. You know, it's just such a dichotomy that we have. It's such a dichotomy. But what we have is a Satan that is deceiving the whole world. It really is deceiving the whole world. And there's so many things. I mean, we read in Matthew that there's gonna be so much deception that we even have to be careful because some of us could be deceived.

And you think about it, understanding prophecy, starting from Daniel 2, understanding who Israel is, you know, B. Framon Manasseh, understanding that clearly. Well, there's so much objection against that. Oh, well. But it's so important to understand the basic truths. Another one is understanding who God is and his nature. You know, it's so important to understand the nature of God. I'm working on a sermon.

Probably I'll be giving it next week in Dallas, but about the nature of God and the nature of Christ. And we've got an excellent paper about it that discusses it very clearly. But why is that important? Why is it important to understand God's nature, who God is? It's because if you don't understand it, you don't understand God's plan for humanity.

Think about it. God has a plan for you and I. God has a purpose. And the purpose of God as for you and I is for us to be in his family, in the family of God. And that family of God is not limited to two people. It's going to have many other beings in that family as children to rule as being in the family, in that divinity. And that is so encouraging. And God has a plan. God's only days point to that plan. God's own nature explains that the nature of God is to increase his family. The prophecies so clearly point to the same thing. So we get back to one point. Do we really understand that we're going to reign with Christ? The other thing a lot of people don't fully understand is the calling. A good scripture to look at is Matthew 22, where he talks about this wedding supper and go out and call the people and call the people and what happens? Ah, I don't want to come. Ah, I don't want to come. Ah, I don't want to come. You know that parable. They all giving excuses don't want to come. And at the end of that parable, Matthew 22 verse 14, it says, many are called, but few are chosen.

And that parable is pretty important because it's showing that we are called to the marriage supper.

And when you read the scriptures like in John 644, that says, no man can come to me unless the Father draws him, that is very pertinent for today. You read the scriptures like in Peter 4 verse 17, and it says, the judgment is now upon the church of God, which is on us, on the house of God. We are being judged today. But the world, the world in the millennium will be judged during the millennium. And the ones that will be resurrected in the second resurrection will be judged in the second resurrection. But you and I are being judged now. Why? Because we are called now.

In the millennium, and in the second resurrection, everybody will have the opportunity of knowing God's truth because Satan is not there to deceive, he's not there to blind people's eyes, and everybody will be able to understand the truth. So, in a sense, the calling is open to everybody. But today, the calling is only for a few. Well, it says, many are called, but few are chosen. Yes, the calling goes to a lot of people. Many people get the Beyond Today magazine and things like that, but few respond. Few actually make a commitment. You think about Lawton, how few we are, but how many people are in this town or in this city. And so, few respond.

And what is our job responsibility, then? What are we being called for?

We are being called, obviously, if you compare with Matthew 22, we've been called to the wedding supper. But what it means is, we're going to be the bride of Christ. And it says, the bride, whatever Christ goes, the bride or wife will go within.

It's very much in a family, whatever the husband goes, the wife goes within, which is basically whenever the husband's doing something, the wife is there to support and help him to do that as much as it's physically possible. And so, that will be also the relationship between Christ and us as the future spouse of Christ. And so, today we are called for that responsibility.

In the world, tomorrow, as I mentioned, everybody is open to that. Because you read in John 7, I think it's 37, anyone that first comes to me. So, then it's open to anybody. But before that, which is today and the world under Satan's rule, as we know in 2 Corinthians 4 verse 4, you know, he deceives the whole world and he's blinding us from the truth. And so, we have the spirit now until Christ's coming, where Christ is training a few people, you and I, to rule. And you look at government today, it's a disaster. Many people are elected because they lie, they say things to gain votes in order to be elected by other people that get deceived by their stories. Whilst for us to rule in God's government, we're also elected.

But it's not an election like you see in today's world. We are elected by God because he calls us, and then he chooses us or elects us because we respond to that calling. And then we have to remain faithful till the end so that we are faithful, as it says in Revelation 17 verse 14, so that we can govern with Christ. And so, what is the difference between today's world rulers and the rulers under Christ, which hopefully will be you and I? The difference is, today's rulers have not met the standard of character, of godliness, of being faithful and loyal rulers, caring for the people. In God's government, the ones he elects to rule with Christ, they will have met the character, the standard, the faithfulness to rule with Christ.

And so, how does God do that? Because he gives us his Holy Spirit, and you know in Hebrews 8 verse 10, it says that through this new covenant, this new promise, this new commitment that you and I make at baptism, after baptism through the laying on of hands, you and I receive God's very essence, God's very characteristic, which is spirit. God is spirit. The Father is spirit. The Son is spirit. Sure, they got a shape and a form, but they are spirit beings. And we receive the same essence, the same spirit of the Father, which is also the Spirit of Christ.

And that spirit is in us and writes in your mind and in my mind and in your heart and in my heart, God's laws, God's value system. In other words, God's character, which is what? Love. God is love. And God's laws are love. And so, through God's early spirit, when we commit it to this way and receive God's early spirit, we are now learning an attitude of humility, of meekness, of not being hypercritical to others, not pointing fingers, but rather showing loving care for one another. And that is a characteristic that you and I need to be kings. To be kings. And so, you and I are being trained now. Your mind is being trained now.

Your heart is being trained now. And so mine, ours, with the help of God's early spirit, to be kings. And that will obviously be at the first resurrection, when our physical bodies will be changed to spirit. So we won't have this frail, weak body of the flesh.

And we know we're not getting younger. And we know we struggle to walk. We struggle to do things.

And we kind of look back when we were 20 years old, and we say, well, the youth was wasted in the youth. But we will again have youth with the spirit body.

And that is a blessing. And therefore, we got to, with God's early spirit, we got to have our minds changed. Now, quite often, we only focus, or we may maybe say, we got to focus to obey God's laws. And that's correct. But it's not just that. Look at 1 John, chapter 3, verse 22. 1 John, chapter 3, verse 22. Yeah, we read, and whatever we ask, we receive from Him because we keep His commandments. Full stop. No, no, there's never full stop there. Of course we keep His commandments. And I come across some people say, oh, well, it's only the Ten Commandments.

Oh, the law of Moses was bad. It's slavery. Now, think about it. The Israelites were in slavery in Egypt. God took them out of slavery. And then we believe on the day of Pentecost at Mount Sinai, they received the Ten Commandments. Would therefore God be taking them out of slavery to put them back into slavery, into a law that is slavery? That doesn't make sense.

God's law is good. Now, obviously, there are certain things in the law of Moses that are addressing a rebellious carnal nation and the laws of the nation. But in all of it, there are many principles that are applicable to us. If we start meditating and praying and thinking about it, some of the principles there are applicable, spiritually speaking, to us.

And so there's nothing wrong with God's law. The problem is, after Judah, after they'd been slaves or rather taken to Babylon, and when they came back from Babylon, they started modifying the law of Moses with a whole lot of additional things.

Which put weights and things around the law of Moses, and that became known as the oral law.

And that's what Christ criticized them time and time and time and time again, saying, you guys are keeping your traditions and doing a way of God's law, because they modified the law to a point that it no more was truly the law of Moses. And so, as we read here in 1 John 3, verse 22, whatever we ask, we receive from God because we keep His commandments. And His commandments are good. They are love. They are for us. But it's not just that. And do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And so, it's not just obeying God, but it's doing what's pleasing in God's sight. And most of you have children or have children or have grandchildren.

And you know that sometimes a child may obey you, but may not be doing it in a way that's pleasing you. And so, there is an additional level beyond obedience that is actually going out of the way to please you. And this is what God wants from us. God wants us not just to obey Him, but do what's pleasing Him. And so, there is a whole lot of things about our training to be in God's family to be kings, to be lords, to be teachers, spiritual teachers in the world tomorrow and in the second resurrection, and who knows what else in the new heaven and new earth.

There are certain things that we need to be learning now to be trained mentally and emotionally to be kings. Because understand, God putting you and I into His family is going to give you and I tremendous amount of power that you and I don't even begin to comprehend. Because it says you'll be glorified like He's glorified. If we suffer with Him, we'll be glorified with Him. And so, there's some glory, some power, by no means to degree or the height or the magnitude of what the Father is or what Christ is, but we will have tremendous power.

And the problem with power is if you give power to somebody that does not know how to use it, it's going to hurt a lot of people.

And so, you and I are going through a training round now to learn how to use the little bit that you and I have. It's not a lot, but He does faithfully in little. He'll be faithfully in much. And so, that's part of our training round.

And so, the first point that we really need to, has been trained, is to learn and grow in understanding, understanding and know what things are, to use them properly. And so, the first step in this training for you and I is education and not just education about technical things, but education about how to deal with people, when people have problems, when people are angry and whatever. How do we deal with that? And what sort of understanding do we have how to deal with that?

I mean, one way we can learn is learn from history, but again, is to have facts and information correctly. Learn to discern what is right from what is wrong.

Many years ago, I gave a sermon in English and also in Portuguese about the old earth versus the new earth. And sometimes when you write a sermon, you get a few people that comment on YouTube underneath it, you see. Well, a great sermon. Oh, yeah. And in this sermon, I had just, I mean, this sermon was like, I don't know, six, seven years ago. And I got a message from somebody that saw it just a couple of days ago, saying, yeah, you don't understand anything about the flat earth. You don't understand blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And he blasted me. And he says, don't you understand, you know, all these pictures that people are taking, they all have been computer generated pictures, and they all are being done with what they called a fisheye lens that gives that curvature and blah, blah, blah, it goes on into this. And so I said, what?

I mean, I thought to myself, oh, how do I reply to this or I don't reply? And then I just thought, oh, well, let me ask Chachibiti. And I wrote Chachibiti and says, give me reasons why yes or no, this what we call fisheye lens was taken, you know, with the pictures, blah, blah, blah.

And it's amazing. Chachibiti, in a split second, gave me a list of saying this is false, absolutely false. It's not using a lens because of this. You can prove what lens they had. And it mentions was a lens so-and-so, econ model so-and-so, and these other people use that lens and blah, blah, it gives all this technical stuff and says, and mathematically, what these people are saying is completely impossible. And these lens and he says, and then he says that the curvature of the earth is in these pictures is directly related to the distance of the satellite because as it is further, the curvature is more pronounced. If it is near, the curvature is less pronounced. And mathematically is exactly correct. And the lens could not do that. And blah, blah, I mean, wow! So I just cut and paste that. And I replied to that guy, you know, well, there you are. So let's see what he says. But it's just, it's amazing. And he gave so many facts, just unbelievable. So the point is, we got to learn to distinguish right from wrong. And there's so much stuff in this world that you and I just can't believe what people say, particularly politicians, right? You just can't believe what they say. But you just have to grow in knowledge and understanding. Now, you know, in Daniel 12, let's just go into Daniel 12. It's very interesting, because in Daniel 12, you know right there, prophecy about the time of the end. And let's just get to Daniel 12.

And I want to get to verse 4. Daniel 12, verse 4. And he says, But you, Daniel, shut up the wards and seal the book till the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro. And do we run to and fro? We fly, yeah, fly there, go here, whatever it is we're running to and fro. And highways running, driving to and fro, particularly in Dallas, you know, where are all these cars coming from? They all should be at home. Well, you know, what am I doing on the road anyway? But, you know, we're all running to and fro, and knowledge shall increase. Like I gave this example. Well, they give me this thing about the fish eye lens. In one split second, it gives like three pages full of factual data showing that that is so false. So, I was interesting as well because, okay, I'm deviating, sorry, but I was just saying, okay, show me why some of these people that believe on the flat earth, show me which scriptures they use and where they're going wrong.

Bang! One second later, two or three pages showing all the scriptures, where they're going wrong, where they're misquoting it, and I said, wow, you know, I must give a sermon about this one day.

But anyway, it's just amazing. Knowledge shall increase.

I mean, a few years ago, if you wanted to get information like that, you'd have to walk to the library, open up a book, and then look for another book. And then a few years later, we got a thing called Internet, and you got like a search engine, and then it's like you could go to this library, that library. But now, with artificial intelligence, it kind of puts it all together and says, there it is. Knowledge has increased. But you know what has not increased?

Understanding. Understanding, sound understanding, a sound mind, understanding, and wisdom has not increased. And so, we have to be careful that, yeah, there's a lot of knowledge, but we've got to grow in understanding, in a sound-minded understanding.

Even about the Bible, I mean, look at Paul when he wrote to Timothy. Just let's look at a few scriptures here. When Paul wrote to Timothy, this was already existing, these sort of things, because he says, yeah, in 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 16, 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 16, he says, he says, be diligent in verse 15 to learn God's Word, to rightly divide the world of truth. In other words, to have understanding of the scriptures and really discern and rightly divide, because verse 16 then says, but shine, or shine, shine, profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more and more ungodliness. And this is the problem. You get so many, for instance, you got so many radio stations and Facebook and media stuff, social media, a lot of people talking about things about the Bible and actually say so many things that are nonsense. They just twisted the wrong way around. And then it says in verse 17, and their message will spread like cancer. It was just going to be rampant. It's going to be rampant. Look at chapter 4, still in 2 Timothy, but look at chapter 4 verse 3 and 4. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. In other words, it's not just knowledge. It's just having the understanding to discern and see, no, what these people are saying just doesn't make sense. In other words, we've got to be careful, because the time today people don't enjoy sound doctrine. You hear some, for instance, people like politicians talking about things, and I, how can you say that?

It's so unsound. It's so unwise. It just, it just poggles my mind. But, yes, according to their own desires, it's either for them to be reelected or whatever it is, you know, because they have itching years, they'll heap up for themselves teachers, and they'll turn their years away from the truth, and it'll be turned aside to fables. In other words, to fake stuff. Let's put it this way.

But you'll be watchful in all things. Be careful. Don't be deceived. Look also in chapter 2, still in 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 15. Well, okay, I read that. We got to divide the truth carefully. You see, we must not be taken by deceivers. We got to discern the truth. We need to have a sound mind. We need to be careful with these people that talk, talk, talk different things. Look at chapter 2 verse 16, which I mentioned just now, profane and idle babblings. You know, it was just to talk and talk and talk, and they said rubbish. You know, we got to be careful. We've got a very wise saying in Proverbs, Proverbs 17, Proverbs 17 verse 27 and 28, Proverbs 17 verse 27 and 28.

17 verse 27 and 28.

It says, He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he keeps quiet.

And so, we got to control our words and what we say and say it in a way at the right time, with the right content, and that is part of learning to be a king. That is being educated in discernment, in understanding. We need to be educated in that. Secondly, we got to see the big picture. It's really so important to see the big picture.

It's not just all the little details, in fact. We got to see the big picture. That's why I say it's so important to understand God's plan for mankind, because that's the big picture.

Once you understand the big picture, and you understand the nature of God, which is love, and He wants us in His family, and that reveals His purpose for mankind, His nature, understanding His nature. And then we can see what God is trying to do, and He's got time, but He wants everybody to repent, so He's giving us time. But we got to see that big picture. We got to have the vision of the great plan. And therefore, then all these little facts start making sense where things are going. We got to understand basic principles, particularly about ourselves, because God has given us a body, which is frail, a body which is carnal. You and I know. Even Paul said in Romans 7, at the end of Romans 7, you know, I've got this body, and I've got this law in my members that goes against the law of my mind, which is God's Holy Spirit working in His mind, and it's got this law in His physical body members, and He says, who will rescue me from this? And He says, thanks to Christ. Why? Because that will be at the resurrection. At the resurrection, this body will be gone. But why is God allowing us to go through these trials, these difficulties, as also as we get, I jokingly say, as we get younger, but now as we get older, you know, we go through more and more challenges because we are learning important lessons.

We've got to put it into the big plan, the big purpose. You see, while we are in Proverbs, turn to Proverbs 29, verse 18. Proverbs 29, verse 18. And you probably know this once we start reading it, then it will make sense. Ah! Where there is no revelation, the people cost off restraint. In other words, where there is no vision, the people perish.

If we don't have revelation, if we don't have understanding, if we don't see the final big plan, the purpose, you're not going to have control and understanding and say, there is a purpose, there's going to be a judgment as well, and therefore I'm not going to cost off restraint. I'm going to understand so that I don't perish.

You see, so we understand God's law, we understand His purposes, we understand the relationship between different things, we understand that human nature exists for a purpose.

Why? So that when you and I are given supreme power in God's kingdom, we'll never want to do wrong things, because we'd have learned that it just causes suffering and pain. And we will have gone through pain, sometimes caused by ourselves, sometimes caused by others, sometimes are quote-unquote genetic, and genetic means somebody long ago in our previous generations did something wrong or intermarried with things that shouldn't have, or whatever it is, and you and I don't even know, and therefore the genes have been impacted one way or another, and because of that they're suffering. You see, and it could be just physical, but it could be the way we talk to people, the way we respond to people, and because of maybe pain or some things, we kind of, we're a little bit sharp, and then we just have to understand that we've got to be careful and give space for other people that maybe are struggling.

Look at Psalm 111. Psalm 111 verse 10. Psalm 111 verse 10. The fear of the Lord is beginning of wisdom. A good understanding of all those who do His commandments is praise and use forever.

And so we need wisdom. We need to develop the mind of a king. And so in first place we need to look at this big picture that is so important. We need to have this big picture so that we therefore respect God and have fear of God so that then we can move on to have a heart that is kind and loving to others, that is being trained mentally and in heart to be compassionate to other people.

Look at 1 Kings chapter 3. 1 Kings chapter 3.

And now starting in verse 9. 1 Kings chapter 3 starting in verse 9.

This is the story about Solomon. And Solomon now is asking God in verse 9. He says, Please give me, give your servant an understanding heart to discern, to judge your people that are my discern between good and evil, for who is able to judge this great people of yours? And this obviously pleased God. And therefore he says, I'll give you a wise and understanding heart.

When we see the big picture that God is in control, we need to then come to the point and say, God help me to have wisdom. It's so important for us to have wisdom. And so first we need understanding, to understand things, to discern things. Then it's important to look at the big picture, to put everything together. And in the big picture, understand God is in charge. He's got a plan for us and say, God, you've got a plan for us to be kings in the world tomorrow after the resurrection. Please help me to learn now lessons that are going to be important for us tomorrow and for us today. In other words, please give me wisdom.

Please give me an understanding heart to judge that I may discern. What is that? That's wisdom.

We need wisdom. And so the third point for us to be trained as kings, we need godly wisdom. No, it's not wisdom of this world, but it's godly wisdom.

So we have a lot of facts, a lot of knowledge. There's an increasing knowledge today. A lot of facts, a lot of knowledge. But the capability of putting these facts correctly is understanding.

Now with understanding correctly, we're starting discerning between right and wrong.

And now we need wisdom to actually see through it and see really what is right and what's wrong and how to do it correctly to make the correct decision in that specific circumstance.

And so we are talking about godly wisdom. Because we don't want the wisdom of the world. Turn with me to James chapter 1 verse 5. James chapter 1 verse 5. He says, he says, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it'll be given to him.

Well, that's what Solomon asked, and God gave to him.

So God is not a discerner of or discriminator or treating one better than others.

If you and I genuinely, sincerely, come to God and ask for wisdom, he'll give it to you, you know. He doesn't say, he might give it to you. He says, who gives to all liberally and without reproach?

And it will be given to him. And so we need to ask for wisdom.

And so get him back. We need understanding. We need to look at the big picture, and then we need to ask God for wisdom.

Now, in James, a little bit later in chapter 3, a little bit later in chapter 3, in verse 13, he says, who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. The meekness of wisdom.

There's a lot to meditate about that. I've mentioned it a few times before.

And it's a sentence that I have meditated a lot, and it's good for us all to think about it and meditate about it. You see, wisdom, true wisdom, true godly wisdom, has meekness. And in other words, it's gentle, it's malleable, it's pliable, it's moldable, it's flexible, it's willing to learn. That is godly wisdom, willing to learn.

It's not, oh, well, I know it all, don't teach me things. It's godly wisdom is willing to learn.

And God will show us if we ask Him.

But in the world, the worldly wisdom, just talking about there, is based on envy and self-seeking.

For me, me, myself and I. But the wisdom is from a Bible, if you read in verse 17.

It's first pure. That means it's genuine. It's peaceable. In other words, I want to make peace, I want to do things in the right way. It's gentle, it's meek, it's gentle, it's pliable.

It's willing to yield. It's willing to say, okay, I hear what you say. Yeah, that's a good point. Maybe I need to change. Full of mercy. Do we have a wisdom that is full of mercy?

I mean, mercy triumphs over judgments. So you and I need mercy. So full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisy. You know, it was not treating one person different than the other. And it's not just one thing outside, but inside is something completely different.

And that's what we got to drive for. Genuine wisdom that is from above. And then it goes on, on the very next chapter, it says, why are you guys fighting? I mean, it's talking about people in the church, right? Why are you fighting? You see, and then basically it's because, if you read a little bit later in verse five of James chapter four, it says, the Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealousy. A lot of people don't understand this verse, but it's very simple.

I mean, the word Spirit there should be a small s in first place, because it's the carnal mind. It's the Spirit of man in man. The Spirit of man in man, the Spirit, the carnal mind, as it is, without being being guided by gods of the Spirit, which is in us, which you and I have, the carnal mind is selfish. It drives jealousies for self, me, myself, I. You see, so the carnal mind is for number one, as people say it, you know, I'm number one type of thing, but God gives grace and he resists the proud. It says God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. You see, we've got to change that mindset to be one that is submissive and willing to change. That's why it says in verse seven, submit to God and resist the devil and he'll flee from you. Draw near to God and he'll draw near to you. You see, so if you want to have godly wisdom, we need to ask God for wisdom, and part of that we need to be willing to change.

We need to be willing to get all the facts.

Ecclesiastes five, verse one and two is another interesting scripture that a lot of people sometimes forget, but just, I mean, I'm not reading the whole of Ecclesiastes in chapter five, because it's quite meaningful, but just verse one and two, Ecclesiastes five, verse one and two, it says, Walk prudently when you go to the house of God and draw near to you, rather to give the sacrifice of fools. In other words, you go to God and say, teach me, Lord. In other words, be humble, be meek, be submissive. Instead of giving the sacrifice of fools, which means, I know better. I can tell you what to do. That's the sacrifice of fools. You know, I know it all.

He says, but for they do not know that they do evil. That's why it says, do not be rash with your mouth and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God, for God is in heaven and you're on earth. Therefore, let your words be few. And so, get all the facts, because you and I don't know everything. Be prepared to listen. Be prepared to draw near to God, to submit to God, particularly listen to God. And then, get counsel from others as well. I mean, you know, Proverbs 11, Proverbs 11 verse 14.

It's also a scripture that we know pretty well, that it says, Proverbs 11 verse 14, where there is no counsel, the people fall, but in a multitude of counsels, there's safety.

You'll be willing to listen to others, because in a multitude of counsel, there's wisdom.

And then you and I need to make a decision.

You see, so we ask God for wisdom. We get all the facts. We get counsel from others.

And then we got to make a decision.

James chapter 1 verse 6 through 8. James chapter 1 verse 6 through 8.

We were reading in verse 5 a little while ago, but look at it. James 1 verse 6 through 8. It says, asking faith. In other words, ask for wisdom, asking faith. Don't doubt, because he would dance, it's like a wave of the sea tossed to and fro.

For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from God.

And so you ask for wisdom and believe that God is going to give it to you. You ask, you search his scriptures, you get all the facts. You ask counsel from others. And then he says, verse 8, he who is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. And so let not a man suppose that he will receive anything from God. If he's double-minded, if he's uncertain, oh, shouldn't I do this? Oh, shouldn't I do this? Oh, shouldn't I do this? Oh, shouldn't I do this? Oh, shouldn't I do this? Oh, shouldn't I do this? What? You've asked God for wisdom. You've got all the facts. You've got counsel. Make a decision.

You ask God to help you make the right decision and make the decision and now have faith in that decision and carry it through. Philippians 4, verse 8, not, it says, whatever it's good, whatever it's positive, think on those things. So you make a decision. You see, it's positive, it's good, it's for good things, it's got a good outcome, the intent is correct.

Work on it. So you make a decision and then make it effective. Work. Put it to practice.

Use the mind that God has given you through God's Holy Spirit, 2 Timothy chapter 1, verse 7. 2 Timothy chapter 1, verse 7.

2 Timothy chapter 1, verse 7. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind. God's Holy Spirit is one that is going to give us courage, it's going to give us power, it's going to give us strength to overcome our weaknesses, but it's also going to do it in love and kindness, and it's going to give us a clear sound mind of thinking things correctly. And so we need wisdom. Ask God for wisdom.

Get all the facts, get advice, make a decision, have faith in that decision because you've seeked God, and you understand that you have God's mind and God's Holy Spirit, and therefore you are doing things with a sound mind with God's Holy Spirit. That's why when people come with certain funny ideas, let's just say, I mean even sometimes people in the church come with some funny ideas, it says, what? Is that a sound mind? You know, because it's not sound.

You see, so the first point is we need education, we need understanding, we need to understand God's big plan, we need to then ask wisdom and get all the facts and make a decision and trust that. But now it's the most important point. It's self-control. You see, you may make it a whole decision, I'm going to do it, and then you don't stink to wit right till the end and don't carry it through. You don't have self-control. In other words, you don't have character, because character is having the self-control to do it.

You think about the fruit of God's Holy Spirit, Galatians 5, 22 and 23, right? Love, joy, peace, faithfulness. It's not faithfulness, it's... let me just look at it. And then goodness, kindness, faithfulness. Let's forget that fourth one. Galatians 5, Galatians 5, verse 22-23. Love, joy, peace, long suffering. In other words, just have patient long suffering, and then being kind and good, and then be faithful. In other words, be faithful to do it.

And then gentleness or mikmis. And the last one is self-control.

I quite often like to work them backwards. If you start with self-control, and when you've got self-control, then be malleable and gentle, and be faithful, because you've got self-control, and then show goodness and kindness, and be prepared to have long suffering. That will yield to peace and internal joy. And the final, final, the crème de la crème on top is godly love, outgoing love. So, we've got to start. That's the basis. The basic is self-control. It's very important. Now, I want to turn you to a proverb. That's Proverbs 16, verse 32, because this proverb, it's another one that I've meditated a lot about, but it's quite fascinating. Proverbs 16, verse 32.

He was slow to anger. He's better than a mighty, and he will rule the spirit.

Then he will take the city. Okay. Slow to anger, or rule your spirit. That's self-control, right?

Slow to anger. You get a situation. You just have self-control and say, uh-uh. Calm it down.

Don't blow the fuse. Just get all the facts. That's self-control. That's...

And then he says, rules his spirit. That means your passions, your things. You've got to do this. No, I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to say that. I'm not going to think that, or whatever it is. Rule your carnal mind.

Well, Paul said he had a carnal mind, and he was an apostle for over 20 years, and he says, I've got a carnal mind. Who's going to free me from this mind that I have?

Thanks to Christ, it'll do. And then he says, so therefore there's no condemnation. That's the next chapter, Romans 8, verse 1, if we are using God's early spirit. So, we've got to rule our spirit with the help of God's early spirit.

And so, look at the second part of each one of these statements. The first part is slow to anger, and the second part is better than the mighty. In the next statement, he will rule the spirit. That's the first part. And the second part is, then he will take the city. And so, the first part is slow to anger, rule your spirit. That is self-discipline, self-control, character. The second part is better than the mighty. It's better than taking our city.

Who takes over the city? Who's a mighty king that takes over the city? A powerful king, right? So, if you and I can control our anger and we can rule our spirit, you and I are being trained to be kings. And so, when I come across and people tell me, well, you know, I have no training to be a king, this proverb to me says, if you and I are controlling your emotions that you don't get angry easily, that you are controlling your spirit, ruling your spirit, that means you're being a king over your spirit, over your emotions. If you can control yours, then you can teach others to control theirs as a king, as a teacher. I think this is quite a powerful proverb when you look at it from that way. I'll put it another way.

The only true liberty is the liberty to have self-control. And you and I have the liberty to have self-control.

And that's what God is trying to teach us in this physical age, so that we can rule the world tomorrow. And you could think about discipline about getting up in the morning, discipline of working hard, discipline of controlling your thoughts, discipline of not being discouraged. Or you allow this anxiety and discouragement to come upon you.

I've got to control that. It's so easy for us to allow these negative thoughts and the discipline of following the way, God's way, till the end.

You see, you may have all the knowledge, you may have all the understanding, you may have all the capability of discerning and saying, okay, I'm going to do this.

You may have all the wisdom to say, but if you don't have the character, the self-control, to do it, it's all in vain. It's all in vain.

And so Paul had to fight, as we read in 1 Corinthians 9 verse 27, he said, I disciplined myself. He said, I disciplined myself, lest I preach to others, and then I will not be rewarded.

We all have to discipline ourselves. Revelation 17 verse 14 says, those that will be of Christ are called and chosen or elect and faithful till the end. Let's look while we are in Proverbs. Look at Proverbs 24 verse 10. Proverbs 24 verse 10 says, if you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

When you and I are challenged with great difficulties, we must not give up.

And we are going to trust that God will help us. He says, nothing has happened to you that has not happened to man, and God will help you. So, are you and I having the opportunity to be trained to be a king? Yes, we are. We are. We got to work in controlling our minds to be productive and to do what needs to be done. We are to control our minds to think about others and caring for others. So, are you going to be a king? Am I going to be a king? It depends on you and I, because it's in your hands to learn, get education, understanding, to understand the big picture, and therefore then to have the wisdom, but above all, to have the character to do it till the end.

And that is the mind of a king that God wants in you and I. It's the mind of the Creator.

It's the mind of the Son of God, and that's the mind that he wants you and I to have.