Seek the Mind of a King

So tell me why, why did he have to die? He came to earth and lived our own man, the only person ever free from sin. Very God on earth, He knew what a human must go through, and He was perfect as a man. That's why I did not understand. He already gave us life, so why did He have to die? Sin is death and we know there is power. Grace is free, no doubt above the earth. God is great, His He is King. He can accomplish anything, and so being a perfect being. Won't somebody tell me why, why did He have to die?

I ask His question on my knees. I know He suffered because of me, but with His power over all, no one made Christ Jesus fall. He could have given eternity to all men, to you and me. So to Him I cried, why did you have to die? For God is gracious, He is long. He saw my anguish from His throne above. Christ opened my mind, He made me see the answers right in front of me. There was a reason He went to the grave, and through the Word of God He gave. The reason why, why He chose to die. God so loved the world, He gave His side. A side of love for everyone. He has conquered death and soul, His resurrection let us know, His peace will fill us in the end. We will have our chance again. And that is why we don't have to be afraid to die.

He was in the beginning, darkness all around Him. He made the universe through the power that surrounds Him. He gave us light that we might see, He gives us perfect liberty. He conquered death and in His love, He proves His love. He proves His own, His throne above. And that is why, why He chose to die.

Thank you, Christy. Those were lovely words, lovely song, very meaningful, really, really touching to the heart. I appreciate that. Also to your dad that wrote the song. Thank you so much for a lovely, lovely composition. Brethren, we all know that prophetically, as we read the Scripture, that we are going to be kings and priests in the Kingdom of God. And I think it was very appropriate as well that we had in the sermon that the message that we ought to be perfect. Because to be kings, righteous kings in the Kingdom of God, we have to achieve that maturity, that growth, that submission, that God's will is first and foremost. We read, for instance, in the Beatitudes, that it says, the poor in spirit will inherit the earth. We will reign on the earth. You read in Revelation chapter 5, it says, we will reign on earth. We also read at the end of Revelation, it says, Christ will return. And he is the King of kings and Lord of lords. And then after that it says in Revelation 20 that we will reign with him for a thousand years. And obviously, that is merely the first phase. Because elsewhere it says, Lord reign eternally. Because after that a thousand years, there is going to be a period of the dead being judged and being resurrected and a time of judgment. And then after that, as you and I know, there will be a new heaven and a new earth within righteousness dwells. So, the kingdom of God is coming to earth, to reign on earth. Initially, for a thousand years. And after the judgment, that judgment day will be eternally on a new heaven and a new earth. And this we understand as we keep every year God's holidays, this plan becomes clearer and clearer to all of us. Regrettably, the world does not understand it. Because Satan has deceived the world through the twisted, distorted... I don't want to call it holidays, because that's what people call it. But they're not holidays. They're just periods of break which have pagan origins. And they hide the great meaning and plan of salvation. But the point to emphasize Yah is that you and I are going to reign for a thousand years before that period of judging the resurrected people that will resurrect millions and billions of people.

But we will have a righteous government. Not like today. Today, when you're hearing the news, you sometimes wonder what is going on. Because it's just corruption everywhere. And it's not just in this country. It's every country. Every country.

But you and I will have the privilege to reign with Christ. Why? Because God has chosen us. We would have not been elected like in today's world. People are elected. We will be chosen by God. Indeed, we will not choose ourselves. God picks and chooses. Now, look at a parable of Christ, Yah, in Matthew 22. It's a parable you know well. So let's go to it, Matthew 22.

About this wedding. Very known parable. But let's just look at certain points there in the parable. Matthew 22.

And it says, the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God, which is God's kingdom, which is of heaven, is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son. So what we have here is a parable which basically describes a wedding ceremony. And in this wedding ceremony, it says people have been invited to the ceremony. And so, invitations went out. It's like when you do a wedding. So for you to do a wedding for your daughter or your son, you send out invitations and you send an RSVP. And people are invited. Now, understanding that this is a parable which is symbolizing Christ's wedding with the saints. And people are invited to that wedding.

It's the father that sends that invitation. And many don't respond or say, I don't want to go. I don't want to go.

And you can think about what disappointment it is for the father that is certainly inviting people when they turn and say, I don't want to go. The point here is that the people that are invited to the wedding have been specifically chosen by God. But there's more to it, because in Revelation 17, verse 14 says, those that will be with him are called and chosen, called to the wedding, chosen to be at the wedding. But there's one third statement that says they are faithful. Faithful till the end. It's very appropriate in the sermon as well about this process of perfection. Because brethren, once you've been baptized and we've received God's Holy Spirit, we are on a road of perfection, of maturing, of becoming better people, becoming and developing the mind of God and of Christ, so that we can now be competent, capable, rulers and kings involved tomorrow, so that we've qualified. Because at that time, once you're there, there's not going to be these video clips saying, well, so and so, look at what he did, therefore he's not qualified. Corruption! For one, we all sin. But we all have come before God, and we have repented. And as sometimes we slip up, we go back to God and we repent. And we are working on this road of perfection, so that we can have our minds, our brains, our hearts, we ourselves be perfected to be kings in the world tomorrow.

We have to have our minds and our hearts trained to rule before we have given the position of rulership. And part of that, as you read in Hebrews, for instance, Hebrews chapter 8 verse 10, which is part of writing God's laws in our hearts and in our minds. That's the new covenant. Part of that is actually making God's laws of love, of outgoing concern for fellow man and for God. Making that part of ourselves. Now, I'm not talking about an intellectualism, that, well, you know, this is the law, and you've got to do this, and you've got to do it that way, and being an intellectual, and being critical of other people. I'm not talking about that. What I am talking about is a living way, a way of living and practicing and becoming perfect in our conduct, day to day, that we have the mind of a king and the heart of a king.

And so, my purpose today, brethren, is to ask you and to ask me, because I'm not speaking to you, I'm speaking to myself as well, do we, do we, do we have the mind of a king or of a queen? Do we have that mind with the help of God's Holy Spirit, so that you and I can be in a position of authority, whatever authority God will give you, because it says there are many mansions in my father's house. So, one of those mansions, one of those positions of authority, one of those offices of responsibility, they'll be given to you. It's ideal for you. It's the perfect job for you, and it'll be the perfect job for me. If we are doing our part, or preparing ourselves now, and working on this process of perfection, to have the mind of a king.

In other words, are we preparing now to be a king? And if we are, what steps do we need to do? Or, should I say, are we searching for the mind of a king in us?

The point is, you and I cannot develop that after we resurrect it. Oh well, the people in the second resurrection will have to develop that after the resurrection. But to be in the first resurrection, we have to have already that training today, now, so that you and I qualify for the first resurrection.

And so, I am not talking about just keeping God's laws. Yes, that is it. But it's more than that. It's a lot more. It's living the way. It's making that part of us. It's the way we are. It's our being. It's our mind. It's the mind of Christ, the mind of God in us.

Turn with me, please, to 1 John 3, verse 22. 1 John 3, verse 22. And whatever we ask, we receive from Him.

Well, if you and I have the mind of God, we're going to ask for one, according to God's will, of course, according to that mind. But that is because we keep His commandments. Yes, keeping the commandments is important, but it's more than that because it says, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. In other words, we have that mental process, that mind of God, that we do the things that are pleasing in His sight. In other words, fully submissive to His will and to His way. So, my question is, what is this mental training, mental and emotional training that you and I need to go through to develop the mind of God?

Well, step number one. It's basically education to educate us with the right knowledge.

Sure, we learn a lot from history.

Because if we don't, we're going to repeat the same errors.

And we need to have this knowledge, we need to study it.

We need to be able to distinguish right from wrong. So, we need to study and understand and have knowledge and be able to discern that knowledge, the one that's right and the one that's wrong.

A king has a mind that he can, he or she, or king or queen, that can distinguish that. An interesting point that's happening today is a fulfillment of Daniel 12 verse 4. So, let's look briefly there at Daniel 12 verse 4. Daniel 12 verse 4.

It says, But you, Daniel, shut up the wards and steal the book until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro. Brethren, how much do we run to and fro? One day we in South Africa, another day in South America, another day in the UK, another one. Yes, somebody in London just goes down the road. Just joking.

London can talk to you, sorry. But anyway, so, we run to and fro. But it says, knowledge shall increase. When I was young, if I wanted to learn something, I had to get a book, or have to go to a library.

If I couldn't find it in the library, I'll have to get to the librarian to help me, or maybe to say, I'm looking for this, and the librarian will go through the books, and he'll say, Okay, the number of books. Then you sit in a desk quietly, and you look through those books quietly, and then you run out of time, then you'll have to, or maybe you could take some of them home, but some of them, you could not take home, because some of those books you could not take home.

They have to stay in the library. So then you have to come back and search through the library, things like that. Nowadays, you do. You Google, or whatever, and you've got the equivalent of a library on your cell phone. On your cell phone! Knowledge has increased. Knowledge has increased. But you know what? There's two types of knowledge. Good and bad. There's a lot of bad knowledge out there. There's a lot of junk. And just because it's an Internet does not mean it's true.

And I think we're all learning that more and more every day. And also, another thing about knowledge. Another word for knowledge is science. Think about it. Science. Now, when I went to school, I had a subject called physical science. Right? I mean, you learned about laws of energy and gravity and things like that. In other words, scientific knowledge. That science is basically scientific knowledge. But the key word, yeah, is physical. It's physical science. You see, knowledge goes from areas beyond physical.

You see, there are things beyond the physical, which is the spiritual domain, which is God's domain, that we just don't understand and see. But there's knowledge in that area, too. Now, the little bit we know is what God's given to us by His word. But generally speaking, science, as we know today, is purely physical science. It's purely in the physical domain.

Now, there are things that happen beyond that. And so, we need to get true knowledge. And this true knowledge comes from God's word. Now, yes, we need physical knowledge, too. And yes, scientists and people like that can give us... They are books. They are things we can study. And we need to discern what is good and what is bad, because there's some that's good, there's some that's not good.

Some that's true, some that's not true. People fake things up. Put out a picture that is of a huge, for instance, skeleton. And the little man next to it, and he says, Oh, well, we found Goliath. But that's kind of when they paint pictures and then maximize. It's all fake, because the sizes are completely wrong.

So people can distort things. So we need to get knowledge, physical knowledge, but in addition to physical knowledge, we need to get the solid truth from God, from His Word. Turn with me to 2 Timothy 3. 2 Timothy 3, verse 16. It's a Scripture we know very well. And today, brethren, I'm basically not covering any... revealing new type Scriptures that you never heard of. They're basic, simple, foundational Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3, verse 16 says, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. And it's profitable for doctrine. It was for teaching. Teaching what? Teaching knowledge beyond the physical, which is God's teaching, His doctrine.

And particularly about the way of life. That's what's important. Our way of life, so that we can have the mind of God. And then for reproof. For reproof meaning that you've been taught, now you maybe do something wrong, and then God's Word is there to say, Listen, that's not exactly the way you should do it.

It should do it this way. And for correction, because it says, This is the way, correct, readjust. This is the way you should go. And then for instruction in righteousness. As you live the way, as you live God's way, you are living in righteousness. So it's instruction to live that way. That the man of God may be complete, in other words, mature, perfect.

Then we can have the mind of God thoroughly equipped for every good word. Just look a little bit further, maybe still in the same page of your Bible, around chapter 4, verse 3 and 4. It says, But the time will come when people, they will not endure astounded doctrine. But according to their own desires, because they have each years, they will heap up for themselves teachers.

And they will turn their years away from the truth, and be turned aside to failures. You see, so, what do we have? Knowledge. A lot of knowledge. Good and bad. And you and I need to be able to discern sound doctrine from bad doctrine. That follows one's own desires and things that people heap up for themselves. In other words, away from the truth.

In other words, fake knowledges, let's call it that way, or false knowledge. Or fibers. That's what it is. Looking 2 Timothy 2, just two chapters before, verse 15. 2 Timothy 2, verse 15. Present yourself approved to God a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. In other words, be committed in searching God's word and separating truth from fake. Be able to have the mind of a king that you are able to discern, to distinguish what is right and what is wrong. In other words, as an example, for instance, you go and you do a search on a search engine in your computer.

Bing, Google, whatever it is. And then you get information. You have to discern, is this good knowledge or bad knowledge? Is this true or false? And that's what it says, the iron says, Be diligent to present yourself approved to God a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Sure, it's talking about God's truth, but the principle is applicable to say, you and I, with the mind of a king, we need to be able to be aware, to be alert, to be able to discern, to distinguish good from bad.

You see, because the problem is, a lot of people have, if we continue in verse 16, we just read verse 15, so if we continue in verse 16 says, But shan't profane and idle babblings, for they'll increase to more and more ungodless. In other words, people are going to be talking and talking and opening their mouths and saying hogwash. Really, saying rubbish! And you and I need to be able to discern, because these people that are saying these things, as it says here, they'll increase to more and more ungodless. Why? Because they try to do it for their own gain, or they try to do it for their own desires, as we saw in chapter 4, or keeping for themselves teachers. Why? Because they want to hear what they want to hear. That's why. They don't want to hear the truth. And that will spread like cancer, it says in verse 17. So this is what's happening in the world today. Brethren, for you and I to have the mind of a king, the first step we need is to be able to, yes, get education and get knowledge, physical and spiritual, but learn to discern right from wrong. Learn with God's help to discern right from wrong. Look at prophets chapter 17. Prophets chapter 17. And we will see a few problems now and again today. Prophets chapter 17, verse 27 and 28.

He who has knowledge spares his words. Now, we just saw a little earlier on, on 2 Timothy, it says these people are speaking, profane, idle, badlings, but the person that has the right knowledge spares his words. It was he or she is careful with what we say, and we weigh it carefully to make sure that it's correct. And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. He doesn't kind of explode easily. It's a calm spirit. Even a fool, even a fool is counted wise when he gets quiet. That's what it says. Even a fool is counted wise when he shuts up. Well, because you don't know what's in his mind, so it must be quite clever. When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. So, yeah, it's a point. Sometimes it's good to just spare your words. So, brethren, the first essential point that I'm leaving with you today, to have the mind of a king, is that we need to have knowledge. We need to have the education. We need to have knowledge better. We need to be able to have the skill to discern right from wrong in that knowledge. And therefore, there is a point to pray about it, to ask God for the help through his Spirit for us to have that skill to discern that perception. Sometimes you can be baffled. And he says, who's speaking the truth? And sometimes it's better to hold on and just give it time, because the truth, after a while, it has come out. But here is the point. First point, have knowledge and have the capability to discern what's right and wrong. Ask God for that. Now we get on to the second point. And the second point, to have the mind of a king, and this is part of what we need to prepare today, is to understand the implication of all this knowledge when we put it together.

So you have knowledge. Now you need understanding. Now you have all this knowledge. Now you can understand how these facts merge and marry together, and how that actually makes sense to something. See, there's a lot of facts. Because if you listen to the news, likely. There's a lot of facts in the American news. If you listen to other season news, you hear different things. But if you hear, there's a lot of facts about, some say this and some say that, da da da da da. Now, you need to take those facts and understand the implication of all this knowledge. The implication of what's going on. Because not everybody is speaking the truth. Right? Not everybody is speaking the truth. So you've got to understand it. And therefore, we need what is called the big picture. We need the vision. We need a big picture. So the biggest picture starts from God, and we've got an enemy, and there's a titan who wants to destroy us, and blah blah blah, and you get it down to actually, you've got to understand it. So it's not just knowing the facts. It's not just knowing knowledge. But it's understanding how these things are interrelated, and their meaning as they connect together.

So it's understanding laws that connect these things. Yes, there are laws. Laws of God, there are laws of nature, laws of physical laws, etc. They are laws. And these things affect because if we understand that certain people don't have self-control, or we've understood that certain people want to drive for their own motive, for personal gain. If you understand these things, and therefore you start weighing these facts, you start seeing a little better picture. I'm not saying you're judging and condemning people, but you're discerning. You have to discern to have the mind of a king. You have to. While we in Proverbs, turn to Proverbs 29, verse 18. Proverbs 29, verse 18. Where there is no revelation, and in the Old King James Version, if I remember correctly, where there is no vision, the people cost off restraint. But happy is he who keeps the law. You know what? Where there is no prophetic vision, where you actually don't see the big picture. Really, think about it. Where you don't see the big picture.

People just, well, I'm just going to do what I want. You and I need to see the big picture. We need to have that revelation, that prophetic vision. We need to have that understanding from God.

And therefore, with God's Holy Spirit, you and I need to ask God for his understanding to put these things together the right way. Using his laws and his principles, using God's laws to actually get the right understanding so that you and I can connect the dots correctly. So that we can connect the dots correctly. For instance, with God's understanding, you know there's a thing called human nature. Now, the wall doesn't understand that. Some of the people in the wall say, oh, everybody's God. But you and I know there's a thing called human nature.

And therefore, we know that, generally speaking, people are driven, motivated by a simple word called greed. Or personal gang. I actually don't believe that. Well, I think a lot of people are motivated by greed. And therefore, that's part of human nature. Because people want their own well-being. And the point is, they don't know when to stop. There's nothing wrong in saying, well, I want well for myself. But there is a limit when you have to say, I love others as well. It's not all for myself. Love others as you love yourself. And love others as Christ loved us. You've got to learn that. So when we have this understanding of human nature, to actually help us put all these different facts into a different perspective, we then start having what people call like a secret sense. This smells like a rat. Right? I mean, you kind of say, hmm, there's something wrong, yeah? Smells like a rat. You know, I mean, you start having this little sixth sense. You kind of feel it. Something is not right, yeah. And it's not wrong to have that provided you do it on godly principles. You see, sometimes you can have the sixth sense and completely wrong, so you've got to be careful that you're not kind of misinterpreting things. You've got to be very careful. But you can start seeing sometimes there are certain problems with certain attitudes, with certain actions. There's an ulterior motive. And you've got to be wise to these things. You really got to be put this understanding in a right frame. You have to do that. Turn with me, please, to Psalm 111 verse 10. Psalms 111 verse 10. Psalm 111 verse 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. So you have a deep, profound respect for God, for His principles. There is the beginning of wisdom. And it says, a good understanding, and that's what we're talking about, understanding, putting all the things together. We have a good understanding, have all those who do His commandments. So when we obey God, when we do the things that are pleasing Him, when our minds are set on God first with the right priorities, not self first, not greed first, but when we are on God's law, which is the law of love, love for God and love for man, when that is first, then we are on the road to good understanding. A good understanding of all those, have all those that obey God. That's basically what it says. So, as we go through difficulties in life, and difficulties occur, there's going to be things that are going to upset you. Things that are going to upset you. And you know what? You take this situation, this instance, this event, and you can blow up, or I can blow up. But when you look at the big picture, we have to say, wait, yes, this is not right, this is upsetting me, but am I going to react to cause bigger problems elsewhere? So, we're going to have that vision, that prophetic vision, that vision beyond now, that long-term vision to say, hmm, let me just keep quiet, or let me just hold peace, or let me get more facts, or whatever.

In other words, to have the right understanding. To have the right understanding.

We need to have that big picture, that big vision.

And how does that come along? Because we are training ourselves mentally to think beyond today. To think long-term.

Yes, what this is happening now for this year, or the next two years, whatever it is, but in a thousand years' time, how important is that? So, we need to look beyond. Do you remember when Solomon became king?

Turn with me to 1 Kings chapter 3. 1 Kings chapter 3. He is there, David, had just died, and he became king. And then, look at his prayer, when he was, if I remember correctly, when he was realized the importance of the role he had. Look at verse 9 here. He prayed. In fact, it starts from verse 7. Now, Lord my God, you made your servant king instead of my father David. But I am a little child. You see that nomeness, that teachability, that humility that he had at this time in his life. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people. Too numerous to be known and accounted. Therefore, give your servant an understanding heart, a heart that understands to judge your people. That are made discern between good and evil. So, we've got all these facts. Now we need an understanding heart to connect all the dots, the right way to make the right judgment. And what Solomon asked God is, please give me that.

Now, what was God's reaction? It's in the next verse. Does speech please the Lord? God is not different yesterday or today or tomorrow. If it please God when Solomon asked that, it will please God when you and I ask him for that. It says, God answers our prayers because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. And He has something that please God. So, the second point that is essential for the mind of a king is for us to ask God to get all these facts and to be able to have the understanding that we can discern, that we can connect the dots correctly with God's mind. So that we can make right decisions. You know, that He says that I may charge your people. That we can make the right decisions. That's what it is. And indeed, that cuts now to the third point. We need to make the correct decisions. And that's wisdom. That's wisdom.

In other words, we need to make those decisions and follow through. In other words, work hard at doing them, at executing them. So, the capability of taking these facts, which is knowledge, and with the right understanding and the correct discernment of those facts and attitudes and emotions that we see, we make the right, correct decision in this situation, which is a practical decision, which functions, which works, and that is wisdom. That is wisdom. So taking all the facts with this knowledge, with the understanding of connecting all the dots correctly, and we need to ask God for the understanding, we need to ask God for the right facts, that He will show us the right facts. Sometimes the right facts are hidden. We've got to help Me to see. There's something missing here. And then ask God to help us to make the right decision. Let me give you very simply, very quickly, six points for a right decision. It starts in James chapter 1 verse 5. James chapter 1 verse 5.

James chapter 1 verse 5.

If any of you lacks wisdom, it's kind of funny that it says, if any of you. I mean, which one of us doesn't lack wisdom? Right? So if any of you, of course we all do. Let Him ask of God. You see, we ask God for the right knowledge. We ask God for the right understanding, like Solomon did. And now we ask God for the wisdom with the help of His Spirit.

And it says, God gives to all liberally without reproach and will be given to Him. Do you know what? God wants to give you right wisdom.

You've been called by God. You've been chosen. Now you're on this way to perfection.

And we're going to remain faithful till the end. On this way to maturity, and so on this way to maturity, we are developing a mind of a king to rule in all tomorrow. And a heart, the mind of God. And so God wants you to have wisdom. God wants you, God wants me to have wisdom. Tumped out! Tumped out! I remember when I was a teenager, there was a scripture that I kept pointing to and asking God for because I realized I didn't have it. I was one of those ephirals, you know, we all are, but I felt that it was very applicable to me. And today I still ask God for wisdom. And we all need to be asking God for wisdom because there's so many situations that come upon us that we say, God, I don't know. I don't know.

So we need to ask God, and he says in verse 6, but then he must give faith with no doubting. We mustn't doubt. God will give it to us. Or maybe he doesn't give it to you straight away. Maybe you've got to do a little bit more research. You've got to do a bit more investigation, get a few more facts. Maybe talk to a few more people, get a bit more information. But you learn that you've got to keep quiet and learn in here. This is quick to hear, slow to speak, right? So you just get it in, absorb it in, learn. So these six steps for a quick, for a simple basic steps for making wise decisions, first ask God for it.

And second, get all the facts. Get all the facts.

Get counsel, third, get counsel from other people. Get counsel from other people. You know, don't think you know it all. Look in James chapter 3, verse 13. There is such an amazing scripture here. Every time I read this little section, I just find that it's so beautiful and it's so deep and so profound. And it says, Who is wise understanding among you? Well, it's just thinking. It's just peace saying. If any of you lack wisdom, now it says, Who is wise understanding among you? Now it says, Listen, yeah, it's the beginning of wisdom, in other words. Letting show by good conduct. You know what? Behave properly that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.

What is meekness of wisdom? And that is something for you to meditate upon. I have meditated upon these three words, meekness of wisdom, many, many hours. And maybe it's good for all of us to meditate. But you know, it doesn't stay in the arrogance of wisdom. But it's in the meekness. It's an attitude of teachability, of learning, of humility, of gentleness, of wisdom. It's the wisdom that has those attitudes. In other words, it's not one that thinks that you're being done bad, like a bitter envy. It's not one of self-seeking. In my margin, it says self-seeking. Let me have a look. It says selfish ambition. Or partisan. Partisan. Party spirit. This party or that party. Party spirit. Self-seeking. That's what it is. Do not boast and lie against the truth. In other words, if that, that you have this in you, that sort of attitude is from the devil. That's what it says. Verse 16, for where envy and self-seeking exist. Confusion, in other words, disorder. And every little thing is there. But the wisdom that is from God, you know, was the meekness of wisdom. It's one that is first and foremost like the base of it is pure. It's genuine. It's sincere. It's harnessed. Then, on top of it, six piece. Willing to heal. It was submissive. Submissive to God. Submissive to Christ. Full of mercy. Full of good fruits. And no partiality. And no hypocrisy. It's genuine.

Now, the fruit of that is peace. And interesting, there it says, why do you have wars amongst yourselves? Because you don't have the meekness of wisdom. That's why. And then it goes on and says, look at it in verse 5, it says, do not think of Scripture says in vain that the Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealousy. In other words, the Spirit of man in man that is in us our natural human nature has jealousy. That's natural human nature. But God gives more grace and He says, God resists the proud. We're going to be humble. Therefore, submit to God. Submit to God. Submit to Christ. It is so interesting that the sermon went basically along those lines today that we got to get to a point that we got to submit completely to God. Let your will be done, not mine. So I was saying, you know, six simple steps for wise decisions. Search God's wisdom. Get all the facts. Get counsel. Make the decision. Make the decision. You get to a point that says, all right, I've got all the facts. I've got to have the guts to make a decision. And then you're going to have faith in the decision you made. Don't doubt. You know, Philippians 4, verse 8 says, whatever is positive, whatever is good, whatever is honest, whatever is this, that, think on these things. Meditate on these things. You see, what do we do? We always think about the negative. Oh, yeah, this is going to go bad. Oh, yeah, this is good. You know, it says, think on the positive. You know what I thought about giving an analogy to that? It's like sometimes you eat the wrong foods and then you need to do what you call a liver cleanse. Or you're going to do a detox, right? What are you going to kind of just add? Maybe just juice or just a lot of water and just detox or whatever you do. Whatever. Whatever detox, liver cleanse, whatever. You know, we're going to do the same thing with our minds. This mental detox is Philippians 4, verse 8. Think on these things. Think on the positive things. You know, detox, kind of get all those negative thoughts out. So when you make a decision, have faith in the decision. Look, I prayed. I asked God for the wisdom. I prayed for the facts. I prayed for understanding. I got all the facts. I got wise counsel. Now make a decision. Let me do it. Stop the negative thoughts. You know what? Detox that brain of negativity. And then work hard to make the decision a success. Work hard to make the decision a success.

You know, whatever you sow, you reap. You know that scripture. Whatever you sow, you reap. Sow, you got to do it. You got to kind of work at it. So ask for God's wisdom. And that's the third essential point of the mind of the king. I say the first is getting the knowledge, get all the facts. Discern the good and the bad. Pick up what's good. Get to understanding how they're interconnected. Ask for God's wisdom to make the right decision. And the fourth and final point of the mind of a king is that you need, and I need, we all need, the mental persistence, the mental and the gut self-control to do what we need to do and that's what we said we're going to do regardless, particularly when it's difficult and when you and I don't feel like doing it.

And that is what Massam Strong used to call Godly character. That's Godly character.

If you look at the fruit of God's Holy Spirit, love, joy, peace, of that series of nine, which one is the last one? Do you remember? Galatians 5.23, a self-control. Self-control is an attribute of God's Holy Spirit, which means we have to have that discipline, that self-discipline to do what we decided to do. And I don't feel like doing it today. Well, we all go through that. And that's why I'm giving the sermon, because I'm not giving it to you, I'm giving it to me. I've got to get more character to me. We all need. We all need. So, brethren, turn with me to Proverbs 16, verse 23. Proverbs 16, verse 23. Habei part, verse 32. I'm dyslexic today. Proverbs 16, verse 32. He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty. And he who rules his spirit, then he who takes a city. That is self-control. That is character. Slow to anger. In other words, just hold it. Just hold it. Rule his spirit. What do you mean, his spirit? That's the spirit of man and man. The one that envies. You've got to rule that spirit. You've got to control that spirit.

And that's why we have gods of his spirit to help us. He's a helper that will help us. That is an important characteristic of our training to be mature. Our mental training to have the mind of God and the mind of Christ. The mind of a king. The mind of a king that will rule in the kingdom of God. The mind of a king that God can trust in, in him to rule under him. Because you've been trained today. You and I need to be trained today.

So if you and I are not developing that characteristic, maybe we're not going to be kings in the world tomorrow. I'm not saying that. You're not going to be maybe in the second resurrection. I don't know. I don't judge. It's up to God. But if we are not developing the characteristics of ruling now with the help of God's own spirit, discerning right from wrong, putting the right facts together with the right understanding, making the right godly decisions, and having the character to do what's right even though we don't feel like doing it. If we are not growing in that maturity, in that perfection, then maybe we're not ready.

When the rest of the bride will be ready. It says the bride has made herself ready. The question is whether you and I are ready. If you and I are not ready, maybe we'll just miss the boat. And we're on the next resurrection. So, we have to learn to say no. There's a time that we need to say no. No to me, myself, and I. This is time for us to be masters of our own thoughts. Think about it another way. The only liberty you and I have is the liberty of self-control.

Nobody can take that away from you. Nobody can take that away. It's your liberty. Do exercise it or not? Is it easy? No. I know it's hard. But you and I need to ask God. This is give us our daily bread. Remember part of the model prayer, give us our daily bread. And I am convinced that that daily bread, besides being physical bread, is our daily spiritual bread, which is God's only spirit. Give us our daily portion of God's only spirit, the manner from heaven. We need to be praying for that every day. Do you? Do I pray for that every day? No. I am trying to pray many days, but sometimes I forget. And I kick myself and I say, why didn't I pray for God's only spirit today? So we need to pray for God's only spirit because it's what's going to give us the help to have that character, to discern knowledge, to put the facts together the right way of the right understanding, to have the right wisdom, and to have the help to overcome and do what needs to be done. The discipline to work hard and to grow in your job. Oh, my job doesn't matter. Your job doesn't matter. Well, maybe your job is an IT job. Maybe your job is an accountant. Maybe your job is in the health industry, whatever it is. Do well in that job. Why? Because God is watching how you work.

And you're going to have a job in the world tomorrow, and out of your current job, you're going to have some transferable skills to your new job that God's going to give. And if you are doing well and correctly, and you are faithful, labor, and working, as if you're working to God, those skills will carry through.

So we need to have the discipline of working hard and growing in our job. We need to have the discipline to control our thoughts and keep our thoughts in productive, constructive, positive things.

We need to have the discipline to control our thoughts and make sure they don't go on to down the spiral of discouragement and whatever, and anxiety and whatever. We need to have positive thoughts. In other words, detox your brain, you know, with positive thoughts. We need to complete what we initiate. Complete what we initiate. We need to burst first. In other words, be faithful to the end in this way of life.

Don't be one that gives up. While we're in Proverbs, Proverbs 24 verse 10. Proverbs 24 verse 10.

If you find in the day of adversity your strength is small. If we fail when the trial comes and we give up, our strength is small. So, don't give yourself the luxury of sitting down and saying, well, I just have bad luck and I'm not going to try. I'm just... nothing works out for me. And I'm going to give up. Work with your mind, with the self-discipline, the self-control to be productive. To do, to complete, to fulfill. Keep your mind on positive things. Think about others. Not just about self, but others. Care for others. The health of others. Rather than saying, why don't they care for me? Well, nobody's coming to see me. Well, what about going to see somebody else?

If you and I are having positive thoughts, if we're thinking of others, if we're thinking the best of others, that is going to bring us an inner happiness. That only comes from God's Holy Spirit. And therefore, you and I are developing and are training to be a king in the world tomorrow. So, brethren, it now depends on us, not on anybody else. It's up to us to be educated and to grow in knowledge and to discern right from wrong. It's up to us to understand the implications of these facts, to have the big picture, to have the big vision. It's up to us to have the wisdom and the right decision. It's up to us to have the mental persistence to do what we need to do and have that character. But obviously, we understand that it's not just up to us, because we're always praying for God's help throughout all these things. We're praying for God's help. As you with God's help with His Spirit, you do that. You are now using your mind to serve others. And that is the mind of God, the mind of a Creator, the mind that God wants in the world tomorrow for you and I to be able to work with Him.

Thank you.