And this is one of those sermons you want to really help people. And I like it when God exposes the serpent. And He does in this chapter. And it will help us all to know when He's going to jump on you. He does it to all of us. That's why we've got mercy on each other, folks. Ain't nobody in this church ever failed God as bad as I have. The Lord's forgiven me. I've done just stuff, you know. I've done a lot of things in my life with the right motive that come out wrong. You know, we all do stuff like that. And we just need to know you're just going down the road. Just keep serving God. And love the Lord and love each other. And God really moves in a church. One of the first things He does He teaches you, number one, how to forgive. He teaches you, number two, how to love people. Unconditionally. Unconditionally. That's how God loves us. Unconditionally. Acts 28, verse number one, when they had escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. Now, you that are history buffs, No, this is a famous island in World War II, but it's no longer called Miletus, it's called Malta. Y'all will remember that. Verse number two, and the barbarous people showed us no little kindness for the kindled a fire and received us every one because of the present rain and because of the cold. And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat and fastened on it fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, no doubt this man is a murderer, whom though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. And he shook off the beast into the fire and felt no harm, albeit they looked when he should have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly. John Gill, pastor of the church, Charles Haddon Spurgeon did. And John Gill was way back, I think, 1700s. And he wrote a whole lot, big time, big time, deep in scripture. He's just a real big Calvinistic man. I mean, overboard. And hyper-Calvinism. But he's one of the greatest writers you'll ever see. And you can find his information, his commentaries online free. And he did a study on this, and he said this was the most one of the most poisonous snakes in the whole world, this kind of snake. And so when the devil come to take down Paul, he sent his best, at least you can say that. And verse number five, he shook off the beast. Anything below the status of a man in scripture is also called the beast, not just a lion or that type of animal. the beast into the fire and felt no harm. Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly. But after they had looked a great while and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds. That is, they changed their mind from thinking he was a murderer and said that he was a god. In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and lodged us three days courteously. man it seems like everybody on that island just nice people you could ever make question is why are they called barbarians barbers people because you gotta understand what that means that that's a take off of the attitude of the greek culture they were so proud that if you didn't speak the greek language they called you a barbarian so these are civilized people uh... these are not a bunch of people run around a long call for the club there and the ball that's not what this is they're called barbarians because they didn't know the greek language now i read after that and i heard another man say that and everywhere i've checked that out every word studied says the same thing paul said i'm a debtor to the greek the uh... jew the barbarian he's talking about those didn't know the greek language that's what i understand i know it sounds like you're watering it down but you gotta understand their mindset paul's writing in the language of the day and that's what people like this were called not what when we think of barbarians we think of somebody you know over in the far out jungles or bush country of australia or africa but that's not what this is these are civilized people and uh... the very courteous people very friendly go out of their way came to pass that the father published lay sick of a fever and a blood bloody flux and they say that this disease will come upon people because of the contamination of goat's milk. That's what history says. To whom Paul entered in and prayed and laid his hands on him and healed him. So when this was done, others also which had diseases in the island came and were healed. He also honored us with many honors. When we departed, they lighted us with such things as were necessary. Brother Keith Price, Yes, Father. May the Holy Ghost take us over tonight. Give us the ability, Lord. God, may you work through us. Father, what you'd have us to do be a blessing, a help to people. That's why we've come. God, we anticipate that great day. The great day, Lord, we've been looking forward to. When you take over this church and rule and reign in our hearts and lives, we look forward to it. Amen. I'll talk to you tonight about a simple thought, snakebit. Have you ever been snakebit? Boy, I have spiritually. And if you serve God very long, you will be too. Now thank God you don't have to die from it. And God here in this story, Paul was insulated from it and it did him no harm because he shook it off as quick as he could. And that's the main thing in this story. Now, you won't understand chapter 28 until you understand chapter number 27. Here's Paul, he's been taken in as a prisoner and he stood before Agrippa and Festus and Felix. And Agrippa even said, if you had not appealed to Caesar, you would have probably been set free. But it was the heart of Paul, of all desires, after God wouldn't let him stay at Jerusalem, was to go to Rome. Rome was the center of the Roman Empire. And this is happening here probably late October, early November of 60 A.D. 59 or 60 A.D. Now in chapter number 27, There's 276 men on this grain ship. And Paul being taken to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. And of course Caesar then was Nero. So all 276 men, their life is in danger. For two weeks, all they saw was rain, wind, and darkness. There was a hurricane. How they took that ship and threw it off course for two weeks. They had to let it go. They couldn't put up the sails. They couldn't resist it. It would have stripped that boat to shreds had they tried to guide it. So they had to just let it go. Sort of like the Mayflower. When they came to America, they were coming to Jamestown, Virginia. And a great storm blew them off course. And they ended up at Plymouth Rock. So that's the idea that's happening here. The Bible says this storm is called Uruk-Hladin. And it was a great wind, a southeast wind, that was causing waves to literally cover that ship. And they all thought that they were going to die. In the first century, when someone had a ship wrecked, it was almost certain death. And just a miracle of God that these men survived. Fourteen days, they had nothing to eat. Fourteen days, they had no rest. Probably fourteen days, they had little water. They are all hanging on for dear life. None of them think they are going to see the sunlight of another day. God is putting His man, He is putting these other men, these shipmates of Paul through all this massive storm, to get Paul where God wants him to be. To be a blessing unto others. That ought to explain a lot of times the severe trials in our life. I mean, we are out of control. We are just going to let things happen as they are going to happen. But that is God's way on many occasions to get us where we would never have been if the Lord had not done so. That helps me to know that a man like Paul had a lot more trouble than I've ever had. And he was the apostle to the Gentiles. When you look at his story, you see words of providence. You see words of promise. You see words of power. And words of peace. In Acts 27 and verse 18, listen to what Paul told them. They are scared to death and they are full of fear and they need somebody to give them consolation. Paul knew that he wasn't going to die, but he didn't know that they were not going to die. And the angel of the Lord came to speak to him and Paul informed all those men how that God was going to protect them. Verse 18 of Acts 27, being exceedingly tossed with the tempest, the next day they lighten the ship. And the third day they cast out with their hands the tackling of the ship. There goes all the money, all the profit, all the tackling. I mean, how they're doing everything they can to keep that ship from going down. Boy, when you lose your help and you're looking at death, The trinkets of this world won't mean a thing to you. All you care about is living and surviving. That's where they are. They are at the point of death. In verse 20, And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. But after long abstinence Paul stood forth, in the midst of them said, Sirs, I bet you should have hearken unto me and not loose from Crete and have gained this harm and loss. Paul told them, God told them what was going to happen, and Paul warned them not to go. He said, if you do, you are going to pay a price. But they would not listen. Paul knew a hurricane was out there waiting on them, but of course they would not listen to him. In verse number 22, And now I exhort you to be of good cheer. There shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar. And, lo, God hath given thee all them that sell with thee. Did you notice that? God spared. 275 men because of Paul. Boy, God's people can bring a great blessing to this world. That lost man can't pray for himself. He needs to be saved. Now, I know he can pray to get saved, but he doesn't have any authority with God. He doesn't have any assurance God hears him. He can say words, and God might have mercy on him. But he doesn't have any assurance. He doesn't have any standing with God. God's people do. Verse 25, Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer, for I believe God, that it shall be even, as it was told me, howbeit we must be cast up on an island. Now what's God doing here? Number one, He's reassuring Paul. That goes to show you, the best of men, no matter what God's told them, And what God showed them, we have to have it reaffirmed ever so often. Abraham did. Isaac did. Jacob did. You need it. And I need it. But it wasn't just that. Here's God using a dangerous, an absolute death, a defined situation to give credibility to the Apostle Paul. That is what this is about. And the Lord, listen, the Lord is going to get the ear of 275 men because they are going to find out that this man Paul walks with God and they are going to be willing to hear what he has got to say. Many of them are prisoners. Many on this ship. I am not just a grain ship, but they are hauling prisoners over to Rome. There's all kinds of murders. There's all kinds of wicked men on this ship. And God is going to harvest in a multitude of people, not just this ship, but on this island that they're going to land on. For 14 days, this storm went on. So it's bled off course. Verse number 1 said that we escaped. Now, that doesn't mean, this is what that doesn't mean. Here's these men swimming to shore. They stand up. They're out of breath. They get on the beach and they're laid down trying to catch their breath. They're laying there, wiping their eyes and talking to one another. Man, wow! Wasn't we lucky? I thought we was going to die. Boy, we barely missed that bullet, didn't we? That ain't what that means. What that means is that word, escape, has the idea to be delivered from something and from a tragedy, from a power outside yourself. It wasn't one thing that these men did that determined the outcome of the mercy of God. It was God's grace that brought an escape and brought deliverance to their lives. This ship wrecks. These men go ashore. Now, it's just like God to do something like this. This ship went ashore on the side of the island that nobody ever sailed to. Because there's no port there. This island is 18 miles long and it's 8 miles wide. Nobody ever come to that shore where these men did. Those people living there, a lot of them would have never been reached because Paul, if he would have went there, would have went to the port unless he took time to go to the whole island. What I am saying is that God in His providence has set this thing up and Paul is on this ship as a result of being arrested, but God's Got him right where he wants him, in the middle of the biggest storm he's ever been in, to bring glory and honor to his name. Had Paul not appealed this case to Rome, he would have been set free. Why did he? Because God put it in his heart to appeal. He was a Roman citizen. In the providence of God, this word, Melita, or Malta, it means refuge. The storm came and God let old Paul find a refuge in the most unusual and unexpected place. That's the way God is. Paul is out in the middle of nowhere and he finds a spiritual refuge. Is that not so in your life and mine? In the middle of nowhere, at the most unexpected time, God lets us find refuge for our tired and weary soul in this world. By divine providence, he is where he is. Now, notice first of all, that I have already mentioned, Paul experienced an uncertain landing. Secondly, Paul experienced an unusual kindness. Boy, the kindness of these people. I mean, these are people that don't know the Lord. This is some of the kindest people I've ever read about. Now, this island here of Malta or Melita, yes, about 60 miles south of Sicily, probably within 100 miles of the coast of Africa. That's where it's at, on the Mediterranean Sea. And so here, these men are, and these people, I mean, just bend over backwards for a bunch of criminals. They take in 276 men and they take care of them, not at one meal, not one day, but for three months. These people on this island shows this benevolence and this kindness toward these men. In Acts 28, we see the guiding hand of providence. Now, your hand is connected to your arm. The guiding hand of providence on the controlling arm of God Almighty. That's what this is. Boy, I thank God how the Lord orchestrates things. I've never done it like Him. I wouldn't have the wisdom to. But He knows what's best for you and me. He knows how to get us to that desired place that we want to get to. You know what God's doing here? It's obvious what He's doing. He's about to have grace and mercy on a whole bunch of people on this island. But He can't do that until they find out who's in their midst. They've got to know what Paul is and who he represents. before they'll hear Him. Now this kindness here of these dear people, as I said, lasted for three months. Who would have ever anticipated that? Men that are not even basically good men, when God touches their heart, can do good things for God's people. If He can feed a man with a raven, He can feed a man out of the generosity and the kindness of a lost person. Boy, these people were kind-hearted and they were merciful. Listen to Romans 12, 9. Let love be without dissimulation. That means no pretense, no hypocrisy. Love is to be genuine. It is called unfeigned love. Abhor that which is evil. Cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love. That word brotherly love is Philadelphian love. In honor, preferring one another. Boy, I tell you, this is some of the most convicting Scripture in the whole Bible about how we all treat each other. We are to live for God, treat each other with genuine affection, devoted to brotherly love. We are to love as brothers and sisters. In Romans 12.11, not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. That means serving with great enthusiasm. In Romans 12.12, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instantly in prayer. Verse 13, distributing to the ministry of saints, to hospitality. Verse 14, Bless them which persecute you, bless, and curse not. Verse 15, Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Verse 16, Be of the same mind. That means when you are of the same mind, you are at peace and harmony, one with another. Then he says, Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. You know what that means? Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people, the common man. Boy, he says here with the lowly, that's the struggling. Be not proud. Be willing to associate people that don't have much money, that do not have a great education, that do not have power and influence, Be not wise in your own conceits. That means don't think you know it all. Don't be smart of your own opinions. Don't be wise within yourself. We give deference to one another. And show respect. In Romans 12, 17. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. That means don't hold a grudge and wait for that day that you can get even. and pay evil for evil. That's not honorable. In verse 18, if it be possible, as much as life with you, live peaceably with all men. That means as much as it depends on you, be at peace. Romans 12, 21. Here's the last verse. Be not overcome of evil. How do you overcome evil? Overcome evil with good. So you've got here in this story already, right quick, you've got an uncertain landing, you've got an unusual kindness, and you've got an unexpected attack. Paul is caught totally off guard. He didn't see it coming. God meant it to be that way. You won't see it coming either. When Satan lashes out and fastens on you, you won't see it coming. It will be on you before you know it. You can get a bad spirit on you before you even know what sees you. That is why we always analyze what we do according to the spirit of love. Whether or not, what kind of attitude is this giving me? That will let you know if it is of God. Listen to me. Always judge things by the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen. That doesn't mean that you adore man. That doesn't mean that you never stand against sin. That means we are to love like Him, have mercy like Him, show respect like Him, and God will bless us in this world. Now, what's this? God has got these people, they are tender hearted. They've been good to Paul. God's about to pay them back a hundredfold or more. The devil, what's he trying to do here? Are you listening? I know you get this before I even say it. Paul is God's man. That old snake is way and a half hibernated in the brush pile. Paul goes out there, it doesn't indicate that anybody else did any work but Paul. He went out, I'll say more about this in a moment. He went out to gather the sticks. He's in the absolute perfect will of God. He's got no idea that what he picks up in the sticks, and the sticks is a type of a church and the people of God. That's what God shines the fire through. and the light through. That is the fuel that God uses. And Paul had no idea that slithering through the sticks was a serpent. And that serpent was so inactive and like hibernating that in the wet and the damp and the cold, it did not move. Now I will tell you what moved it. Acts 28.3 And when Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heap and fashioned on his foe his hand rather. What is Satan trying to do? Kill him. Why is Satan wanting to kill him? For he didn't win any of those prisoners to the Lord. For he didn't win that 275. Ever how many will hear the gospel. before he can get the gospel to that island. I mean, if there's ever been a field white and a harvest, that God's got their heart ready for the taking. It's on this island and at the last minute when the fire gets to burning, here comes the devil to stop Paul from winning and bringing in this harvest. Thank God. That's what this is about here. Paul is helping, now don't miss this, this is a good point right here. Paul is helping to keep a fire burning that He did not start. I didn't start one either. I've never started a fire. I'm just laying wood on fires other men started. I'm laying wood. I'm just laying wood on what my forefathers have started. That's what we do. We add to the fire. We add fuel to the fire. When it gets low, that's when we beg God to keep the fire burning. Like that old song, keep the fire burning in the camp. Boy, what an important thing. It appears here that Paul is doing it by himself. Folks, listen. A lot of people want to enjoy the benefits of the fire. They don't want to do a thing to put wood on it or to help the fire burn. I'm talking about living a life that's clean. I'm talking about praying, giving, witnessing, and to carry on the work of God. If you really want to enjoy the fire, have something to do with keeping it burning. Now that ain't mean. That's just plain common sense. Paul wants to be a blessing. Well, I come to church to get a blessing. Well, I mean, we all want that. But we ought to come first to be one. Satan wants this. He'd been laying down that coal. Brother Luke, as long as that thing's cold, there ain't no fire around. Out there in that brush pile, there ain't no fire. Hey, listen. He got those sticks out of a brush pile. There wasn't a fire out there. That fire's done gone out. That's a dead church. That's apostate. That's the Holy Ghost that's pulled out of. Hey, the devil, he don't have to do nothing there. He feels right at home. and he rocked the slate, because there is no fire. But when Paul brings that wood, they put it on that fire. Here comes that serpent out of the fire, the fashion, on the hands of Paul, lest God get the victory that God is seeking. The devil did not oppose Paul until he sought to be a blessing. As Paul is gathering sticks, it is unknown to him that he is gathering more than sticks. Acts 28, 3, And when Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. Folks, this has happened to me so many times. I mean, just out of nowhere. I mean, not even expecting it. I mean, the devil doesn't send you warning ahead that he's coming after you. The attacks of this viper are from three causes. It's from a natural cause. But there's a spiritual application here. It's a satanic cause, but it's a divine cause. Listen now, just like the devil in his pride and arrogance, when he got Jesus, got those Jews and Romans stirred up, and they crucified Him, that was his demise. That's the worst mistake he ever made. Of course, it was God's will and the devil couldn't stop it or encourage it. No half God wouldn't let it. What I'm trying to say, this snake bit Paul's arm under the divine will of God. That's God's will. The serpent bit him. Oh yeah. God could trust him. God could trust Paul with that snake bite. I tell you, this whole story revolves around this snake bite. All this victory revolves around this snake bite. It looked bad at first. It looked like it was all over at first. But it ended up being a grave and a mighty blessing of God Almighty. The heat of the fire exposed Satan and revealed his intention. Here Satan is fastened on to Paul's hand. Watch Satan attack us. The place where Paul was ministering. His hand. How was he helping that fire? Taking his hand and putting wood on the fire. What did Satan attack? He is attacking the point of the blessing. He is attacking the point of labor. He is attacking the position of the child of God. The viper here was hidden among the sticks. And notice, think about this right here. You remember me preaching those of you that's up here at Grace when I preached that whole week on John the Baptist? Remember that night? I don't know if it was Sunday night here or the first night there. Where did Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, where did God smite him with deafness and dumbness? He was in the temple ministering to the Lord when he got snake bit. What was that snake bite? Unbelief. You ever been down praying? All of a sudden, it's like, wait, no, this don't happen. All that unbelief fill your heart. You've been snake bit. Boy, that's what I'm talking about. The venom of the enemy. There's a way to counteract that. And I'll mention it in a moment. I don't care what you do, God will let you get snake bit. You've got to get snake bit. We've all got to be snake bit. Let's show this world that we'll survive and no harm will come. I'll tell you sometimes God elevates His people. Let's show the low down slimy serpent, the devil, that he can't put us out of business. That's happened in your life and mine. It will happen again. Boy, so the devil attacked Zechariah. Ricky, that story there, those men, some of those priests lived a lifetime, tearing into their lifetime to have the opportunity to do what he did one time. And he got snake bit doing it. The greatest day of his life. The greatest honor and privilege of his life. And he gets snake bit. Right, hey, you've been in church and somebody do something to the devil, you get bit with jealousy. I know y'all don't want to admit it. You know how I know that? Because I'm flesh too. Jealousy. Snakebite. All critical spirit. Snakebite. That's what that is. Anything that's not the fruit of the Spirit is the flesh or a snakebite. I just want you to understand and listen, child of God. I want you to be aware because we're in deep waters and what we're going to face, we've got to have wisdom. And when that snake bites you, you do like Paul did, and you shake it off as quick as you can. Boy, oh, the serpent here is gliding among the sticks. At the place Saul, or Paul rather, tried to help people, he got attacked. Now notice this. Here's the good part. Listen, we once retired, we got all shot on this. Number one, God permitted this snake bite. Number two, God limited this snake bite. Praise God! A hypodermic needle has been designed out of the fangs of a serpent! God! Let that old serpent bite Paul! God let that serpent give Paul the best shot he had. He didn't swell. He didn't stagger. He didn't fall down. He was in total victory that day. This is the part where a lot of people are defeated. Now I'm getting to where I really want to get. I'm probably preached a whole lot more than I've got left. But listen. This is where people get defeated for years. Because they get snake bit. And they never take down a dude. Never do. They stay full of poison. Listen to me. Life is too short for that kind of mentality. I've watched people. Brother Max, I've watched people. You get in a service where the Holy Ghost is exposing sin and exposing their life. And some people, God nails them to the wall. They have a chance and an opportunity. They get that poison out of them and they won't do it. And they spend the rest of their life running from one church to another church to another church. Every time God deals with that poison, they get that poison out of them. They run over here. They are shouting while they are there. When they stop, they run over here for some emotional tickle and some emotional spirits that they got that fin of on the inside. Honest before God, I ain't talking about none of y'all. I really ain't. I'm telling you what we can be. Now, at this point where a lot of people get defeated, Paul's bitten on the hand. That's his place of usability. And when you get snake bit, you're out of business. You're out. If that poison stays in you, you can't help anybody. Because it always strikes. at the place where God could use you. Listen, let me illustrate this. If you've got a real pleasing, outgoing personality, that's your strength. If that poison gets in you, it will turn Naomi into Mara. And the very point, that smile on your face, and the joy, I'm not talking about some counterfeit, but the joy of the Lord and that smile, God's calmed you on the inside. You're at peace with yourself and at peace with God. All that peace just exudes out of you. That's where Satan will snake bite you. He'll try your old strong point to box you in and rob you of that great gift God gives you. That's just an example. The presence of a snake, viper, even a small one, makes people run with fear. A lot of people hide with fear. Snake, this snake here is hanging on Paul's hand, and they're watching him. Now, folks, did you see this? Where did God let this snake bite Paul? Now, it's dark out there. It's been raining. They haven't seen the sun or stars for days. Probably nighttime, Paul could have went up there in the breast pile, and that snake could have bit him there. And nobody, if God preserved his life, Nobody would have given glory to God because they wouldn't have believed it. They wouldn't have believed he really got snake bit. If he showed them the signs, they said, well, you got him up before the poison got in him. They sat there and watched how long that snake was on Paul, and they knew it was enough. He ought to be swelling up and dropping dead. God let it happen publicly. At first it looked real bad, but it ended up real good for the glory of God. The people start accusing Paul. They say, man, this is a murder. See, they're trying to ascertain his motives. They're trying to ascertain his character. They don't know it. They're saying, well, this man right here is a murderer. He's got to be. He's out there at sea. He's got to wreck the ship. And he escaped death there. Now, Sister Justice has showed up with her scales, that Greek God, and got her blindfold on and the great goddess has come to take out Paul because he is a murderer and the justice of God has come. But it is about to be all turned around. They see the boldness of Paul. Listen to me folks, listen. Take away the sweet Holy Spirit and we are all wimps. The devil will say boo and we will run. But when God empowers you, You can look him in the eyeball and never back down. But only if God is on you. And God does that at particular times. Publicly. In this story. They see the boldness of Paul. They know he is not shaken. And then they ascertain and discern the power and the glory of God. Paul survived 14 days. of this hurricane that now looks like a snake is going to put him out of business. But you know what God turns that around? He turns around what looks like the greatest disaster in Paul's life. He's about to die. I mean, this is when you're dead in minutes. That's what these natives thought. This would happen to other people. They didn't just make this stuff up. They know he's dead. And they're watching. They don't even have any swelling. The attack backfired. Because it became a means of God to reveal His man, His love, His grace, His mercy, His power, His sovereignty, and defeat Satan publicly and let them know that Paul was from the Lord. Now they don't see that yet. They're going to still get it messed up, but they'll get it right before it's over with. Everybody wants the faith of Abraham without Mount Moriah. Everybody wants the power of Elijah without Mount Carmel. Paul stands here. He didn't take off running. Ah, got snake bit. And old Paul done with it what we need to do with it. And so we see, fourthly, the unfair analysis. These people wrongly judge him. They accuse him here of being a great murderer. Ah! What you going to do when people accuse you of that? That's snakebite. When they reject you, that's being snakebitten. When they lie on you, that's snakebite. Watch it toughen right there. When they oppose you, that's snakebite. When they hinder you, that's snakebite. When they, ah, what do you do? I tell you, you better shake it off. You better shake it off. Don't sat around and brood on that stuff. Boy, if you don't, That poison will increase. That's right. And what you'll do, listen to me, I warn you, I warn you tonight, because I've been there, you get bitter at somebody, if you hold a grudge, you'll do somebody just like that and twice as bad. Mark it down. You're not going to beat the principles of this Bible. It will stand up in their face every time they say, I'm right and you're wrong again. Let it go! Let it go! Shake off that serpent! Let it go! It ain't worth it! It ain't worth what you lose! It's not worth what it'll cost you! Shake it off! Shake it off! Shake it off! Get in the altar! Don't come up for hours! Hell, God ripped that mess out of you! Boy! Old Paul here, now stay with me, there's a real blessing here. You know why Paul shook his serpent off? How are you going to help anybody if there's a serpent hanging on you? They're going to run for it. Brother Ricky, much as I love you and I know you love me, if I'm going to go over there and hug you and I've got a copperhead or rattlesnake on my arm, you're not going to want to see me. But if you shoot it, make sure your aim is good. Because I need my arm. You see what I'm saying? Why ain't nobody friendly to me? I wonder why. You will hold on to that snake and scare it out of you. Lord God, folks, you won't revive on the power and the move of God. It is just where it is at. We sing amazing grace. Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come. It is grace that has brought me safe thus far. Grace will lead me home. And you all sing it. And praise God if you can cry it out, that's good too. But when you sing it, brother Keith, when we sing it, we're going to get tested. Everything I preach, everything you sing, God's going to make you live. Did you know that? Or we may say, I've never been disappointed in Jesus. That's a great song. He has been disappointed in me. I have never been disappointed in Jesus. Go ahead and sing that. You will be tested. Boy, folks, listen. Have you ever been criticized by family and friends? Shake it off. Because that same venom and that same poison that caused them to do that is the same will get in you if you get bitter. Have you ever been attacked with unbelief? How do you shake off unbelief? You say, well, I'll just... I mean, how do I do that? It's something I can't see. I can't put my hands on it. It's something of the Spirit. How do I shake off unbelief? By choosing to believe. The devil says, your loved ones are never going to get saved. You say, thank you, Lord. You're going to save my family. That's how you shake that off. Also, when a bad spirit comes on you and comes on me, and it does, You know what we do with that? I'll tell you what we do. How we forgive. We love. We have mercy. We pray for them. Somebody giving you a fit, let me, listen to me folks. If I didn't know this worked, I wouldn't tell you this. Somebody aggravates you, get to praying for them. God said, bless them that persecute you and be good to them that despise you and miserably and hatefully use you and pray for them. You say, I can't do that. Well, Jesus did that. He prayed for you. He prayed for me. Have you ever failed God? Shake it off. You don't fail Him again. I'll just go ahead and tell you, and I am too. Now, I hope I don't keep failing in the same way I have been. But I'll fail God again. Am I going to let that just pulverize me the rest of my life? Or am I going to get some victory? Lord, I can't undo what I've done yesterday, but I want you to do something for me today. First, Paul is accused of being a murderer, and then he's attacked by flattery and man worship, and they call him a god. That first one is easy to deal with. That last one will put you in a graveyard. That putting your hands on God's glory will get you killed. Now God will put up a bunch of foolishness in the flesh, because that is what we are. But man worship, or I am not just saying people worshiping a man, but a man wanting to be worshipped. Have you all seen that? I mean wanting the accolades of men. Wanting the braggadocios opinions of men to be flowered upon. That's a lot harder one to get victory over out there because, listen to me, your depraved nature is like the nature of Satan. The devil wants to be worshipped. Man wants to be worshipped. If you don't believe that, just take my word for it. You shake off unbelief with belief. You shake off fear with peace. You shake off bitterness with forgiveness. You shake off hurt with love. Preacher, I can't forgive them. You choose to forgive them. You just say, I forgive. It's a choice of the will. You say, I don't feel like, I don't feel no different. You will. It's a choice. I forgive. I forgive them. I love them. God put love in me for them. You shake off revenge with mercy. You shake off wrongdoing with forgiveness and right doing. Now, Paul's reaction, here I am, I'm about done. Paul's reaction here, know what the devil's doing. Uncertain landing, unusual kindness, unexpected attack, unfair analysis, and unmatched victory. You know what Paul does to all this criticism and vainglory? He shakes it off. He doesn't accept it. You can't accept worship. You can't accept somebody touching God's glory. Well, that will run the Holy Ghost out of the country. But Jesus Christ is going to get it all. I don't have anything to do with it. God will help me. And I don't get snake-bitten full of poison. I want Him to have all of it. That's exactly right. Now, I've already read this. I'm not going to go through all this because I'm about done. You read the story when you get home. I read it to start with, verse 7 through verse number 10. We've got the story here of Publius. He's the chief man, the most powerful man of the island. Now folks, what's this? What did God just do? He let Paul survive a snake bite and Paul let him see that he was God's man. You don't get people's ear, you can't help them. His father is about to die. Publish his father. This is the heffy. This is the chieftain. This is the governor. This is the most powerful man on that island. And his father is sick. And Paul goes down there when his father is about to die and God used Paul to give him life. The father of Publis would have never been saved or never been healed. He was saved. Publis was saved. That is what history says. All this would have never happened if Paul had not shook off that serpent. If you shake it off, God will meet your needs. Listen to verse number 9. So when this was done, others also which had diseases on the island came and were healed. Verse 10. Who also honored us with many honors, and when we departed, but laden us with such things as were Necessary like the Egyptians given those Israelis all that wealth these people loaded them down Like Sam Jones, I've told you this story He done so much good God used him for the city of Nashville, Tennessee that the people that city I mean look or everything I run out of that place Tons of people thousands tens of thousands converted and they went down to Georgia built Sam Jones. I imagine for what God used him to do in nation to himself. He didn't ask for that. God's man ain't gonna ask for stuff like that. And a lot of them would refuse it. But I'm here to tell you, God blesses those that don't walk around with the poison in them. You say, I want God's power on me. He can't put his power on you until he can trust you. You know why? I've been begging God for a deeper level of love. I desire that more than anything. Because the Holy Spirit, God is love. You get full of love, all your other problems are solved. All of them. That takes care of them all, right there. You know why? Because somebody, for example, left this church, if they come back, I want to have enough mercy on them, I want to have enough love for them, that I don't slaughter them if they come in here. Now, if God don't fill me with love, He can't trust me. And He can't trust you. Amen, folks. This is where the rubber meets the road. Shake it off. We've all been snake bit, but we got over it, didn't we? God can give you the power to do it. You can get help. Others get help. You never forget the experience. God gets the glory. But you can't serve God with a serpent hanging off your arm or a poison in your vein. God, I just ain't going to live like this no more. I'd rather die. That's what you're going to get. This thing keeps defeating me. I can't shake it, God. I'll tell you when you'll shake it. When you start hating it so bad, you don't want to live. If God don't remove it, he will. I had to pass a severe test on one occasion. I just don't have liberty to tell. I've never told it. Never, publicly. All the details. I was a young preacher, and I got snake bit so bad, it would have ruined me. It absolutely devastated me. And God, in his mercy, I've never shook off a snake as quick as that knife. That quick. God give me the grace to do it. And I ain't never forgot how close I come to total ruin. God let me know how slick and how powerful the devil can be. The fire reveals the serpent. Paul's bit to stop the fire, the spiritual fire, the evangelism, all the blessing that came to these people, all the result that came as a conclusion of what Paul did. The devil, when the fire got to burning. You know what he knows? You ever heard Barney Fife say, you got to nip it in the butt? Uh-huh. That's what Satan does. He starts seeing a fire get to blazing in the church territory. Here he comes, because he knows if it gets burning too much, it'll get out of hand. It'll become a wildfire. He'll just consume everything. He's terrified of it. Nothing terrifies Satan like a church that worships God and is spiritually united. Well, I'm excited about what the Lord is wanting to do for us. Far as I know, I'm in fellowship with everybody in the church. I sure hope I am. I hope I got the poison out of me. Because if it's in me, it'll come out of me. And Lord, help me just to be kind, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. Church, listen to me. I am trying to quit. But I need to say this. I ain't said it yet. I'm going to put it on my heart. But I need to say it. I ain't write it down. I about forgot it. But Keith Price, when God's about to use a man, when God's about to really use a woman, when God's about to really use a young person or really use a church, God will give them a massive test of forgiveness and of love. And if they don't pass the test, they don't get to go on. We've got to love people, Brother Terry. This has got to be a house of love. Where people come in here and they can find the solution to what they've been through. I want to tell you something. I've used all y'all as an example. Where's my Jeff? Glory to God. I want Jeff Curley to know. Son, you're worth more to me than a million worlds. Because you are the Lord. I'm so glad for what he done for you. Amen. God bless you. Amen, son. I love you. I love you, Danielle. I love you like my daughter. You know that, too. I love you, sister. Rick, that's what it's about, son. It's about you. It's about little Donovan. You have told me you weren't always an angel. Ain't she a blessing, Kay? What about God giving that girl to your boy? Ain't that something? Ain't that something? What about God giving you a friend like yourself here? Naught, we love you. You're my favorite Yankee. Hallelujah. Philadelphia, brotherly love. Oh yeah, William, praise God. Somebody said, don't forget William. I forgot you, William. Amen, y'all. Carrie, are you a Yankee? Amen. Oh, Lord. Roger Fry, I love you, man. Golly, I love you. Praise the Lord. You know what? When you're really in the glory of God, and this is true. Well you see if you don't relate to this. Brother Luke when you're in the real glory of God and God's glory don't usually come like that till you're in a group of people. I mean that wave and wave and wave that's usually when it's not usually when you're praying by yourself. You ever notice how things are different when you got other people around you. Greater manifestation not always but usually. Brother Luke you know that old Dr. Ray used to say we need to pray. He'd say God's gonna send in the white caps that's what he meant by that. those waves of glory. And what those waves are, Audra, is love. Because every time they hit you, it doesn't make you want to cry. It makes you, you've got to find somebody to hug. Hug your bears. Ain't that good? God can't stop a loving church. But you can't love, Dan, until you learn how to love. You love Jackie unconditionally, don't you? I knew you would. I love you for it. What are you supposed to be? Brian Tracy died for their daughter in a New York second. Because they love her. Love. Marquis, this is my spiritual family. I'm still a man. That little old lady out there in San Diego. My boys and my wife. I'm just I guess I'm still ain't got the victory war I still love them number one I think we're supposed to do that that way but everybody else on the same level below that we should love each other don't we? Amen? Can you believe what God's doing for this little lady right here? It's just amazing isn't it? Say Lord why'd you wait till we got in our old age to give us this? Better late than never. Amen sis! Boy, you enjoying it now, though, ain't you? Double dose. Let's stand on our feet. Let's just stand on our feet and just for a moment, everybody just stand where you are, if you will. You can pray all you want to now. If you're here tonight and you're lost and God's revealed to you the love of Christ and it's tasting so good to you that you want to get in on it, just get down here and we'll pray with you. Let's just bow our heads Let's just thank God for our church family. Thank you God for them members here and them that's going to be. Thank you Lord. God we love these people tonight. We never knew that we could ever love like we do. Because we, you put it in us, we didn't have it. We don't have it. It's yours. All this love people's got, they got every bit of it from you, it's a gift. Sell us in Lord. That love. God, these little couples starting out, little children, these that are praying for children, we pray, God, this can be a place where they can bring their little babies and their little kids can grow up and they see love and they know that Jesus is here. And dear God, we pray for Jessica tonight, little Max's wife. God, you touch her body. Great God in heaven, Lord, this might be a trial that makes her an old-time, holy-go-spirit-filled mama. Give her the whole load, Lord. May she experience all the fullness of God. Bless her husband. Use him. God bless Jessica and Timothy Patton. God, these new married folk, we pray for them. Lord God, these that want to be married, give them a whole lot of patience, Lord. Lord, we pray for Jeff and Danielle. Bless them. Great God in heaven, bless them. Pray You'll touch Sue and Bongo, their health. Pray God for Kay's sister. Dear God, do a great miracle, Father. Do what, Lord, to be Your holy will. Lord, I pray for little Dot Macklin, Lord. May 2013 be the best year she's ever lived. May the harmony and love of her boys, may God You give them Lord, what she needs is to have a family, to be strong, friends, give her more friends than she's ever had. May she never have a lonely moment she can't call somebody. Pray for me or help me. God grant it. Pray, Lord, for these dear teenagers and young people. Help them know the devil has nothing to offer. It's all in You, Lord. God, these young'uns as ballplayers and God-influenced God use them for your glory. Damn the kink, use them Lord. They are all just important to us. God these youngins are going to get their license. God protect them. I pray you will bless them. God lay your hand on Brian Craig tonight. Bless him. Touch him. Move on him God. Give him total victory. Bless Jeremy and Tabitha. Bless Ed, their children. Come up here a long way. And God, they've been such a blessing to my heart. I love them like my children. Bless them, God. Lord, Little Trip's not here. I won't see him tonight. Lord, take care of him. Max Becker got this old crud. These people sick. Heal them. Give us great days ahead. Bless, Lord. God, teach these working Megan and these other kids working tonight. God, be with these children. Teach them, Lord, how to present themselves to the public in a way that folks will know. God, they know you. Bless now, Lord, these businessmen. Prosper them. Bless them. Bless them. Bless Brian. Bless Max. Bless Roger. Bless Jacob. Bless his men. Bless Brother Jimmy. God, what decisions he's got to make. Bless him. Touch him. Touch Brother Todd Chapman. Send in Travis and Dustin and Jessica and God and Tristan. Touch them, Lord. God touched Keith and Nancy. God touched all of these. God touched Luke and his decisions he's got to make. Touched William, Kerry. God touched all these people. Lord, I don't want to forget none of them. So Holy Ghost, pray for us. You know what we need? May the love grow. May the power fall. May the will of God be done. Blessing these special services. Bless Sunday. May you be worshipped. The saints be edified. Christ be exalted. Sinners be saved. Folks be filled with Thy sweet Holy Spirit. In all glory and honor and down to Your holy name. Christ's name. Hallelujah. Amen. Praise God.