Evening, amen, praise the Lord. Before we start, I do want to say that we don't have many friends, but you guys are our friends. And we love you very much, everyone, and we care about you. And I thank God that God put you into our lives. Many of you have been such huge blessings, have helped us in crucial needs, and been there for us. I just want to say thank you. And thank you for everything. Look with me in Leviticus chapter 19, verse 35. In Leviticus, Old Testament, chapter 19. Leviticus chapter 19, verse 35. The title of the message is, A False Balance. Leviticus chapter 19, verse 35. And 36, is everyone there? Amen. Leviticus chapter 19 verse 35 and 36 says this. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meatyard, in weight, or in measure. just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hymn shall ye have. I am the Lord, your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt. And the Bible says, you don't have to look there, but in Amos 8.5, in Amos 8.5, and falsifying the balances by deceit, falsifying the balances by deceit. Back during the Bible times, a balance was a scale. So when it says balances, it's talking about a scale, literally like this, in the balances, okay? And people use scales, scales or balances for their businesses. In Paraguay, they still do. In Paraguay, in some of the mom and pop shops, like a little corner, they actually still use the weight system, and I'll explain that in a minute. They would use balances or scales to weigh things for to buy or sell. For an example, They would have a scale that was like this, right? And they would have a stone, weights were stones or rocks, and they had a standard. So they would weigh the stone, weigh the rock, and know the weight of it. So let's say somebody came in there and they wanted to buy a pound of sugar. Well, how would they know it's a pound? Well, they had a price up, okay? A pound is $2 for a pound of sugar. But how would they know back then what a pound was? Well, what they would do is they'd get a pound, a rock, a stone that weighed a pound, and put it on one side. So it would go like this, right? Well, now they'd put a bag and start filling the bag until, how do they know they reached a pound? if it was level, if the balance was just. Just means it's right, right? And that's how they would do it. But what happened was, back in the day, there were deceivers. There were liars. There were people defrauding the people, even back 5,000 years ago, 4,000 years ago in the times of Christ, too, and before that. So what they would do is they would be sneaky. They would find a rock that was really a half pound, but lie and put a little sticker on it, let's say, and say it's one pound. So then the people would think they were buying a pound of sugar and paying for a pound of sugar, but all they were getting is half a pound. So they were ripping off people. And that's basically when we read about balances and being a false balance or a good balance or a just balance, a just weight, that's what God was talking about literally back in the Bible times. But many people were corrupt. and lied and deceived the people. That's what they did. Now, look with me in Proverbs 11.1. So now you understand Proverbs 11.1. In Proverbs 11.1, is everyone there? Amen. The book of Proverbs 11.1. I'll read it twice. The Bible says a false balance, so now we know what it's talking about, a false balance, it's not true, it's not right, it's corrupt. A false balance is abomination to the Lord, but a just weight, a weight was a stone, a rock, it's really one pound, like it says, and they get the truth, true judgment, true in the business. It says, a false balance is abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight. How can we apply that today? What do we get out of this? The message is that we should tell the truth and live the truth, amen? You should live what you believe, or at least try and strive to. And you should live what you portray. And you should live what you believe. And don't cheat people, and don't cheat anyone. It's not right. It's sinful to treat your neighbor bad, to lie, to steal. We shouldn't live like that, and a Christian should never live like that. The most honest people in the world should be Christians. And unfortunately, sometimes it's not like that. God help us. Sometimes we find lost people that don't go to church, sometimes are more moral and respectful than people in the church. And that should not be the case. We have Jesus Christ, we have God, we have the Holy Spirit, we have the Bible, right? So don't cheat anyone. Love and respect everyone. Righteously. Don't love your best friend more than someone you don't know. And I know that's kind of weird, like what do you mean? I know him, I love him. We should love everybody. Now obviously there's your family, obviously there's a special love there, but we should love everyone, we should treat everyone with respect. What happens if your family member that you love is actually in the wrong and somebody you don't know is actually in the right? Would you side with your family just because it's your family? Or would you side for what's right, even if it's against your family? That's tough, isn't it? Now there's tact, there's ways to do it, there's ways to do it with love, you don't have to do that. So how do we learn? Righteous judgment. Just do right. Do you know what the greatest two words in the English language are? The greatest two words in all the English language? Do right. That's pretty simple, huh? What do I gotta do? Just do right. Do the right thing. There is another teaching about a false balance. There's another teaching we can apply to our life about a false balance, Brother Mike. It's when your life is not balanced, or your life is out of balance. Have you ever been there before? I've been there before. Or your life is not in order spiritually. Your life is not the way it should be. It's out of control. Maybe your Bible reading's doing great, but your prayer's not, let's just say. That's not a balance, right? Let's say that you're going to church and you're faithful, that's wonderful, but you're not witnessing, you're not reading or praying. So now it's not balanced, your life is like this, it's crooked. And I'm going to give you an example of an unbalanced life, just in one phrase, one verse that Jesus said. Jesus said, what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, but loses his own soul. That's unbalanced. You win the world. You got jobs, money, fame. You got everything in life for yourself here. You're making money. You're doing great. Isn't that great? But you don't care about your soul. And then you die and go to hell. That's an unbalanced person. That their life is the world, money, fame, or getting ahead in life, which is a good thing. We need that, but you need a balance. God and live in the world. It's gotta be balanced. Now obviously God should be way first, but you need a balance, you need a balance. Many Christians are like this today. I see this a lot. How do I know that? I've lived like this and still trying to get out of this. I've lived a much, I would say the majority of my Christian life was unbalanced. And if you're honest, yours might be too. Many Christians are like this today. They are strong in some things and weak in others. I'll give you an example, okay? Look with me in 1 Peter 3.8. Let me just give you some examples and we'll be done. In 1 Peter 3, amen? 1 Peter 3.8, amen? In 1 Peter 3, 1 Peter 3.8, are you there? Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous." Now, why did I read that? I've met a lot of, especially Dave, and you probably know this, I've met a lot of independent Bible-believing fundamentalists that are very strong doctrinally, separated, knows the Bible, but has or lacks compassion and love. So what does that mean? You're all the way up here, Bible, yeah, you're separated, you're all this stuff, but there's zero love, zero compassion. Unbalanced, abomination of the Lord. No one cares to know what you know until they know you care. And that's a big thing, because even in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, the charity chapter, other people say love chapter, charity, which is the supreme love, that the reason why I'm doing something is because I love God. Not for anything in return, I'm doing this purely, I love God and I want to do this. That's charity, no matter what you do that for. And the Bible says, what if you had all faith to move mountains? You spoke like an angel. You had the words of angel, the tongues of angel. I mean, you could literally, maybe you were the greatest orator or you were the smartest or most intelligent, or you knew so much Bible, you could break things down. I mean, you were the best absolute Christian there is, but you lack charity. Paul said, you're nothing. Paul said, you're nothing. Charity is the greatest. Love and compassion. But there's so many Christians today that say, oh man, there's separation so high. But the lack of love and care and winning souls and just having compassion and humility is way down here. That's not a balanced Christian life. Let me give you another example. Look with me in Colossians chapter three. Please, unbalance. Colossians chapter three, amen? Are you guys with me in the message, you understand it? Amen. Amen. I just want to help someone tonight. I've been helped. Amen. Amen, Jonathan. Philippians, Colossians, let's look in Colossians chapter three, verse 18. Colossians chapter three, 18 and 19. Are you guys all there? Amen. Colossians chapter three, verse 18 and 19 says this, wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as it is fit in the Lord. It's for God. And you might say, well, he doesn't deserve it. Well, don't do it for him, do it for God. Husbands, love your wives and be not, what? Bitter against them. Now, I've seen so many that some are strong for church and the Bible, and like I said, separation and just the right things, but the marriage is suffering. They're not strong in relationships. You ever hear that before? You're so heavenly minded, you're unearthly good. Well, I don't know how good of a statement that is. I mean, I want to be so heavenly minded. I want to walk with Jesus and the power of God. But there is a thing. What happens if you're so spiritual you can't help anyone in the world? Think about that. Now, obviously, it's because you're not really spiritual, but let's say you think, like, you're just so spiritual. You know when everything's wrong, and you're righteous, and you're holy, and you're separated, and you're Bible, but you can't help anyone in the world. That's a big lack of balance. But you know what I see what's special with the independent Baptist? And I'm an independent Baptist. I've never known any other church. Fundamental, King James, independent Baptist. First of all, I'm a Christian first. But that's the church I've been going to, because I believe they hold the closest to the truth, amen? Amen, okay, and I believe the Lord showed me that, and that's why we're here and we believe what we believe. But I'll tell you this, a lot of people are hurting in relationships. I've seen homeschoolers. My kids were homeschooled half their life. And I'm not against homeschooling. I'm not against homeschooling. I think homeschooling is great if you could do it. If you could do it. Not everyone has the ability to stay, not every mom or family has the ability to stay home and watch their kids. But if you could do it. But I'm going to tell you something. There are some independent Baptists that are so separated from the world, and I believe we need to be separated from the world. But you have to be, we live in the world, you have to know how to reach people, love people. Don't sin like them, don't act like them, but know how to interact with people so you can win them for Jesus Christ. And sometimes we have some circles that are so independent, fundamental. I've been down South, out West, and the kids are so kind of weird that they can't reach anybody. They can't even, like when they go meet a lost person, they don't even know how to act. They're like, and they don't even know how to act. They can't say, hey, how you doing? And it was amazing, Alex literally came up here and gave a testimony. I wanted to hear him preach. That's a good thing. We should have our kids knowing how to interact with people, isn't that true? Not for the world, not for sin, for Christ. For Jesus, how are we gonna win the world if we're so secluded and we're in a building and we're trying to act all holy, why all those sinners are lost, going to hell and I can't reach them? Like, you get what I'm trying to say? But what do I see? I see strong Bible, strong church, strong convictions, but relationships are hurting. So it's like, we're not balanced and it's an abomination to the Lord. And we should ask God, God, where am I lacking? and start focusing on that area. You don't have to focus on your strength, you already got that good. What if we start focusing on what we're lacking just every day? Well, because I don't feel good, it makes me feel bad. That's growth. When you were young and you were growing, did your legs ever hurt? Your bones hurt, right? And you're like, your legs hurt? When you were a little kid, I remember I was 10, I used to go, Mom, Dad, why does my legs hurt? Then your bones are growing, you're growing, right? It's so true. Now look with me in 1 Peter 3, 7. So it's the same thing with relationships, but not just with the lost world, with your husband and wife. And I wanna be honest with you guys. I wasn't raised with a handbook on how to be the best husband. I didn't know. I wasn't raised with a handbook on how to be the best father. I didn't know. So a lot of times I had to learn trial by error. You ever do that? You just learn as you go and you mess up and you do the best you can. And when you mess up, you come to God and you're like, God, please help me. Now look what the Bible says in 1 Peter 3, 7. In 1 Peter 3, 7, it's very true. It's the word of God. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge. I remember I used to not dwell with my wife according to knowledge. I'm confessing. Because I used to expect my wife to be on the same level as me spiritually, and I used to get upset at her and rebuke her because she didn't have the same faith, or she wasn't as strong as I was. And I didn't understand. I thought all Christians should be my way and how I live, and you should know better. We're Christians, and we're missionaries, and we're pastors. But you know what? I wasn't dwelling with my wife according to knowledge. I had to understand she was the weaker vessel. And she's not going to be on the same level as I am. She could be more spiritual. But she doesn't have to be on the same level as I am spiritually for us to work together as a unit. You have to learn how to talk to your wife, how to love. I didn't know that. And we're going to have our 20th wedding year anniversary. May 2nd, we will celebrate our 20th year wedding anniversary. And my wife is the best wife. I love her so much. I'm happy that I married her. But the first five years of our marriage, it was like almost divorce almost every day. There was, we're going to the courthouse. Well, then go then, I'll meet you there. I mean, the first five years. And the reason is, is I didn't know how to be a husband. She didn't know how to be a wife. But we learned and we grew together. And so I was unbalanced my whole life. Oh yeah, woman, get up and pass out tracks. She's like, but the kids are crying, I have to change them. Her mind's thinking about changing the babies. I'm like, soldier for Jesus. We're not on the same. She's, it's not the same. And that's why the Bible says in 1 Peter 3, Verse seven, likewise ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge, knowledge of how she is and what works for her. I used to remember, honestly, like growing up, it's tough sometimes having to pastor your dad, because then you can't really talk about growing up. But I will anyway. First of all, I love my dad. I think he's the best dad ever. I didn't believe it. And honestly, a lot of things the way, things that he did and how he raised us actually helped me. But maybe it doesn't work for everyone, but it worked some for me. I mean, there's nothing wrong with me, right? So I used to get like, what are you, an idiot? What are you, stupid? You can't do it. You know, what's your problem? Look at you, right? I used to get that. And it hurt me, and it was, it hurt me, but it motivated me to be better. It actually did, and I proved, I'm not a sissy, I'll show you, you know what I mean? So, like, I was kind of raised on negativity, but constructive criticism, is that the word? So, it was criticism and negativity, but me, it made me want to prove that that's not true, and I'll be better, and it motivated me to be better. But not everyone works like that, Dave. Some people, if you're negative and criticize them, seriously, they don't see it. They need to get better. They'll crawl in the corner and think that you're just putting me down, and I'm nothing, and I'm nobody, and I have nothing. And so, you know what you just did? Now what worked for some people is destroying other people. Guys, it's not your way, it's not my way, it's God's way. And we need wisdom on how to deal with people, with the Holy Spirit and the Bible. So by saying that, I only treated my wife the way I thought that worked, because I grew. So I would tell my wife, you didn't do this, and how come you can't do this? And I realized quick, that's not the way you talk to a woman. That's not the way you talk to your wife. I've made a lot of mistakes. You know why I can confess it? Because I recognize it. It's true, and I don't wanna be like that. And the Bible says in 1 Peter 3, 7, likewise ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife. I learned I had to praise my wife, honor her, even if, she always deserves it, but even if she didn't deserve it, I still had to honor her and praise her. No matter what. Well, I'm lying. No, she deserves honor and praise just for marrying me. You know what I mean? Likewise, you husbands dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel. She's not as strong as me. She might be stronger than me. Women can be stronger than men. That's true. But there's certain things like that military attitude. I can take a, what are you, put up your pants, boy, you're an idiot, what are you doing? Yes, sir, I'll do it. But my wife can't handle that. But there are people treating their wives like that. And treating others like that, you can't do that. Weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered. How many months and years my prayers were hindered, and I thought I was right. I wasn't. You know what happened to me, guys? I was unbalanced. But I'm right with God, I win souls, I preach, and the Holy Spirit's gone. You're not balanced, you're not balanced. Look at me in 2 Timothy chapter four. Sorry about that. 2 Timothy chapter four. And by the way, my wife didn't pay me to say that. It's coming from my heart because it's real. It's real. 2 Timothy chapter four. 2 Timothy 4, verses 3 and 4, the Bible says, "...for the time will come when they will not endorse sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears." Verse 4, "...and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, shall be turned on the fable." Some people And it's a good thing, but they're all about feelings and emotions, and they always feel offended, and they ignore God's word, they ignore doctrine, they ignore teaching, and they live with their emotions on their shoulders, which is good to be emotional, but if you're not balanced, you could be so emotional that literally doctrine in the Bible and truth is way down here now, and your emotions are here, and that's not a good balance. Because now you can leave God, leave the word, leave what God's trying to do, base only by my feelings. You can't do that either. That could be an unbalance. I believe in having feelings. We shouldn't be people of stone. We shouldn't be hard. We should have emotions and feelings, but right emotions, right feelings, guided by God's word. Peace, love, joy, understanding. You know what I'm saying? Look with me in John 6, 27. In John 6, we're almost done. John chapter 6, a false balance is an abomination. John chapter 6, verse 27, amen. Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you. For him hath God the Father, Sealed, labor not for the meat which perisheth. Sometimes, and I know I did, I did it in ministry. I did it in my job. Men are job oriented. We're workers, we should be anyway. And sometimes our hearts are 100% wrapped up at their job. Sometimes children's, our wives' hearts are wrapped up so much in the children. or their husband, or the house, or their hobbies, or whatever, and sometimes we get so wrapped up in the world, so much, we're so worried about the world, that spiritual things, our prayer life, and walking with Jesus, and growing, and being a better Christian, start to go down here, and to think, meet, meet that perisheth. Things that aren't everlasting, but things that are temporary, things that are for us. are a higher priority, and we don't have a balance. And our kids see that, and then they're unbalanced, and it's a vicious cycle, and everyone's unbalanced. And where's Christ? Where's the power of God? Where's love? Where's growth? What's going on? And I want to say something. We are all unbalanced in some things and in some ways. Every one of us in this room, starting with me preaching all the way in the back. And how I can say that is one I know myself, but number two in 1 John 1, 8, just listen. 1 John 1, 8 says, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. There is no one here that says, I'm the most balanced. Listen, you want to balance yourself? You think you're real righteous and holy and you got everything great? I hope you do. I mean, I hope you are. But just to put it in perspective, the balance, let's put Jesus Christ on one side and you on the other side. You think it's going to be even? Okay, we all need room to grow, and we all need God, and no one's better than anyone. What should we do then? So if we have unbalances in life, okay, Pastor Miguel Jr., I confess, you got me. I'm not balanced. I've been living an unbalanced life. Okay, what now? Now you expose me, what? What happens? I just give up? Quit? No, no. Number one, you just need to recognize where we need help. Takes a little humility, takes a little searching, takes a little, instead of looking at the whole world, look at yourself. You just need to recognize where you need help. Recognize your shortcomings. We all have them. I have a lot of them, a lot of longcomings, and I don't mean good ways. Recognize where we fail to be more like Christ. How are you in your home less like Christ? Church less like Christ? Your job less like Christ? I mean, how's your life? Recognize where you need to work on, and once you say, you know what, honestly, I'm real strong in this area, I don't have to worry about this area, well, stop focusing on it so much. Stop focusing on the area that you're so strong. Don't worry, you're strong at that. It's okay. So let's start focusing on our weak areas and where we need help. And it doesn't mean we have to be so great in our weakness, but let's just be a little bit balanced, just a little bit. Even if you went from here to here, isn't that a great difference? Great improvement. Thank you for that. That's the word, correct word. Focus on your weakness. Your strength is already good and strong. Focus on your weakness and start striving to be better. I need to be a better husband. I need to be a better father. I need to spend more time, personal time with my kids. We need more time around Jesus Christ and the Bible. The family needs to get together and read the Bible together, prayer together. And if that's a weakness, shouldn't we start focusing on that? A false balance is an abomination to the Lord. So someone here that needs, that while I was preaching, did the Holy Spirit speak to you or show you or touch you in an area where maybe you need to improve? Can we talk to Jesus about it and get right? Let's stand to our feet, please.