The Scripture says if a ruler pays attention to lies, all his servants become wicked. If a ruler pays attention to lies, all his servants become wicked. Father, we thank You. Bless You today, Lord, for the counsel of Your Word. We approach your throne of grace with gratitude for your relentless mercy. Thank you for being so kind and generous and ransoming and rescuing our lives and inviting us into your presence. We've come before you today asking you to help us as we search the scriptures, as we ask for help in understanding this principle that you've given us. We seek your counsel because nothing can replace it. We seek your understanding because nothing can stand against it. And Lord, we seek your wisdom. because we know that nothing can amend it. We love you and praise you and thank you and believe more than anything it is your desire to teach us from your law today, to show us your grace and mercy, and to reveal to us your ways so that you would continue to reign and rule over us as we lead others. give you the praise and the glory and thanks for what you going to do in jesus name you know as we look at this passage as i've been pondering and thinking on it and and this is a passage of scripture that that i i i have uh... went to and called upon and asked for help with over and over in in my walk with walking with the lord and specifically as being a pastor. And the scripture says if a ruler, and the idea of a ruler is a leader. I'm going to read it like this because I think you can read it like this. It says if a ruler gives his ear to lies, all those he's serving will become wicked. You can say it that a way. because a ruler is set apart by God to serve others even though he has others that are following him and serving him he's also been set up appointed over them to serve them and we've got to recognize that if we are a leader and I want to tell you all of us really are leaders no matter how you look at it We all have an accountability or responsibility to lead others. If you're a dad, you've been given the task to lead your family. If you're a mama, you've been given the duty to lead your children. If you're a believer, a follower of Christ, been washed in the blood and therefore Christ is center of your life, the gospel is center of your walk with the Lord. If you're a disciple of Jesus, you've been given the duty to lead others to Him and lead others in this life for His glory. So we must heed this warning that if a leader gives attention, gives his ear, pays attention to lies, there's a deadly consequence to that. There's value in following the truth and there's a danger in paying attention to the lie. And the scripture helps us with this and what do I mean by that? Well, the first thing is this. If you pay attention to what people say as a leader about you, and even though it may be a reality, but it's not what God says about you, it's a lie. And if you give attention to that lie, those who are saying those lies about you, they're going to become, eventually they're going to become wicked in your eyes. For an example, I know on many occasions, I know several guys right now, I know some pastors that are having some trouble in the churches. And there's some things that are being said or some lies that are being done. And before you know it, if you give attention to that, if they pay attention to it, which some of them will and have, and it's easy to do, if you pay attention to that, you know what? Your whole congregation who you've been giving the lead all of a sudden becomes wicked to you. and it becomes animosity and hatred. Have you ever been in that position before where somebody said some things about you and you gave attention to it and you really listened to it and before you know it you meditating upon it. You can't get it out of your mind. You're thinking about it over and over and all of a sudden that person who used to be somebody who you loved to serve or to be with or be around has become an enemy. Has that ever happened to you? there's a lot of husbands and wives out there that find themselves in animosity between one another because they've paid attention to the lie and listen to the truth and what we need to know is what God has said about anything in life remember we've been talking about this that God's given us the liberty to think for the preparations of the heart belong to who? man but the reply of the tongue is from the Lord So God has an answer for every thought process we have. Amen? We can give Him glory for that and praise Him. I just need to know what He says about something so that I can know what is true and what is not true. Because I know in my life there's been times where I meditated on the lie thinking that it was a truth but it was really a lie and it only hurt me. It didn't help me until God manifested the truth to me and He set me free from the lie. Well, if I'm not careful as a leader, and if I pay attention to lies, those who I'm serving or those who are serving me can easily become wicked in my eye. For an example, let me give you an example. Let's say if God gives Us or you a vision of something that he desires to do or word and you set out to do it and then those around you say Preacher or daddy we can't do that. That ain't never been done in our house We can't do that These people won't follow that If I pay attention to what they say and not what God has given, you know, what's gonna wind up happening People around me will become an enemy to me wicked to me And then as a leader, if I start feeding on that and I start heeding that, before you know it, the people that I'm supposed to be leading to the Lord, I'm starting to lead them away from the Lord because I'm paying attention to the lion, not him. There's a lot of families that are messed up because daddy's paid attention to the lion. and he heeded the lie and he clung to the lie and he's leading and those children who are following him, whom he is serving, they following him right on and down the path of wickedness because we paid attention and gave our ear to the lie. Just because something's real and a fact doesn't mean it's truth, amen? We talk about that a lot here. And I've got to learn how to start distinguishing in people's lives and in my own life what is true and what is a lie. For an example, if you've got a kid, anybody have a kid ever give you any trouble? Well let me ask you this, have you ever given anybody any trouble? Aren't you glad if you had somebody that didn't focus in on the lies that were going on in your life and they focused in on what could be and what God plans to be and what is true and they emphasize the truth more than the lie and help mold and shape you more than what you really would have ever been outside of somebody heeding the truth and not paying attention to the lie. If I focus in on the problem, the trouble, and that's what I give my attention to, I cannot focus in on what God's truth is and what He says about a thing and start believing and trusting Him to get somebody out of it. If all I do is ridicule and rag and beat up and downgrade for the lie, how am I ever going to help deliver them out of the truth and be the leader that God's called me to be? For an example, say as a pastor in which I'm prone to do this, I have done this, all I do is beat you up for what you're not doing rather than leading you what you should be doing. We're not never gonna get anywhere. You're gonna follow me down that same path and all we're gonna do is wallow in misery and mire, amen? That's what people do. That's what families have done. That's what our country at times has done. And what we don't want to do is the one who gives the attention to the lie, because there is a lot of deception out there. there's a lot of mockery out there that people trying to set us up the enemy works with lies he's the father of lies he's behind the lie and all he wants to do is set us up to cling to the lie and give attention to it so it hinders us and hurts us from actually hearing the truth and what we need to be is people of the truth amen people who rely on the word of God if God says it we can believe it We can cling to it and we can run with it because we're all set apart to lead somebody. Even these little ones in here today will have a gift of being able to lead other people, other little ones, whatever it may be. The Word of God even teaches the young folk, don't let others despise your youth, amen, but be an example. to others. Why? Because God has given us the gift of being able to lead others. And if Nick pays attention to lies, then you are going to give your attention to lies. And if you give your attention to lies, we're all going to head in the wrong direction and we're not going to do what God calls us to do. Amen? We have to be cautious about that. Why? Because it's dangerous. Notice what verse 19 says in this same passage. will not be corrected by mere words for though he understands he will not respond a servant will not be corrected by by words a servant will but will not be chasing by words alone let's just say that the word correct it means to discipline or chasing for though he understands that he's just not going to reply to that he has to be disciplined and then he has to be lovingly led and if that's not the case what's going to happen is they're just going to keep doing what they've always done we've got to lead if we're going to lead, amen? and we have to lead in the truth Because if we don't, you know what happens? Go to Proverbs 29, 1. Look in verse 1. It's something we talked about in Sunday school. 29, 1 says, He who is often rebuked or reproved, that is, warned or corrected, and hardens his neck will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. He who is often warned and stiffens his neck will suddenly be destroyed without remedy. Notice the contrast. He who is often, that talks about, Tommy, a space of time. But then all of a sudden we see it goes from being a space of time to a sudden destruction. If we're leading people in lies and we're clinging to the lie and we're not abiding in the truth and God keeps giving us a word to warn us, all we're doing is setting ourself up for failure and we're leading other people to do it as well. But we don't know how long it's gonna take us. We don't know when God draws the line, when God says that's enough. I mean, He gives us a space of time, but then there comes a point when He says that's it. sudden destruction without remedy we looked at a past for an example turn if you would the loop nineteen watch out this fits watch what was happening with these leaders who paid attention to lies and not the truth loop nineteen y'all hungry today man my stomach's growling up here loop nineteen Look in verse number 41. Luke 19, 41. This is a group of leaders that were over Jerusalem who paid attention to lies and all those that followed them lived a wicked life. And we'll see how this unfolds. Verse 41 says, Now as he, that is Jesus, drew near and saw the city of Jerusalem, he wept over it. Why? Saying, if you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace, but now they are what? Notice, if you had known, I've been with you, I've walked with you, I've preached to you, I've warned you over and over, Bill. But because you didn't heed the warning, you stiffened your neck to it, now your eyes will be blinded and you will not see. But now they are hidden from your eyes. Watch verse 43. For days will come upon you when your enemy will build an embankment around you, they will surround you and close you in on every side, and they will level you and who? Can we just say those who have been following you? and they will level you and your children within you to the ground and they will not leave you in one stone upon another. Why? Because you did not know the time of your visitation. Whoa. If a ruler pays attention to lies, all his followers will become wicked. Here's Jesus who was burdened over the city of jerusalem because he's been preaching and they would not respond to his preaching and we understand what god was doing this uh... this is somewhat of a mystery as well but he says you you continually stiffened your neck to the warnings about the lies you were clinging to and now you won't be able to see because your destruction comes suddenly but that destruction just is not for you it's also for whom children, for those that are following you. You see, there's a value in clinging to the truth, but there's a danger, Lucas, in believing the lie. Because those who follow us, our wives, our children, our churches, our community, we're leading them somewhere. Are we leading them into the truth, or are we leading them away from the truth? I want to make sure we're leading in the truth. Amen. And the only way that I can do that is that I've got to be in the truth. I've got to know the truth. I've got to know what Jesus has said about a thing because I can't take it on what might be or could be or should be. I want to know what He says because if I don't know what He says, how can I measure truth? How can I measure what is true? I can't. Tommy, you're a leader. Tommy, you're a leader. Vivian's a leader. Gabud and Aunt Sadie and Stephanie. Mama Rob. I can't focus on what's the lie. I can't cling to what is a lie. And we can't lead other people down the path of the lie. Because we have no idea when God says that's enough. I'm gonna cut it off. Amen? There's things that are going on in our country right now, and if we pay attention to it and give our heat to it, man, you ever just hear things and see things that just burns your soul up? I watched something the other day up in Dearborn, Michigan. Well, they were taking believers who were up there who had the freedom to assemble, who have freedom of speech. Dearborn, Michigan is populated heavily with a bunch of Muslims. And they were throwing stones, throwing bottles, throwing bricks at these believers up there who had the freedom to assemble. And the law enforcement came in and took the Christians and made them leave the city and rewarded the riotous acts of these people. You see, when you see something like that, that'll burn you up. That'll fire you up. But what I've got to do is I've got to be cautious and go back to the fact that I've got to trust in a holy God and do my part, amen? And if I get caught up in a rat race of paying attention to what is real and happening and not what God desires to do with me and how He wants to use me, I could become useless just that quick and lead other people down a path of lies. Amen? We have to be cautious. Go look over in 2 Chronicles 16. Look in 2 Chronicles 16. Old Testament passage. I want you to see a king who paid attention to lies, who focused in on the lie, and as a result we see his people followed him and those who he was there to serve and that was serving him became wicked in his eyes. What happened with King Asa in chapter 16 was this was a king who served God diligently. Done amazing things for the glory of God. God used him mightily. but there was an issue come up where he got wind of a nation that was going to come against him and after God helped him so many times and delivered him time and time again in battle and prospered the nation he began to pay attention to the lie and he sought help from another country and God came to him and this is what the Lord said by the way of a prophet Hananiah the scripture says in verse number 9 God gave him this word God says for the eyes of the Lord run to and throw throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect or loyal to Him. That's a great word there. Amen. How many of y'all believe that? that right now God's searching the earth, He's searching this place, He's searching this room right here, just looking for hearts who will be loyal, single-minded or perfect to Him. He says, but Hannah and I tells Him, by way of the Lord, Asa, in this you have done foolishly. Therefore, from now on you shall have wars. And then Asa was what? He was angry with who? The servant that came and brought a word to him. Why? Asa had clung to the lie. He believed the lie. And when the truth came to him, he failed to respond to the truth, cling to the lie, and he hated the servant that brought the message to him. Here's a ruler, a leader, who was clinging to the lie, paying attention to it. And he says, he put him in prison for he was enraged at him because of this. And Asa did what? Oppress some of the people at that time. You see, when you pay attention to the lie, you only gonna wound and hurt people. You're not gonna help them. And this is what he did. Verse 11 says, note that the acts of Asa first and last are indeed written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. And in the 39th year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet and had a malady, was so severe, yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but who did he seek? He sought the physicians. Now, can God use physicians? He sure can, but when you seek physicians prior to seeking God, you believe in a lie. Can counselors help us? But when we seek counselors prior to seeking the Lord, we believe in a lie. Can the people of God help and equip us? They can. They do. But if I'm seeking them over seeking the Lord, I'm believing a lie. Does God desire to make me fruitful and abundant and bless me? But if I seek the fruit and the abundance and the blessings without seeking Him, what am I doing? And you know what? Other people are watching me, aren't they? And you know what they're going to do? They'll follow me, won't they? And where am I going to lead them? I mean there's nothing wrong with seeking a blessing or the abundance of God's favor, amen? It's only wrong when that's what you seek without seeking Him first. There's nothing wrong with treating your wife like a queen or the bride treating the husband like a king. That's all part of it. But you need to be submissive to the king, amen? I had a, last week at the wedding, you know what I teach about the role of a husband and wife, and the husband's the head of the home, and God teaches us that the woman is a weaker vessel. That's, God does teach that, amen. Well, I shared some of those principles in the service and there was a lady come up to Lydia afterwards at some point and told us that don't let anybody ever tell you you're weaker. That's what you call, that's what you call out of the mouth of the father of lies. You see, but that's what our society teaches. Women aren't weaker. Women can do anything and everything a man can do. But you see, God's got another reply to that, doesn't he? Women are a weaker vessel. And men are the treat them weaker as a weaker vessel. But if I pay attention to what this culture says about relationships and about men and women or about the church, and I don't pay attention to what God says about it, you know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna do like that lady did, try to set a lie in the heart of a young married woman who just got married that day, already trying to cause division and animosity so that she will not be a submissive woman under the headship of her husband. That's from the pits of hell. Because she's believed a lie. And I guarantee you if you looked at her and those who are following her, you know where they're headed? Down the path of what? Destruction. Because they believe the lie. Stick to the truth, amen? Stick to the truth. And you'll never go wrong. You'll never go wrong. To God be the glory. Don't pay attention to lies. And don't be one who tries to overthrow the truth in somebody else's life. If you're going to speak, make sure you're speaking from the oracles of God. Or the best thing would be keep your mouth shut. Amen? father we thank you we bless you today we give you glory and praise we ask you to speak life to each one of us that you would help us and that you would guide us and that we would cling to the truth and not the lie in Jesus name