Chapter number 19, and just a simple thought this morning, and I'll try to be short, sweet, and brief. And of course, we'll try to go that direction tonight, this morning, and then tonight as well. And I know that holidays, and again, if you'd like to be a part of our safety team, please get with me. We'll have a meeting in a couple weeks, and so we have a couple people that are gonna be helping already. We'll be getting organized and all of those things, and so just for safety and those things. And so again, thank you to all those that are ushering and we're moving some people around to accommodate this. And so as we grow and be able to honor the Lord, amen. And so our goal is to have a safe, wonderful place to worship the Lord, amen. And so pray for those, we have several that are out sick. several of our faithful, and several that are traveling, and so all of those things. And so as we turn to Proverbs chapter number 19, verse number one, as you find that, let's stand together for the word of the Lord to be read in reverence. And if you can't, we understand, but if you are able to, we appreciate that. And so Proverbs chapter number 19, verse number one, but better is the poor that walketh in his integrity than he that has preserved his lips. is a fool. But I want you to see that word walketh. That word walketh. If you'll help me today, how are we walking today? Amen? How have we walked? How will we walk? And how did we walk today? Amen? He said, well, Brother Ray, it's still pretty early. Well, thank you. I've got plenty of time today. We're going to have a good time. Dear Jesus, Lord, we love you today. Lord, thank you for the privilege of helping our missionaries, and helping Stephen get to go on the trip, and meeting the needs for those people that we may never meet on this side of glory. But yet we could send ambassadors, we could send helpers, we could send finances, and Lord, we're not doing it so that people would notice us, but if they would come to know you, then that's what is best. In Jesus' mighty name we pray. Amen and amen. Amen, thank you. You may be seated. Just simply as we see here, and if you'll stay with me right here in chapter number 19, and then we'll go back to chapter number 18 very quickly, and we'll try to scoot as quickly as we can this morning. There's this wonderful sun shining outside, amen. And so, hope that you have a wonderful lunch coming, amen. And so, I want us to see here in verse number 19, better is the poor. Boy, can you think about that? I'm happy he says that. Because I don't know about you, you may be rich, but I might not be, okay? But I'm so thankful if we know the Lord, amen? The poorest we ever have it is right here. Because all the riches are on the other side, amen? But if you know the Lord, you have riches here, amen? Boy, I'm so thankful. I love this, and I hope this will be an encouragement this morning. Better is the poor. And that means that there's something about being poor and I'm not saying that if you're rich or if you're wealthy or well-to-do or high middle class or middle class or lower middle class or just very hard-working amen I'm not saying that that's a problem but I'm just saying that the Lord says here that there's a trade-off and if you have to trade something it's better to be poor. There you go. And I'm going to tell you in our world everybody's willing to trade everything Hmm come on climb the ladder come on buddy recently. Tell me oh You know you broke the glass ceiling and I said well I don't want to break a glass ceiling because that means the shards go down on everyone How about we make our way to the glassy? And this was somebody making references to our church and some of the blessings of God here And I won't get into all that because I don't want to Pat Myself on the back. I want to honor God a minute, right? Oh, it's been God that has done it, but our church has been poor at times Amen, and I've always said that our church is pretty poor because I don't pay attention And but I'm thankful that we have the Lord amen and so therefore we are not poor amen right but here is better to be poor and Amen. Now, I've met some people that were pretty poor off. Amen. I've met some people that didn't have a lot. I've met some people that maybe at one time had substances and were not as well off and would be considered poor. Every year when you do your taxes, you find out where you fall in the scale of our economy. When you file your taxes, you find where you fall. And sometimes it's kind of depressing. Sometimes it's kind of like, good, I'm going forward. But in our economy, as Christians, it's better to be poor this way than to be poor this way. And I've seen some, and some people say, well, I'm not poor. I said, well, then why do you treat him so poorly? Oh, come on. I'm sorry. I just misunderstood. I just thought you were poor because you were treating him so poorly. Amen? And I have all done that. And we hopefully have talked to the Lord about it. And made amends, because I have poorly treated him. Some of us have poorly treated one another at times. And please don't hold on. We talked about that in adult Sunday school. If you weren't able to come to our adult Sunday school this morning, our children's Sunday school, would you please come next Sunday, would you? Because we covered that in our adult Sunday school. It reminded me of having some guards up. Some ways to make sure that I don't react poorly. Amen? But it says here, better is the poor. But it gives a condition. Now, if I told you it's just better to be poor, everybody would walk out and say, well, I've got that covered. Amen? You know? It's a little bit more. Amen? at times, but I'm thankful that I know the Lord and so therefore I'm not poor. Amen. I may poorly have applied and poorly used my abilities for the Lord, but he has never treated me poorly. Amen. But I want you to see here in verse number 19, better is the poor. But there's a condition. There's an explanation. There's something that defines that. And I don't want you to walk out saying, all the preacher said is I should be poor. Amen? That's not what I'm saying. That means to walk. How I'm walking, amen? And I'm going to tell you, I would rather come out of a situation poor than to lose my integrity. There you go. Amen? Because you represent Christ. Amen? And I'm not saying you have to be a doormat. Don't anybody go out here and say, well preacher said I can't stand up for myself because of... No, that's not what I'm saying. There's a time to stand up and be counted and be noticed and to not let things go the wrong direction. I understand that. But there's a way to do it. Amen? Boy, I don't want us to react poorly, amen? But I want you to see here, better is the poor that walk in. That means there has to be motion, amen? I'm gonna tell you, a lot of times we just need to walk off from some stuff, amen? Amen? There needs to be some times where we just let some stuff go, amen? And I'm gonna tell you, if you repeat everything you know, you absolutely have lost all of your ammunition in life. Most people tell everything they know and shoot their own foot off. And you say, well, Brother Ray, how do you know that? That's why we have so many two-footed Christians. Moving right along. I think I just made friends. I'm not getting a lunch invite today. Better is the poor that walketh. Man, this means that we've got to continue. And I'm going to tell you, there's times and there's things that happen to us that we have to walk forward. Amen? And I know, and I'm not telling anybody, if you're in the mulling grumps, if you're going through a hard time and all you can do is pray, continue to pray. Continue to put your faith in Jesus. There will be a time where he'll scoop you up and say, until you can walk, I'll help you. Don't give up. I don't want anybody going out here saying, well, I can't walk. I've been there where I'm like, well, I can't take the next step. I physically cannot. I emotionally cannot. But I can tell you the greatest thing you can do is to bow your head and start talking to the Lord. And I'm going to tell you, then he'll give you the next step. Amen. And for that person that says, oh, I never have a problem walking. Yeah, you walk into the problems all the time. I'm not trying to be mean, but walk with integrity. Walk it. Walk it. There needs to be a continue. There needs to be, this is the way I'm going to do business. This is the way I'm going to treat people. And you say, well Brother Ray, it's just me. Oh no, no, no, no. Remember, you represent the Lord now. Amen? Amen. And part of taking off the old man and putting on the new man is saying, I used to do it this way, but here's how I'm going to do it from here. Amen? Amen. And the devil would love for you to put the old There's a battle here, amen? Yeah. But a lot of battles are won by just walking. You can leave a lot of criticism and problems behind us by just walking forward. It doesn't mean that things didn't happen to us. That somebody will go out today, out the door and say, well, preacher, you don't know what happened to me. You don't know what they did. Well, you know what? I know. But God does. Yes. It didn't surprise Him. Nope. But it might have surprised you and me how we reacted. Had I just walked away. Had I just let it go, where that could have been an argument, that could have been a fight, that could have been a fuss, a feud, that could have destroyed me. And I'm going to tell you, just move forward. Amen? Boy, I'm thankful for our church. We've had some tough times. And can I tell you, we're not done yet. Amen? If we continue to help missionaries, if we continue to help people that are down and out, we still help those that are middle class, those that need the Lord, amen? Those that have money, amen? And you say, well, Brother Ray, would you want a millionaire in our church? Only if God wanted them here. Amen. Because we don't need their money. They need the Lord. Those that walk with integrity. Boy, we need to have integrity that lines up with the Lord, amen? Not just what we think is right in our eyes, amen? How does it line up with the Word of God? This last week I had somebody call me and tell me some just ridiculous stuff. And I had to take a deep breath, Brother Joe. I had to take a deep breath. Because I was like, I cannot believe they're saying this to, you could say it to me, but to a minister. And I says, well, what does the word of God say? How does that line up with the word of God? They were telling me some stuff that I was like, my goodness. Get out of your tricycle and ride away. Back to the circus. That's craziness. Sorry. That's craziness. And I said, but that doesn't line up with the word of God. Amen? Boy, as we walk, there's going to be people, there's going to be situations where we have to just say, what does the Bible say about this? Amen? What does God say about it? Amen? Let's move forward. I'm not going to argue with you. I'm not going to fuss. I'm not going to fight. But I'm going to move on. Amen? I'm going to leave this foolishness behind me. Amen? And keep God before me. Amen? I'm going to walk the way the Lord would have me to walk. Amen? And I'm going to tell you that as we walk this path with the Lord, it's narrow. And don't you feel like it's Narrowing? Boy. Brother Sam said, you and I, as we serve the Lord, there's going to be difficulties. Boy, I will not say this morning some of the difficulties I've been through since I've been here. But can I tell you something? God has always been greater. Yes. No, I've not been great while I went through it. You're right. Dad, I wish I could say that I handled that challenge in a way that honored God all the way. Because we're human. Yep. But I'm so thankful that as I walk with the Lord, and He grows and helps me. Amen? Grows in my life and shows me and directs me and says, you know, the devil's just after you because you love me. Amen? Yeah. Boy, I'm going to tell you, if you think you're that in a bag of chips, better than sliced bread, let me tell you something today. He's not after you because you're so great, but because you love the Lord. Amen? Right. Because you're trying to honor the Lord. Because you're trying to have Christian integrity. Amen? And how do you find that? Well, you line up with the Word of God. Amen? Thus saith the Lord. Amen? But I want you to see this, and I'm trying, I'm going to tie this for you. But then there's another side to this. Better is the poor that walk in, in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips. Boy, that person that just says whatever. And boy, don't we have that in our day and age? Just say whatever to get through it. There's a new business model. Fake it until you make it. And I'm like, oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. We need to be honest and have a Christian integrity, amen? And do our best for the Lord, amen? And you say, well, Brother Ray, you're saying that we can never make a mistake. Oh, no, no, no, no, because that's not realistic. Amen? We're going to sin. We're going to have faults. We're going to have failures, amen? But I'm going to tell you something, God can handle those. Amen? As we walk with Him. Amen? But I'm going to tell you, a fool will spout things and believe things that go against the Word of God. Amen? And I'm going to tell you, the devil is stirring up stuff all the time. Amen? And I'm going to say this, and please listen to the end of it, okay? We're all going to get off the path somewhere. And when we look in the word of God, it's gonna show us how to get back on the path in an area. That's what corrects us, that's what helps us, that's what puts us in the right path, amen? And did you walk around here saying, well, I never was off the path. I was like, what? Get on that tricycle. Amen? Right back to the circus. Boy, because I'm gonna tell you, we've all made some mistakes and we're gonna make them, amen? But as we look to the Word of God and it corrects our lives, amen? When we have a revival, I pray, Lord, help me, show me, direct me, guide me, amen? I'm not a preacher that gets in my prayer closet and says, Lord, let the evangelist get ahold of so-and-so and so-and-so and put them right. Well, you know, that's not my call. But I will tell you, I'll say, Lord, if you'll help me, would you help others? As you see fit. Come on preacher. His integrity. But I want you to see this. Then he that perverse in his lips. One who just says whatever. Now I'm going to tell you something. Think about what you're saying before you say it. Think about what you're repeating before you're repeating it. Amen? We need to think about some things. Amen? And you say well brother Ray that's hard for me. I was like I know. Amen? But those that pervert things, and let me tell you something, there are some people who will pervert things and cause issues everywhere they go. Nothing good comes from them. Because they have just allowed that to be their walk. That's how they walk. But us as Christians, there ought to be a difference in the way we walk. Amen? The way we talk. And we should be embarrassed when we fall off the path. Yeah. Amen. Yep. I'm going to tell this story. Several years ago, I was working for the courier service and had a bad day, had a blowout in my truck. And, uh, you'll understand this because they always give us company guys, uh, the greatest rental truck. Oh yes. Top notch. And brother Steve and brother Joe, you'll, you'll get this one. And I was driving this one and it was loaded and only had single back tires and it was the small and I got on a curve, Brother James, and guess what happened? I caught the edge of it and it pulled my truck sideways. Brother Plopper, Brother Ray, I panicked. And Dennis, Pastor Dennis, you know what I did? I panicked. I threw both feet on that brake Then it turned that truck the other direction and slid me into the other ditch, hit the ditch, flipped it up, destroyed the truck. And you know what the problem was? Not that I went off the road. It was my reaction. And it was amazing how the tow truck driver, the police officers, and everyone that came could tell me how I messed up. And you know what? I was like, where were you guys a mile down the road? See, sometimes we'll make a mistake, and the mistake that we make has another mistake. And some people will come and help us with one mistake, but nobody could tell me how to not let that tire blow. And I hit that edge of that asphalt, and it jagged that tire, and it went sideways. Can I tell you something that just bothers me? So if you see this, you can help someone. One of my delivery stops that day was reams of paper. So the police officer, while my back is hurting in the truck and stuff, and you know what he asked me? He says, I think you need to go up and pick up some of that paper up there, or we're going to give you a ticket for littering. And to the Illinois State Trooper, I said, absolutely. And I went out there, Joe, and I got as many as I could. We're on a back highway, of course. So you know what I did? I opened this back door and put them all on the back seat. And you say, well, Brother Ray, that way he has plenty of paper to put notes on. I moved right along. But you know what I learned after that? Every time I would drive places, I started watching Sister Laura Gordon, you know what I started watching? Something I had never watched before. I didn't look at the edge of the road the way I did after that. I started looking saying, if I'm gonna go off this way or off that side, is there gravel? And the one that I hit, Brother Joe, the gravel was low and it had broken and there was pieces missing. When that truck hit that, it hit that tire, bent that rim, and of course, a lot of problems there that day. And I thought about that, how people could give us answers. But it changed me, so when I travel, I looked at some things that I never paid as much attention. So some of the things that people stir up and we walk, we walk it. There's some things, Bruno James, that we look different at. When we've been down some roads, when we've seen some things, amen? And now when I see accidents on the side of the road, I don't immediately get upset of just the traffic. Most of the time, I say, Lord, bless him. Lord, please be with him. Because I know what it's like to be in the ditch. I know what it's like to be on the side of the road. I know what it's like to have people with perverse lips just cause all kinds of difficulties. for something that had already happened. See, when we walk it, there's going to be some things that happen. And we're going to have to say, you know, that happened, and move forward. We all have some things that have happened to us, and some of the things we've caused ourselves. But please don't become the person with perverse lips. Well, let's see how you handled it. Like, you have no fault, right? Because I know none of us have said those things. Sarcasm, everyone. Because I've reacted that, well look at them, look what they're doing, well look what they, oh, and now they're pointing out me? Perverse lips. But somebody that's just gonna walk after the Lord, keep their integrity, say I'm sorry that's going on, but let's go forward. Amen? Invite them to come with you, invite them to go forward. We all have some things, perverse lips. But I want you to see this, at the end of verse number 19, chapter number 19, verse number one. then he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool. Boy, us as Christians, it's one thing for you and I to say, I don't mind looking like a fool. And if you do, there's something wrong with you, but I'm just going through this per se because somebody will say it sooner or later. I don't mind looking like a fool. But remember, we represent Christ. Right. And He does not need to be looked like a fool. That's good. Can I tell you, us as Christians, our integrity needs to line up with the Word of God. And when we don't, when we get off the path, no matter what anybody else says, okay? Because there will be some that will come along and help you, okay? Would you be that person that will help somebody and go to them and say, hey, you made a mistake, let's go forward. Let's love the Lord. Let's be, let's do our best for the Lord, amen? Right? Right. And you say, well, Brother Ray, I don't want to make the cause of Christ look like a fool. Because why would somebody want to come to know the Lord if they think it's foolishness? And in our world, they already think that we're foolish for blaming Him and Jesus. But I'm going to tell you something. I don't want to add to that stigma. I want to be the one that makes a difference. There's somebody, as you see in the Word of God, as you study, there's always somebody that'll stand up. Amen? Noah found grace in the sight of the Lord. Amen? Boy, there's somebody that'll stand up and be counted for Christ. But I don't want to be counted as a fool. I don't want to represent Him in that way. Amen? Because He's our friend. Not only is our Savior, I hope that you know Him as your personal Savior today. Amen? Amen. I hope that you know Him as your personal Savior. But He's a great friend. Why would we want to represent Him poorly? As a fool. Why would we want that? And you say, well, Brother Ray, this morning I'm just trying to get in. We've just got just a few more minutes. How do we walk? It was exciting outside. I want you to see this, when you go to chapter number 18, verse number 24. See, representing Christ well and walking for the Lord, we need to have friends to walk with. We need to have people that we can count on, amen? People that we can lean on. We need each other, amen? We need each other, amen? And when the devil says you don't need, he never tells you to get rid of people that are wicked. The devil never tells you to get rid of wicked people. But he always comes around helping us find fault in fellow believers. I want to see in verse number 24, chapter number 18, a man that hath friends must show himself friendly. Now, I'm going to tell you, the devil doesn't want you to be friendly to Christians. He doesn't want you to be friendly to God. Amen? And you say, well, Brother Ray, I don't know if you should use that word friendly. I hope the Lord thinks I'm friendly to him. Amen? I want to be his friend. Now you and I fall short, but he's a friend that sticks closer than a brother. He's a friend that will stick when nobody else will. He's a friend that when you're going through the deepest, darkest things in your life, that you can look to him. And I've never had him say, I told you so. Amen? But I have heard him say, I have told you in the Word of God, here's how to correct it. Here's where you went off the road, right? Here's where you misstepped. Here's where you compounded problems. Because I know none of you have done that, but I have. Where I look back and say, Lord, I don't even know where this thing went off the rail, because right here is where I'm at, and He backchains it and shows me, here's where you went wrong, and this is where the other problems began. And I'm so thankful that He's God, and He's a friend that will, I'd rather have a friend like the Lord, amen, than a foolish person, amen? But I love in verse number 24, a friend that has friends must show himself friendly. We have to show ourselves friendly to the Lord and to other believers, amen? And I am not going to tell you to only be friends of people that attend here at Lighthouse Baptist Church. I'm going to tell you to be friendly to any of God's children. Amen? Right? And you say, well, Brother Ray, then what are you saying? We're not supposed to be friendly to lots of people. Oh, they need friendship more than anyone. And would you share your friend, Jesus, with them? Your Redeemer, your Savior, with them? Amen? A friend that has friends will show himself friendly. And I want you to see this. There is a friend that's sticking closer than a brook. Boy, can I tell you, no matter where you go, maybe you and I, maybe there's some places where we walk in the wrong area. Boy, he's a friend that sticks closer than a brother. He helps us. He loves us. He cares for us. Amen? And I'm going to tell you today, and you say, well, Brother Ray, you're just trying to be pompous today. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. I'm just trying to encourage us this morning. How are we walking? We need friendship. Amen? But we need the Lord's friendship. Amen? And he's a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Boy, I'm going to tell you, I'm going to tell the story. When I was a boy, imagine, I was kind of a brat. Yeah, I know. It's amazing, right, Laura? Laura was thinking that. And I remember as a boy, my brother, he had been sick and so several people had, you know, he got all kinds of G.I. Joes and Brother Samson, I know it's still shocking to you, that imagine I'd be a little difficult or hard to handle and all of those things, right? Getting deep in here. And let me tell you something, my brother had gotten all these G.I. Joes and he went to the neighbor's house and they were playing G.I. Joes and I was playing with my cars there and stuff and, you know, of course I was just being a pesky brother. And I remember that the other boys didn't want me to play anymore. And so my brother said, OK, if he goes home, I go home. And he had all the G.I. Joes. So he started cleaning all his G.I. Joes. And all of a sudden, I could stay. Because they wanted his G.I. Joes. But you know what? That's a brother. Imagine, that's just an earthly brother that's now enjoying heaven. But imagine what God does for us. Aiden, I just tell you today, he stays closer to his brother, he knows how we walk, and he knows we're not where we ought to be, and he still loves us anyway. Amen? But imagine what he's doing for us, that we don't even know. That we don't understand. Imagine that today. How we walk. And I thought about this this week, We've been walking and just trusting and doing our best. And we're doing some work projects here at the church house and how God's just providing. It's just amazing to me how much God cares for us to send help and those that will care. Amen? Amen. And so you say, well, Brother Ray, I heard we have angelic voices in the choir from a good source. If you'd like to join the choir, we could use a few more. Get with Sister Pam and Brother John. Brother John helps and runs that, and so get with them, and they'll help you. But isn't that wonderful? Amen? And you say, well, Brother Ray, a brother that stays closer than a brother. Boy, what a friend that we have. Amen? And of course, you say, well, Brother Ray, you know, you make this like it's so special. Well, it is. Because I'm going to tell you, there's going to be times when nobody will stick by you, and you get back to the Lord, and He just scoops you up. He just comes along, and He may not fix the problem immediately, but He says it's going to be okay. For just a moment, Satan's pushed off, amen? Amen. I remember, I'm going to tell this story because it's kind of interesting. I remember when I first came to the church, Brother James and we got the van and we put the two spare tires on. We didn't even have money for tires for the van. And we put the spare tires on the van and we had two. So I was just like, well, they were well-prepared. And so we put those spare tires on there and we saved. And I remember on Wednesday night, we took up money until we were able to go. And I was so excited. Amen. I went to the tire shop and I was like, get me four. Not just two, get me four. I want the best you got, amen. Hey, I'm just going to tell you, isn't it wonderful how God provides, amen? And when other preachers told me, I just sell that van until you're Church has enough money to buy something decent and all this stuff. And I said, no, we're gonna use what God's given us and we're gonna take care of it. God's gonna provide. And every time he provided for us, amen, provides us workers, helpers, amen. No one is not important, amen. Every friend that God sends here to our church is important, amen. And you say, well, Brother Ray, lastly, amen. Ready to go to the happiness. How are we walking today? Now I'm going to ask you a question. How did we walk this last week? Some things went, some I did really good. And Sister Laura, if you could help keep a secret. Some things Sister Lauren, Sister Laura, sometimes I did really good. And sometimes I didn't do so good this last week. But don't let those get you down. Just ask God to forgive you. And praise His name where you did well. Amen. Thank Him for where you did well. Amen? And say, Lord, I walked good here, but I didn't do so good there. Amen? There's a step between thanking Him and praising Him and identifying, because if not, you'll get perverse lips. Yep. Oh yes. Yep. Yep. Yep. Didn't we? I've had some people where some things have happened in our lives and we pick up and move forward. Can I tell you that today? Boy, I'm going to tell you something, but it's so wonderful. It's like that with the Lord. Where we made some mistakes, where we're off the path, where something went a little awry. Amen? And can I tell you, the devil will stir stuff up. But can I tell you something, no matter what happens, as we learn in the life of Job, that we can stand for the Lord, amen? Amen. Even when it seems like everything has gone wrong. As we finish today, just a simple thought. How are we walking? And how do we plan to walk as we leave today? Tomorrow, amen? How do we plan to walk? Remember, if he's for us, who can be against us, amen? And the devil will come and tell you it's all worthless, amen? He'll tell you that God doesn't want you as a friend. I'm going to tell you he's a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Then you say, well, brother, right? Well, this is going to get me in trouble, but just buckle up for a second. As we see in this verse, a man that has friends must show himself friendly. Yep. Jesus has shown himself friendly to us by what he did on the cross of Calvary and rising the third day. interceding at the right hand of the Father for you and me. So the problem isn't Him. The problem is you and I. And if I want to continue the friendship, I must show myself friendly. And I'm going to tell you, if you can't be friendly with the Lord, you can't be friendly with others. Now you can play, you can act, you can be a fraudster, and act like everything's okay. But truly, we must show ourself friendly to the Lord. And it's amazing when my friendship with the Lord is as close as it can be, how that my other friendships seem to go better. And you say, well, Brother Ray, how are we walking? How are we going to walk as we leave today? How are we going to walk through the next challenge? How are you going to walk through the next thing that the devil seems to see, sit back and say, this is going to be the thing that will destroy him or her. Can I tell you this morning, I hope this will help somebody. He said that about Job. And Job kept walking with the Lord. And what did he repeat? I will not. I will not. he kept his friendship with the Lord. And that was why he was able to then pray for his friends. That's right. Can I tell you, we need to keep our friendship with the Lord. Because he wants us to not only have friendships with others, but because he may use our friendship to help others. So, for this friendship to be right, is also to help this friendship. I've not met anybody who couldn't get along this way, who wasn't, this way has to be right. Now I've met some people that are fraudsters, and they'll go around painting everything like everything's good. But can I tell you something? Us as Christians, we need to be honest with the Lord. He loves our friendship, amen? He loves you so much. And you say, well, Brother Ray, you're being mean this morning. No, no, no, no. I'm just trying to remind us that there's a friendship that we need with the Lord. And you have the friendship with the Lord the way you have walked. But if something's not right, you can walk towards the Lord. as we stand to our feet as musicians and those that are helping this morning. Dear Jesus, Lord, we love you.