We began two weeks ago a new series that is springing out of our study, our ongoing study of the book of Acts. And we've titled this series, Prophecy and Prophets. And what we are trying to do in a very careful and intentional way is to develop an understanding of this matter of God speaking to his people. Three questions we've set out before us to kind of guide us in this study. The first question is, what is prophecy? The second question is, what is a prophet? And third, how should we understand this idea of prophecy and a prophet? in a 21st century context in our church today. And already we've learned some basics, some fundamental things that we're going to keep anchoring ourselves to. They are important for us to remember, and I'll remind you of them even now. A simple definition of a prophecy is a word from God. It is what God has said. A prophet then, or one who prophesies, is one who stands among the people or before the people saying on behalf of God, thus says the Lord. And we've learned already that sometimes what that prophet says is revelation In the Old Testament where we've been building our foundation, again and again God spoke directly to His prophet. And that revelation then was to be spoken to God's people. But we've also seen, in looking back to the Old Testament, that sometimes that prophecy was reiteration. Sometimes the prophet stood up and spoke the words of God that had already been spoken before to another. So they're just reiterating what God has said. But the context is always the same. It is someone standing among the people, before the people, speaking on behalf of God, whether it's revelation directly or reiteration, repeating what God has said. We've also learned to correct ourselves from the modern notion of thinking of prophecy always as foretelling, speaking of the future. That's an incorrect understanding of prophecy. It is certain that sometimes when God speaks, He speaks of future events, and they are prophecy. But it is no less prophecy when God speaks and speaks of what's going on now. It's no less prophecy when God speaks of what He has done in the past. So whenever God speaks, whatever it is He speaks about is prophecy. Now last week we added to our understanding of these little simple elements of what prophecy and the prophet is by looking first of all at the power of the Word of God. And we went all the way back to the beginning of the Bible and we saw in Genesis chapter 1 at the creation account this phrase repeated again and again and again. And God said. And God said. And it was the very Word of God that sprung forth in power that created everything that is. And so we recognize then that these words that emanate from the heart and mind of God that are then spoken through revelation or reiteration by the prophet of God, they have power in them. Now, Paul talks about the Word of God in that very same context. Romans 1, verse 16, Paul says, for I am not ashamed of the gospel. I'm not ashamed of the Word of God that has gone forth, that declares the majesty and wonder of the redemption available to all men by grace through faith. I'm not ashamed of that gospel, Paul says, for it is the power of God. It has the power to save people. This is the power contained in the Word of God. The writer of Hebrews speaks similarly of the Word of God when he writes, the Word of God is living. and it is active, and it is sharper than any two-edged sword, and it pierces. That's the power to penetrate. It pierces as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow. It's a Word that has the ability to lay your heart open and to expose, notice what he says, the very intentions of your heart, to flesh out what's really in there, the things that you didn't even know were in there. The Word of God carries this power. And so, we would understand that it's a powerful tool that the prophet wields when he speaks forth the very Word of God. Now, also established in our mind is this reality that not everybody who stands purporting to speak on behalf of God is actually speaking on behalf of God. There are those people who would stand up and say, thus says the Lord, when in fact the Lord has not said thus. And we talked about that last week when we looked at the reality of when God doesn't speak. And we considered how even from the earliest time, even all the way back to the garden, there have been those who wanted to distort what God has said. The serpent, you remember, arrived with Eve and queried, what has God said? And Eve's response was not careful enough. Eve's response was not precise enough. She stood as a prophetess among the creation at that time, and she purported to say what God had said. But the trouble is, she took away from what God had said, and she added to what God had said. And all chaos ensued because she stood purporting to speak on behalf of God, and she did not. She said what God had not said. Now, that's false prophecy, and it's a huge problem. It started in the Old Testament, and it becomes relevant every time God's people assemble together. And so inevitably, God would have to speak about that in His law when He gave Moses the law. And He spoke of the prophet who would rise up and say, I'm speaking on behalf of God, but when in fact he wasn't or she wasn't speaking on behalf of God. That prophet, God said, should die. So God takes very seriously the matter of speaking on his behalf. This isn't something he treats lightly. And we understood last week that this, in a sense, exposes the people of God. And it's important for us to reconcile that, to recognize that. You see, the people must hear from God. His people need to hear His voice. But they have those who stand up and say, God said, when really God didn't say. And this leaves the people who need to hear from God exposed. And so we saw that God has helped His people. God has said in the Old Testament, when my prophet stands up, if you wonder whether or not it's me speaking, then watch the signs and the wonders that that prophet can accomplish. And so when you see the signs and wonders that Moses could accomplish, for instance, as a prophet of God, the people would then know it was what God said. But more than that, when the prophet speaks of future events, remember God said, that's okay, you can test him. Watch and see what happens. And if what happens is what he said I said would happen, well then you can be confident that I said that. But if what happens is not what he said I said would happen, then you can be confident I did not say that. And that man, that individual, is a false prophet, and of course, they should die. But the prophet also has to be tested another way, and I want to remind you of that from Deuteronomy chapter 13. Here's the prophet who stands up. Here's the dreamer of dreams who arises. He has the signs and wonders. And the people would say, well, that must be speaking on behalf of God, because look at what he can do. And not only that, verse 2, whatever he says he can do, he can do. The signs and wonders come true. But then notice, all of those signs and wonders are attached to what he speaks, and here's what he says. Last of verse 2. Let us go after other gods and let us serve them. Well, clearly then, signs and wonders aren't enough. No, the one who speaks on behalf of God needs to be certain that what they say God said checks with what God has said already. And God had already said in the Ten Commandments, the very first commandment, you don't have any other gods before me. And so here's a prophet who arises. He's got all the consequent signs and wonders that should justify that what he says is indeed what God said, but what he says contradicts what God said. Well, then look at verse three. Don't listen to the words of that prophet. Don't listen to that dreamer of dreams. And notice, very importantly, God allows that to happen. You think, well, God would want to protect His people from such things. No, God wants His people to practice discernment. He wants them to test the prophet. He wants them to test the prophet against His spoken word. And, notice, He wants them to find out if the love that they say they have for their God is really a love with all their heart and soul. Now, we read that, and it sounds like God is trying to find out whether or not you love Him. Well, I would I would suggest you God knows whether or not you love him, right? He doesn't have to find that out. No, what he wants to find out is he wants you to find out whether or not you truly love him. The test is for you. It's not for God. And you need to understand that those of you who say you love God, that should be expressed in direct proportion to your ability to know his word, to discern his word and to reject what he has not said. This is how we love God. This is what God says. So how important is it? Well, it's very important, this idea of prophecy and prophets and hearing from God and what the people should do. There's kind of a summary. It's right there in verse 4 of Deuteronomy 13. You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him. You shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice and cling to Him. This is what we are called to do. Now, all of this is a protection. But it's not really a protection for God's people. We just get the benefit of that protection. Now, what is it that God is protecting? He's protecting his word. He's protecting the integrity and the veracity and the life changing power of his word. And it cannot be diluted and it cannot be mixed and it cannot be contradicted. Because it contains power. So God's protecting His message. It's all about the message. It never really is about the messenger. Well, the messenger can get in the way, and when he gets in the way, he should be gotten out of the way. And the messenger can be used as a vehicle and a vessel, a very mouthpiece of God, but it's never about that. It's always about the Word of God. It's the message that matters. I think it's interesting. It's always helpful to consider our Lord. And this will help you as you put these things together that we're thinking about. Notice what Jesus Himself said concerning the Word of God. And notice here, He's talking about reiteration prophecy. Look what He said. Do not think that I came to abolish the law or the prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and he's talking about what God has already said, whoever annuls the least of those and teaches others to do the same, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever keeps them and teaches them He shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. So Jesus stood as the prophet among the people, which we'll look at next week. But the idea I want you to see is that much of what he said was reiteration. He said, I just come telling you what God has said. I haven't changed anything. I'm making it real to you. I'm making it alive to you. But Jesus, the prophet, wasn't confined to reiteration. No, he also had revelation, didn't he? Notice what he said in John chapter 12, verse 49. I do not speak on my own initiative. But the Father himself who sent me has given me a commandment. That's direct revelation. That's new word. as to what to say and what to speak. And I know that His commandment is eternal life. It has the same power, this new word that He's speaking to me. Therefore, the things I speak, I speak just as the Father told me. Now, if the Son of God Himself, in responding to revelation from God and prophecy, emphasizes the need to be so precise then shouldn't we be so precise when we consider speaking on behalf of God? We need to be careful that we speak just as the Father has spoken. This is what our Lord did. Now, in that same text, actually before He said that, Jesus said this, you people will be held accountable for this. In verse 47, if anyone hears my sayings and doesn't keep them, I do not judge him. Freud didn't come to judge the world, but to save the world. That's why I'm here now, he says. He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings, he has one who judges him. The word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. This word that has power to bring life. When rejected has the power to do what? Bring judgment. To bring death. The people, then, are accountable. So we want to talk about that this morning with that as an introduction. What happens when God's children don't listen? What happens when God's children don't listen? I want to take us back to Proverbs. So find the wisdom of Proverbs again in your Bible and turn with me to chapter 1. Proverbs chapter 1 and look with me at verse 20. Proverbs chapter 1 verse 20. When God's children don't listen. Verse 20 says, Wisdom shouts in the street. She lifts her voice in the square at the head of the noisy streets. She cries out at the entrance of the gates in the city. She utters her sayings. How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing and fools hate knowledge. Turn to My reproof. Behold, I will pour out My Spirit on you. I will make My words known to you. Because I called and you refused. I stretched out My hand and no one paid attention. And you neglected all My counsel and did not want My reproof. I will also laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your dread comes, when your dread comes like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call on Me, but I will not answer. They will seek Me diligently, but they will not find Me, because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. They would not accept My counsel. They spurned all My reproof. So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way and be satiated with their own devices. For the waywardness of the naive will kill them and the complacency of fools will destroy them. But he who listens to me shall live securely and will be at ease from the dread of evil. Now, if you're listening, I think all of us can understand that. There is the reality that's before us in that text that God's children many times don't listen. And they need to know the consequences of their not listening. Let me just pull out the consequences for you and you can kind of enumerate them if you're a note taker. They're easy to find. Calamity, verse 26. Dread. Verse 26. A storm and a whirlwind. Verse 27. Distress and anguish. Verse 27. Verse 32 speaks of being killed and being destroyed. Verse 33 speaks of the dread of evil. These are the consequences when God's children don't listen. And contrast that, if you would, with the consequences, or the benefits, perhaps says it better, of listening to God. It's right there at the end, verse 33. He who listens to me shall live securely. Now listen, very practically. Many of you struggle today, right now this morning, with varieties of insecurities. You're insecure in your marriage. You're insecure in your job. You're insecure in your finances. There's insecurity in your relationships with friends and co-workers and fellow students. There's insecurity all around you in your life. There's the insecurity that leads to doubt. There's the insecurity that leads to depression. There's the insecurity that leads to despair. Now, here's what I want you to ask yourself. How much of that insecurity in your life is the direct result of your not listening to God? We like to look around and say, no, it's not that, it's her fault. It's his fault. It's their fault. The government's responsible for my financial demise. My wife's responsible for my insecurity in marriage. My boss is responsible for my insecurity in my job. My fellow high school students are responsible for my insecurity. Wake up, people! God says otherwise. God says your insecurity is a direct result of your not listening to Him. God has promised security to His children who listen. It's right there in verse 33. There is a confidence that comes from hearing from God. There's a confidence that comes from believing in what He has said. There's insecurity. when you don't. So why don't you? Why don't we listen? Well, the excuses are many. Let me give you your favorite excuse. You've given these to me over the years. This is at the top. I can't hear him. I can't hear him. I dry. I read my Bible. I come to church. I pray. I can't hear him. Look again at verse 20. Wisdom shouts in the street. She lifts her voice in the square. There's all the noise in the streets and you can hear her over it, it says in verse 22. She's at the entrance of the city. In other words, the word flows through every pedestrian area of your life. So, so much for that excuse. Because the Bible says not only is God speaking, He is shouting at you. Wisdom, the revelation of God, sometimes just general revelation all around us in creation, sometimes particular revelation as His Word goes forth, it's everywhere, God says. It cries out in the street. It cries out in the square. You can hear it above the den of life. It cries out. It cries out. It shouts. God can be heard. Wisdom can be heard. Now Paul really helps us here. I want you to keep a mark in Proverbs chapter 1. We'll come right back in a minute. But find Romans chapter 10. Very important. Find Romans chapter 10 in your Bible. So go right to the New Testament. You'll hit the Gospels. Keep going. Find Acts where our study is and right next door to Acts. What do you find? Romans. Find chapter 10. Look at verse 8 of Romans chapter 10. Paul expresses now the heart of God with a question. But what does it say? The word is near you. in your mouth and in your heart. That is the word of faith which we are preaching. That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. So here's what Paul says. There is that Word. There is that Word of God, powerful enough to save. Now what's that? It is near enough to hear. It's near enough to hear, listen, and it's clear enough to hear. In fact, he says, it can be understood by all with no distinction. Look at verse 11. For the Scripture says, whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed, for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. For the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him. Assuming then all who call on Him include all those without distinction, Jew and Greek, who could hear. For whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." Well, Paul has another question, verse 14. How then will they call on Him whom they have not believed? Or let me take it another level, Paul says. How will they believe in Him who they have not heard? You see, Paul's making your argument. I get all that, Paul, but we can't hear. And how will they hear, he says, without a preacher. How will they preach unless they're sent? Just as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things. So what you have here is the essential need for a prophet, someone to stand among the people of God to speak on behalf of God. That's important. Somebody has to come and declare the truth on behalf of God. And what Paul is positing on your behalf is, but what if we can't hear it? Verse 16, however, They didn't all heed the good news. For in fact, Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report? I've been standing up as your prophet. I've been declaring for you. Nobody can hear. Paul takes us back, verse 17, but wait, faith comes from hearing and hearing from the word of Christ. Now Paul's using a literary skill here. He's positing these dilemmas. He's wanting us to think. In fact, he's thinking for us, even on behalf of the Holy Spirit. And the problem, he says, driving it home, is that everybody can't hear. But look at verse 18. He just asks. But I say, surely they have never heard. Have they? And God responds, indeed they have. Their voice has gone into all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. Stop telling me they haven't heard, because they have heard, God says. Well, Paul's not finished yet. But I say, surely Israel didn't know, did they? You see what he's saying next? Okay, I'll give that one to you, God. Maybe they did hear, but they couldn't understand it. They couldn't understand it. You see, that's the second excuse that I hear from you. The first excuse is, I can't hear. And the second excuse is, when I do hear, I don't understand it. But God retorts, verse 19. First, Moses says, I will make you jealous by that which is not a nation. By a nation without understanding will I anger you. God says it's not an understanding issue. In fact, there is a people, the Gentiles, there is a nation without understanding and they'll hear it. Verse 20, and Isaiah is very bold and says, I was found by those who did not seek me. I became manifest to those who did not ask for me. And so we're left with this question. Why can't Israel hear? It's not because the Word isn't near, Paul says. It's not because the Word isn't reaching from end to end around the globe, Paul says. It's not because it's too hard to understand. Why can't they hear? Verse 21, But as for Israel, God says, All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people. They are disobedient. They are obstinate. And here's what we've learned. Don't blame it on the voice of God. Don't blame it on the message. Don't blame it on the availability of the message. Blame it on your disobedience. Blame it on your obstinance. Now go back to your text in Proverbs. I hope you kept your finger there. Verse 22 then gives us three diagnostic terms. It's like running through biblical MRI. And it looks into our hearts. And there are three terms there that you will see. Let me list them for you. The naive one. the scoffer, and the fool. You see them there in verse 22? The naive one, the scoffer, and the fool. Well, let's start with the naive one. What does that mean to be naive? Well, in the Old Testament, that word, that same Hebrew word is often translated ignorant. It's talking about ignorance. And I think that's the same idea here. So we might read it this way, you ignorant ones, You love being simple minded or how long you ignorant ones will you love being ignorant? You could read it that way. Now, there are a lot of reasons for ignorance, right? We tend to think of it typically ignorance equals innocence. Why? Because they didn't know any better. They're ignorant. That's not a great thing. But despite their ignorance, they're innocent. They're innocent because they didn't know any better. Paul talks about that of himself. 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 13. He says, So you see, sometimes ignorance is worthy of mercy. Sometimes ignorance you can pass over. There's an innocence to it. But there's another kind of ignorance. There's a kind of ignorance that does not expose itself to mercy, isn't a right recipient of mercy. And that's the ignorance that is stubborn. That's the ignorance of the one who refuses to learn. That's the ignorant of the one who chooses to be simple-minded. And that's the ignorance that's in view here. That's the naivete that's in view here. It's very clear, by the way, it's countenance. Look what he said. How long will you? In other words, you are choosing this ignorance. You are insisting on being naive. Why would you do that? No mercy for that. That's a willful ignorance. Now look what comes next. The scoffing. You see it? The scoffers delight themselves in scoffing. Now put it in the sentence. How long, scoffers, will you delight yourself in scoffing? Now what is scoffing? Well, simple. It means to mock. It means to scorn. It means to make fun of. So here's the idea. The naive won't listen. They plug their ears. They're intentional about it. They refuse to learn. And then there are those who hear, but they only hear so they can make fun of it. They're only here. They only hear so they can scoff at it. They treat it with derision. That was the serpent in the garden, by the way, has God said. He wasn't interested in what God said. He was interested in taking what God said and making fun of it, making light of it, turning it upside down. Now, understand something. This kind of scoffing is a heart intention. The Bible is clear. Out of the mouth, the heart speaks. And so this one who scoffs at the Word of God is exposing the scoffing of their heart. God has spoken. The naive Love to ignore it. And the scoffers love to make fun of it. And then there are the fools. Do you see the fools there? How long, fools, will you hate it? So here's the idea. God speaks and some plugged their ears. God speaks and some listen only so they can make fun of it. And then God speaks and some listen so they can act in hatred against it. And this is the full-blown false prophet who just distorts the Word of God to bring harm and destruction to the people of God. They act violently against the Word. They want to shut the Bible. They want to shut the book. So do you see that? Now, do you see what all those are? Those are listening issues. Those are hearing problems. And some of those are issues with some of you. You see, I get a view from up here every week that you guys don't get. And I watch as the Word is preached and I see people who just won't listen. They're reading their bulletin or whispering to their neighbor or tootling on their iPhone. Whatever they can do to keep from listening. They're naive. They're ignorant. But they're not innocent. They just don't want to hear it. And there are those of you who scoff, sometimes visibly. A grunt here, a grumble there, a roll of the eyes. My favorite. Now I'm well aware that some of that's meant for me, the messenger. But if we're learning anything, we need to understand it's not about me. It's about the message. And most of the time, the scoffer is making light of the Word of God. And then there are the haters. Some of you, maybe. But God is so patient. Look at what the wisdom writer says next in verse 23. Turn to my reproof. Behold, I'll pour out my spirit on you and I'll make my words known to you. Friend, you understand God loves you and he loves you enough to reprove you. He loves you enough to get your attention. He loves you enough to work, to give you understanding, to pour his spirit out on you, to illumine you. He will make his words known to you. So there are no excuses. There are no excuses. And that really goes on right into the next verse. Look at verse 24. Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention. And you neglected all my counsel and you didn't want my reproof. Such patience is there. Such intentional mercy is there. Do you see it? I called. I stretched out my hand. I offered my counsel. I offered my reproof. And how do we meet his patience? Look at the reaction. It's in the same two verses. You refused. No one paid attention. You neglected. You did not want my word. So first let me drive that home. Let me drive that home to some of you who might be here who have not responded to the call of the gospel that brings life. You haven't responded to the reality of a provision in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who bore your wrath on the cross, satisfying the Father for all your sins, who then offers to you everlasting life and hope and promise, if you will but by faith believe. That Christ has extended His grace to you. He's extended His provision to you. And for some of you, He has done it again and again and again and again. He has poured out His Spirit on you. He has driven the truth into your heart. He has broken you. You know you're guilty. And you refuse. You won't listen. You won't pay attention. You neglect it. And in the end, you have said again and again, I do not want that. I do not want that. I pray the day is different. I pray today you'll listen. And to the Christian that is here. To God's children who don't listen. You are stubborn. You are obstinate. You are refusing to pay attention. You are neglecting His counsel. You aren't interested in His reproof. Then will you please listen now to what God says in verse 26? I will also laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your dread comes, when your dread comes like a storm, and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Now just so you don't forget this, this isn't the scorn of a preacher. This isn't my laughter. This isn't the mocking of a pastor. This is the very heart of God expressing His reaction to the fruit of your refusal to listen. He will laugh, it says. He will mock, it says. Now, there are a lot of ways to imagine God and lots of reasons to fear Him. I mean, even His voice, the Bible tells, rolls like thunder, and when He moves in judgment, it's accompanied with lightning and flashes of light. There's this vengeance that we should rightly fear, the vengeance and the wrath, the just wrath that moved Him to destroy all of His creation in the flood, excepting only a few. The vengeance and the wrath that was poured out that wiped out Sodom and Gomorrah. There are a lot of reasons to fear God, right? But this, this stings in a unique way. This is fearful in a very unique way. To think of a God who is love and compassion, a God who is patient and kind, a God who is holy and righteous, to think of Him laughing and mocking you. His children who won't listen. And notice what's there. There's the calamity, the dread, the dread like a storm, the calamity like a whirlwind. What is that? Well, I don't know what that is in your life. You tell me. What's going on in your life right now? Where is your tempest? Look at your life. Look at your calamity. Look at your insecurities. Look at your dread. Look at your depression. Look at your fear and your despair. That's tough, isn't it? You say, Pastor, don't make light of that. That hurts. I know it hurts. It's not my desire to make light of your calamity. But I must press this on your pain. I must increase your misery. I must magnify your despair. How, you ask? By telling you that from the midst of your pain, do you hear God laughing at you? Do you hear God mocking you? That hurts, doesn't it? And it could get worse. And it does get worse. Look at verse 28. Then they'll call on me. and I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me, because they hated knowledge, they didn't choose the fear of the Lord, they wouldn't accept my counsel, they spurned all my reproof, so they shall eat of the fruit of their own way and be satiated with their own devices, for the waywardness of the naive will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them." Let me tell you something, the only thing worse than the misery you're in is to realize it has no relief. You see, you always imagine he'd be there like a knight in shining armor showing up to save the day. When you've had enough of you, just drop a quarter in and pull the God handle. There you'll be. But God paints an entirely different picture. for the obstinate and for the disobedient. God has an entirely different ending to that story. There will be no one there to save the day. Just you, left to your own devices. Eat that, God says. Drink that, God says. Gorge yourselves on that, he says. All of that and then death. How did it happen? Look at it. Verse 32. Waywardness and complacency. All you have to do to end up in that condition is nothing. Just drift. And all you have to do to avoid it is listen. Verse 33, But he who listens to me shall live securely. And he'll be at ease. No fear. of the dread of evil. Wisdom shouts in the streets. She lifts her voice in the square. At the head of the noisy street, she cries out. At the entrance of the gates in the city. She utters her sayings. And from a pulpit on Scottsville Road in Bowling Green on the first day of April, she pleads. Will you listen? Will you listen? Father. We thank you for your word. And for your patience with us. So many naive. So many scoffers. So many haters. Oh, God, would you pour out your spirit on us? And speak to us. The words of life. Call us to repentance. Fix us securely. In your commands. open our ears that we might hear of the wonders and the majesty of God. For Christ's sake we ask, for His glory we plead, and all God's people said, You have been listening to Pastor and Bible Teacher Steve Wilson of Grace Community Church in Bowling Green, Kentucky. We trust you have been encouraged and challenged by this message. If you would like to listen to more of Pastor Wilson's messages or obtain more information on the ministry of Grace Community Church, you can go to our website at www.gccbg.com, that's gccbg.com, or call 270-781-2595.