1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:10,600 Let's read from Matthew 2 2 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:19,460 where we had read from last week, last 3 00:00:19,460 --> 00:00:20,680 Sunday. 4 00:00:27,070 --> 00:00:29,870 Now, verse 3, but I'm going to just 5 00:00:29,870 --> 00:00:32,130 jump around to a few verses. 6 00:00:38,850 --> 00:00:40,970 When Herod the king heard this, he was 7 00:00:40,970 --> 00:00:43,370 troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 8 00:00:57,210 --> 00:00:59,670 And when he had gathered all the chief 9 00:00:59,670 --> 00:01:02,510 priests and scribes of the people together, he 10 00:01:02,510 --> 00:01:04,630 inquired of them where the Christ was to 11 00:01:04,630 --> 00:01:05,210 be born. 12 00:01:05,210 --> 00:01:08,210 Verse 9. 13 00:01:32,850 --> 00:01:35,650 When they heard the king, they departed, and 14 00:01:35,650 --> 00:01:37,430 behold, the star which they had seen in 15 00:01:37,430 --> 00:01:38,190 the east went before them. 16 00:01:38,190 --> 00:01:41,310 Till it came and stood over where the 17 00:01:41,310 --> 00:01:42,590 young child was. 18 00:02:10,030 --> 00:02:13,530 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel 19 00:02:13,530 --> 00:02:15,510 of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a 20 00:02:15,510 --> 00:02:18,910 dream, saying, Arise, take the young child and 21 00:02:18,910 --> 00:02:21,310 his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there 22 00:02:21,310 --> 00:02:22,390 until I bring you word. 23 00:02:22,770 --> 00:02:24,630 For Herod will seek the young child to 24 00:02:24,630 --> 00:02:25,330 destroy him. 25 00:02:38,230 --> 00:02:40,530 When he arose, he took the young child 26 00:02:40,530 --> 00:02:42,470 and his mother by night and departed for 27 00:02:42,470 --> 00:02:44,470 Egypt and was there until the death of 28 00:02:44,470 --> 00:02:45,330 Herod. 29 00:02:47,230 --> 00:02:48,890 We'll read thus far. 30 00:02:51,530 --> 00:02:55,750 Now as we read, this text, I have 31 00:02:55,750 --> 00:03:07,330 the question, the wise men, when 32 00:03:07,330 --> 00:03:10,550 they had seen the star, they rejoiced. 33 00:03:18,650 --> 00:03:22,830 I ask, when did they actually lose the 34 00:03:22,830 --> 00:03:23,210 star? 35 00:03:29,870 --> 00:03:33,070 Or when did they lose focus and shift 36 00:03:33,070 --> 00:03:34,970 their sight off the star? 37 00:03:41,090 --> 00:03:43,630 Because they no longer saw it, but when 38 00:03:43,630 --> 00:03:46,210 they got out of there again, then they 39 00:03:46,210 --> 00:03:49,050 saw the star again and they were exceedingly 40 00:03:49,050 --> 00:03:49,570 glad. 41 00:03:59,850 --> 00:04:04,510 At which particular moment or place did they 42 00:04:04,510 --> 00:04:06,870 remove their focus from the star? 43 00:04:14,100 --> 00:04:16,100 You contemplate. 44 00:04:22,180 --> 00:04:28,380 They should never remove their focus from the 45 00:04:28,380 --> 00:04:28,740 star. 46 00:04:29,260 --> 00:04:30,240 Why did they? 47 00:04:34,340 --> 00:04:35,340 For what reason? 48 00:04:42,780 --> 00:04:45,760 Why did they remove their eyes from the 49 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:46,120 star? 50 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:11,000 It could have been that the journey had 51 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:15,260 been very unfamiliar, foreign, tough, but as they 52 00:05:15,260 --> 00:05:18,140 entered a major city like Jerusalem, it seemed 53 00:05:18,140 --> 00:05:21,000 all plain and sensible that this was the 54 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:21,600 road in. 55 00:05:22,460 --> 00:05:25,500 I don't know why they took their eyes 56 00:05:25,500 --> 00:05:26,440 from the star. 57 00:05:27,500 --> 00:05:29,660 But there must be a reason. 58 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,640 Maybe they thought it's not necessary anymore. 59 00:05:33,820 --> 00:05:35,340 Now we know the way. 60 00:05:36,340 --> 00:05:37,820 I don't know the reason. 61 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:40,800 Maybe they have to tell me when we 62 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:41,540 are up there. 63 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:45,280 I'd like to ask them, why did you 64 00:05:45,280 --> 00:05:47,140 take your eyes from the Lord? 65 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:04,500 Why do you sometimes take your eyes from 66 00:06:04,500 --> 00:06:05,040 the Lord? 67 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:07,260 What do you hear? 68 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:08,680 What do you see? 69 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:10,440 What have you been told? 70 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:11,200 What do you hear? 71 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:16,780 What 72 00:06:16,780 --> 00:06:34,160 do 73 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:40,420 you see? 74 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:50,320 It was a fatal error to remove their 75 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,680 focus from the star, thinking now they know 76 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:54,120 the way. 77 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:59,020 It resulted in a disaster, much bloodshed, many 78 00:06:59,020 --> 00:07:04,680 tears, Rachel's weeping because of their removing their 79 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:05,580 eyes from the star. 80 00:07:05,580 --> 00:07:07,680 Get nearer to the star and not further 81 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:08,240 away. 82 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:14,860 The star should be clearer to us instead 83 00:07:14,860 --> 00:07:16,260 of fading away. 84 00:07:16,260 --> 00:07:18,220 I don't know why they took their eyes 85 00:07:18,220 --> 00:07:18,440 from the Lord. 86 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:25,540 Maybe they thought it's not necessary 87 00:07:25,540 --> 00:07:34,260 anymore. 88 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:38,180 It is of 89 00:07:38,180 --> 00:07:52,500 great 90 00:07:52,500 --> 00:07:55,280 danger for you to remove your eyes from 91 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:55,820 the star. 92 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:58,440 It might be because of the glitter of 93 00:07:58,440 --> 00:07:59,000 the world. 94 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:02,720 It might be because of the other attractions, 95 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:04,300 something that takes your focus. 96 00:08:04,420 --> 00:08:05,920 Maybe you think, well, you know enough. 97 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:09,320 Whatever it is, there is a woe upon 98 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:11,760 you if you remove your focus from the 99 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:12,120 star. 100 00:08:28,900 --> 00:08:32,140 You might think it's just a small mistake 101 00:08:32,140 --> 00:08:35,520 to remove your focus from the star, but 102 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:39,299 it might result in much damage to other 103 00:08:39,299 --> 00:08:39,740 people. 104 00:08:43,820 --> 00:08:46,740 Heed God, listen to Him always. 105 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:55,920 If you are not obedient to Him, it 106 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:59,520 will result in evil and in weeping. 107 00:09:20,180 --> 00:09:29,500 The Lord might have called you to preach 108 00:09:29,500 --> 00:09:29,600 the gospel. 109 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:34,600 But you deliberately ignored His command and you 110 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,560 continued with your own career doing your thing. 111 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,520 Well, their blood will be called to account. 112 00:09:41,900 --> 00:09:43,200 They will go to hell, but you will 113 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:44,100 join them there too. 114 00:09:44,100 --> 00:09:57,020 It 115 00:09:57,020 --> 00:10:12,140 says, 116 00:10:12,140 --> 00:10:15,420 Herod was very troubled when he heard that 117 00:10:15,420 --> 00:10:17,140 a king had been born. 118 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:22,260 Now this king, this Christ child, the Lord, 119 00:10:22,380 --> 00:10:25,780 the Savior, the Messiah, that anybody should be 120 00:10:25,780 --> 00:10:27,440 troubled by his birth. 121 00:10:27,820 --> 00:10:30,980 No wonder Herod should go to hell for 122 00:10:30,980 --> 00:10:32,260 this attitude. 123 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:38,280 Why was he troubled? 124 00:10:50,100 --> 00:11:00,400 Now, not only Herod was troubled, maybe 125 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:04,260 God comes and speaks to you, or speaks 126 00:11:04,260 --> 00:11:06,760 to His people, and you don't want it, 127 00:11:06,900 --> 00:11:09,040 you resist it, you turn your back on 128 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:10,920 it and spurn His speaking. 129 00:11:11,300 --> 00:11:13,200 For your own sake and for the sake 130 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:17,060 of many people whose blood God will demand 131 00:11:17,060 --> 00:11:21,640 from you, you've killed them because you didn't 132 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:22,060 obey. 133 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:40,520 At all prices, be open 134 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:44,940 to God and rejoice in His message. 135 00:11:50,700 --> 00:11:53,660 It was His Savior that came. 136 00:11:54,300 --> 00:11:55,920 It was the Christ. 137 00:11:59,060 --> 00:12:00,100 It was 138 00:12:00,100 --> 00:12:14,020 His 139 00:12:14,020 --> 00:12:16,800 Savior, Herod's Savior who was born. 140 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:19,580 It was the Christ, the one who could 141 00:12:19,580 --> 00:12:20,140 save him. 142 00:12:20,140 --> 00:12:24,060 But instead of welcoming the news, he was 143 00:12:24,060 --> 00:12:25,660 troubled by it. 144 00:12:29,940 --> 00:12:32,960 No wonder a person like that will be 145 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,120 eaten by the worms. 146 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:39,140 Not just worms, but the eternal worm where 147 00:12:39,140 --> 00:12:40,500 the fire is not quenched. 148 00:13:00,660 --> 00:13:09,340 If God comes to you, and He comes 149 00:13:09,340 --> 00:13:12,060 to you, to bless you, to speak to 150 00:13:12,060 --> 00:13:15,240 you, and you spurn Him, and you're troubled 151 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:18,740 by it, well, your place is where the 152 00:13:18,740 --> 00:13:22,080 worm dieth not, and the flame is never 153 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:22,680 quenched. 154 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,800 That God should work and bring heaven to 155 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:34,280 you, and does such a mighty work on 156 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:36,980 your behalf, and yet you don't rejoice in 157 00:13:36,980 --> 00:13:37,220 it? 158 00:13:41,100 --> 00:13:43,900 Let's pass now to another point. 159 00:13:52,920 --> 00:14:05,380 Then, when 160 00:14:05,380 --> 00:14:07,120 the wise men had been with the Christ 161 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:09,420 Child, God spoke to them and warned them 162 00:14:09,420 --> 00:14:12,680 in a dream, Don't go back via Jerusalem 163 00:14:12,680 --> 00:14:13,760 as had been arranged. 164 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:16,160 Take another way, for this Herod is no 165 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:18,260 friend of the Messiah. 166 00:14:18,740 --> 00:14:20,520 No, he is an enemy. 167 00:14:20,700 --> 00:14:21,600 He is a hypocrite. 168 00:14:21,700 --> 00:14:24,520 He seeks to kill the Christ Child. 169 00:14:46,260 --> 00:14:52,460 Mary and Joseph were extremely blessed in many 170 00:14:52,460 --> 00:14:52,940 ways. 171 00:14:52,940 --> 00:14:56,440 The wise men coming from the east, the 172 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,960 shepherds who had come, the angels who had 173 00:14:59,960 --> 00:15:03,100 come, it was such great joy to them. 174 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:21,500 But then the angel of the Lord spoke 175 00:15:21,500 --> 00:15:25,400 to Joseph and said, Now, right now, at 176 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:29,120 night, you get up, take the child and 177 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:31,260 the mother, and you flee to Egypt. 178 00:15:33,780 --> 00:15:36,200 For Herod seeks his life. 179 00:15:40,580 --> 00:15:44,160 Joseph was an astonishing man. 180 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:47,120 He had no doubt. 181 00:15:54,300 --> 00:15:57,800 He wasn't irritated, saying, I'm being disturbed in 182 00:15:57,800 --> 00:15:58,460 my sleep. 183 00:16:10,300 --> 00:16:12,860 He got up right there and then, woke 184 00:16:12,860 --> 00:16:15,520 up Mary and said, we have to leave 185 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,360 immediately, take the child, we are fleeing to 186 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:18,720 Egypt. 187 00:16:28,060 --> 00:16:33,840 Consider the consequences, had they not obeyed. 188 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:37,680 If you wouldn't have obeyed, you and I 189 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:40,060 wouldn't have a Christ and a Savior today. 190 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:49,100 The billions of people would go to hell. 191 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:55,180 That you are saved was because of his 192 00:16:55,180 --> 00:16:55,920 obedience. 193 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:05,040 You've got no idea what will happen on 194 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:07,240 earth if you are disobedient. 195 00:17:30,020 --> 00:17:34,280 Perhaps many tribes and nations will weep and 196 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:37,220 weep because of a person like Joseph. 197 00:17:37,220 --> 00:17:40,120 Like you, who does not obey God. 198 00:17:44,360 --> 00:17:46,400 Get up, flee. 199 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:51,260 For the enemy seeks to kill the child. 200 00:17:54,720 --> 00:18:00,500 There are many people in this world who 201 00:18:00,500 --> 00:18:08,620 have received Christ, accepted Him, and they follow 202 00:18:08,620 --> 00:18:10,060 Jesus. 203 00:18:14,100 --> 00:18:16,680 But today you find that they have now 204 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:19,100 backslidden away from Christ. 205 00:18:19,620 --> 00:18:20,580 Why? 206 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:28,760 That they accepted Christ as their Savior. 207 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:37,860 But today, they've turned away from Him. 208 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,400 The first love is no longer in their 209 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:40,900 lives. 210 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:43,060 Why? 211 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:48,580 It's because their Jesus has died. 212 00:18:52,550 --> 00:18:56,990 Herod has come, sin has come to you, 213 00:18:57,230 --> 00:18:59,910 and you have not fled. 214 00:19:11,070 --> 00:19:14,370 The Bible speaks about many things which we 215 00:19:14,370 --> 00:19:15,790 have to flee from. 216 00:19:25,270 --> 00:19:28,490 In 1 Timothy 6 it says, You, O 217 00:19:28,490 --> 00:19:32,150 man of God, flee these things. 218 00:19:40,570 --> 00:19:44,470 There is often reference to that type of 219 00:19:44,470 --> 00:19:48,090 statement, like for instance, flee the lusts of 220 00:19:48,090 --> 00:19:48,450 youth. 221 00:19:57,390 --> 00:20:02,070 Some people they had received the Lord, but 222 00:20:02,070 --> 00:20:07,230 today they are absolutely cold dead because they 223 00:20:07,230 --> 00:20:10,090 did not flee the lusts of youth. 224 00:20:21,770 --> 00:20:26,550 It says that everything of the world, the 225 00:20:26,550 --> 00:20:29,170 spirit of the world, we must flee from 226 00:20:29,170 --> 00:20:30,090 it. 227 00:20:30,090 --> 00:20:32,470 There are many things from which you must 228 00:20:32,470 --> 00:20:35,750 flee, and if you don't flee, your Jesus 229 00:20:35,750 --> 00:20:37,850 will be killed afterwards. 230 00:20:38,670 --> 00:20:40,330 You're just a Christian in name. 231 00:20:41,130 --> 00:20:45,010 Christ, the Living One, isn't leading and guiding 232 00:20:45,010 --> 00:20:47,050 you, isn't growing within you. 233 00:21:04,090 --> 00:21:11,170 If it says, flee lust, it doesn't just 234 00:21:11,170 --> 00:21:12,810 say in your thought life. 235 00:21:20,030 --> 00:21:24,950 When it speaks here about flee from Herod, 236 00:21:25,350 --> 00:21:29,190 it meant it literally, getting out of sight, 237 00:21:32,190 --> 00:21:36,730 physically removing yourself from it. 238 00:21:36,730 --> 00:21:40,490 Now, many years ago, that same Reverend Malifi 239 00:21:40,490 --> 00:21:42,690 told us this story. 240 00:21:50,890 --> 00:21:53,810 He was a man to whom the Lord 241 00:21:53,810 --> 00:21:55,470 revealed His power. 242 00:21:59,970 --> 00:22:03,710 He was well known in that generation together 243 00:22:03,710 --> 00:22:05,190 with Reverend Nicholas Bengal. 244 00:22:17,690 --> 00:22:19,830 You know, a boy who is blessed by 245 00:22:19,830 --> 00:22:22,930 God, you'll find that he has a lot 246 00:22:22,930 --> 00:22:26,350 of girls following him, like flies following dirt. 247 00:22:46,190 --> 00:22:49,910 He said, there are girls, there are women 248 00:22:49,910 --> 00:22:54,030 who seek to be as close as possible 249 00:22:54,030 --> 00:22:55,330 to the opposite sex. 250 00:22:55,330 --> 00:22:58,390 Instead of feeling comfortable with their own sex, 251 00:22:58,710 --> 00:23:00,610 no, they want to be around men, as 252 00:23:00,610 --> 00:23:03,130 close as possible, not fleeing. 253 00:23:08,390 --> 00:23:16,690 And then he said, what then happened was 254 00:23:16,690 --> 00:23:21,730 that some would share so-called things of 255 00:23:21,730 --> 00:23:24,450 God in the Bible, boy and girl. 256 00:23:24,930 --> 00:23:28,030 He said, share with your own sex. 257 00:23:28,190 --> 00:23:29,730 Why do you have to seek the opposite 258 00:23:29,730 --> 00:23:30,890 sex to share it with? 259 00:23:55,050 --> 00:23:59,350 You even get the situation where some girls 260 00:23:59,350 --> 00:24:00,870 will seek out a man to share their 261 00:24:00,870 --> 00:24:00,970 sex with, and he'll say, no, no, no, 262 00:24:00,970 --> 00:24:01,070 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 263 00:24:01,070 --> 00:24:01,170 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 264 00:24:01,170 --> 00:24:01,270 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 265 00:24:01,270 --> 00:24:01,370 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 266 00:24:01,370 --> 00:24:01,470 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 267 00:24:01,470 --> 00:24:01,570 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 268 00:24:01,570 --> 00:24:01,670 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 269 00:24:01,670 --> 00:24:01,770 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 270 00:24:01,770 --> 00:24:01,870 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 271 00:24:01,870 --> 00:24:01,970 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 272 00:24:01,970 --> 00:24:02,070 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 273 00:24:02,070 --> 00:24:02,410 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 274 00:24:22,470 --> 00:24:29,690 no, no, no, no, no, no, Reverend Malithi 275 00:24:29,690 --> 00:24:32,330 said it went to such a point that 276 00:24:32,330 --> 00:24:34,990 some of these girls would ask for his 277 00:24:34,990 --> 00:24:39,350 address or would give them, give him their 278 00:24:39,350 --> 00:24:39,890 addresses. 279 00:24:56,150 --> 00:25:03,730 He said though, he noticed that there was 280 00:25:03,730 --> 00:25:22,970 a girl who 281 00:25:22,970 --> 00:25:27,110 totally ignored getting close to the opposite sex 282 00:25:27,110 --> 00:25:28,970 and what the others were up to and 283 00:25:28,970 --> 00:25:30,810 he said to himself I'd like to get 284 00:25:30,810 --> 00:25:33,290 married to a girl like that. 285 00:25:37,150 --> 00:25:46,770 Flee the lusts of the flesh and not 286 00:25:46,770 --> 00:25:50,530 just in your thought life, even physically removing 287 00:25:50,530 --> 00:25:52,610 yourself out of a situation. 288 00:26:03,010 --> 00:26:11,930 A certain white man told me, you know 289 00:26:11,930 --> 00:26:14,410 I've accepted the Lord, I've made all the 290 00:26:14,410 --> 00:26:18,370 decisions about becoming a Christian, but having been 291 00:26:18,370 --> 00:26:20,150 a drunkard in the past, but I just 292 00:26:20,150 --> 00:26:22,550 can't get out of this alcoholism. 293 00:26:23,030 --> 00:26:25,890 I can't get through a week without getting 294 00:26:25,890 --> 00:26:26,330 drunk. 295 00:26:36,690 --> 00:26:39,910 I asked him, well explain how this happens. 296 00:26:40,170 --> 00:26:42,110 So he said, you know whenever I go 297 00:26:42,110 --> 00:26:46,670 to a bar, unfailingly I come out drunk. 298 00:26:49,330 --> 00:26:51,730 I said what, you still go to bars? 299 00:27:03,790 --> 00:27:06,290 I said to him, no wonder you're swimming 300 00:27:06,290 --> 00:27:09,990 in booze, it's because you acquaint yourself with 301 00:27:09,990 --> 00:27:11,790 those places, you're so close to it, you 302 00:27:11,790 --> 00:27:14,190 need to flee from that evil. 303 00:27:16,270 --> 00:27:18,030 Flee. 304 00:27:46,150 --> 00:27:50,790 Some people say I 305 00:27:50,790 --> 00:28:05,550 just 306 00:28:05,550 --> 00:28:08,390 can't get rid of, I can't flee from 307 00:28:08,390 --> 00:28:13,150 these, from sexual temptation, it's because they are 308 00:28:13,150 --> 00:28:15,370 in it all the time and they are 309 00:28:15,370 --> 00:28:18,030 right in the situation, whether it's through their 310 00:28:18,030 --> 00:28:20,370 videos or the books or the internet or 311 00:28:20,370 --> 00:28:24,190 whatever it is, flee, destroy, rather get rid 312 00:28:24,190 --> 00:28:32,670 of that, destroy that internet, the thing that 313 00:28:32,670 --> 00:28:35,570 trips you up is the thing that you 314 00:28:35,570 --> 00:28:36,610 need to flee from. 315 00:28:37,710 --> 00:28:41,170 And I'd like to say, if you don't 316 00:28:41,170 --> 00:28:46,430 flee from that, you are as guilty as 317 00:28:46,430 --> 00:28:50,830 what Joseph would have been, if he would 318 00:28:50,830 --> 00:28:55,830 have not fled and Herod would have succeeded 319 00:28:55,830 --> 00:29:00,170 in killing the child, because the devil succeeds 320 00:29:00,170 --> 00:29:04,230 to kill the child in you, your sin 321 00:29:04,230 --> 00:29:05,030 is the same. 322 00:29:40,770 --> 00:29:42,190 The variety is, 323 00:29:45,030 --> 00:29:55,170 you 324 00:29:55,170 --> 00:29:56,950 need to flee the thing that trips you 325 00:29:56,950 --> 00:29:57,150 up. 326 00:29:57,490 --> 00:30:00,070 I saw recently two girls and I immediately 327 00:30:00,070 --> 00:30:04,070 recognised their intimacy showed that they were lesbians, 328 00:30:04,210 --> 00:30:05,010 you get high with that. 329 00:30:05,030 --> 00:30:07,650 homosexuals, men who are just far too intimate 330 00:30:07,650 --> 00:30:08,410 with each other. 331 00:30:08,770 --> 00:30:14,010 If there is any relationship that is inappropriate, 332 00:30:14,470 --> 00:30:16,410 that's the thing that you need to flee 333 00:30:16,410 --> 00:30:16,790 from. 334 00:30:26,070 --> 00:30:28,970 To Timothy, it was written about many things 335 00:30:28,970 --> 00:30:31,330 that a man of God needs to flee 336 00:30:31,330 --> 00:30:31,730 from. 337 00:30:37,470 --> 00:30:40,370 In chapter 5, it says, in verse 19, 338 00:30:48,710 --> 00:30:52,090 it says, don't accept a charge against an 339 00:30:52,090 --> 00:30:54,270 elder unless there are two or three witnesses. 340 00:31:19,290 --> 00:31:23,810 You'll find a person easily gossiping, coming and 341 00:31:23,810 --> 00:31:25,230 slandering about somebody. 342 00:31:25,610 --> 00:31:29,310 So firstly it says, regarding an elder, an 343 00:31:29,310 --> 00:31:31,630 older man, an elder in the church, if 344 00:31:31,630 --> 00:31:34,550 somebody comes, do not listen to such a 345 00:31:34,550 --> 00:31:35,870 charge or accusation. 346 00:31:47,590 --> 00:31:50,610 Unless it is absolutely ascertained by two or 347 00:31:50,610 --> 00:31:51,170 three witnesses. 348 00:31:51,490 --> 00:31:53,190 You see, gossip is such a curse in 349 00:31:53,190 --> 00:31:53,650 the church. 350 00:31:53,990 --> 00:31:55,610 It goes around like wildfire. 351 00:31:55,790 --> 00:31:57,050 It is a terrible thing. 352 00:31:57,070 --> 00:31:57,770 It destroys. 353 00:31:59,070 --> 00:32:01,510 It's from downright out of hell. 354 00:32:11,070 --> 00:32:14,430 For the Bible says, if a person sins, 355 00:32:14,830 --> 00:32:17,930 go to that person and help him and 356 00:32:17,930 --> 00:32:18,650 talk to him. 357 00:32:49,570 --> 00:32:52,230 And if he doesn't listen, you rather take 358 00:32:52,230 --> 00:32:55,130 somebody who has wise counsel and go and 359 00:32:55,130 --> 00:32:55,890 talk to that person. 360 00:32:56,270 --> 00:33:00,550 Never speak about another person in their absence, 361 00:33:00,830 --> 00:33:03,310 because you are too of Satan. 362 00:33:03,610 --> 00:33:05,810 You are a messenger of the devil. 363 00:33:19,150 --> 00:33:21,530 So that is why it says here, if 364 00:33:21,530 --> 00:33:23,770 somebody comes with a charge against an elder, 365 00:33:23,970 --> 00:33:26,330 don't even listen to him unless he comes 366 00:33:26,330 --> 00:33:28,870 with sure proof of another two or three 367 00:33:28,870 --> 00:33:29,470 witnesses. 368 00:33:29,710 --> 00:33:33,310 And if he talks about somebody else, 369 00:33:35,930 --> 00:33:47,090 be 370 00:33:47,090 --> 00:33:54,670 instantly alert when somebody comes and uses the 371 00:33:54,670 --> 00:33:55,770 name of somebody else. 372 00:33:55,950 --> 00:33:56,690 Be on your guard. 373 00:33:57,170 --> 00:33:59,710 Another approach can be, all right, hold on, 374 00:34:00,010 --> 00:34:02,790 let's go together and you tell me what 375 00:34:02,790 --> 00:34:04,870 you've just told me in the presence of 376 00:34:04,870 --> 00:34:07,409 the person about whom you've spoken. 377 00:34:11,969 --> 00:34:13,150 Flee slander. 378 00:34:22,949 --> 00:34:24,050 Flee slander. 379 00:34:24,530 --> 00:34:26,850 Flee slander. 380 00:34:27,530 --> 00:34:29,210 Flee slander. 381 00:34:31,150 --> 00:34:33,090 Flee slander. 382 00:35:03,210 --> 00:35:06,110 So you need to flee the sin of 383 00:35:06,110 --> 00:35:06,470 gossip. 384 00:35:06,830 --> 00:35:09,690 If you can't sum up the courage to 385 00:35:09,690 --> 00:35:12,170 go and speak to somebody about a problem, 386 00:35:12,270 --> 00:35:13,890 you can come to me, I'll go with 387 00:35:13,890 --> 00:35:14,090 you. 388 00:35:14,170 --> 00:35:16,930 But never speak behind somebody's back. 389 00:35:17,430 --> 00:35:20,970 You see, otherwise you start getting clicks within 390 00:35:20,970 --> 00:35:22,010 a church grouping. 391 00:35:22,310 --> 00:35:24,870 You find instead of a holy unity, the 392 00:35:24,870 --> 00:35:27,250 fellowship of the saints, you get a party 393 00:35:27,250 --> 00:35:30,390 spirit where they sort of branch off and 394 00:35:30,390 --> 00:35:32,490 this group stays there and that group has 395 00:35:32,490 --> 00:35:35,410 meals together, but they do not fellowship together. 396 00:35:37,850 --> 00:35:44,570 That is Satanic and such people. 397 00:35:56,730 --> 00:35:59,210 Such people we do not need here. 398 00:35:59,890 --> 00:36:03,530 Rather, leave here if you cannot contain your 399 00:36:03,530 --> 00:36:03,970 tongue. 400 00:36:08,030 --> 00:36:11,370 For you will be accursed if you continue 401 00:36:11,370 --> 00:36:13,550 with that gossip amongst the children of God. 402 00:36:22,490 --> 00:36:24,290 Many other things as well. 403 00:36:24,370 --> 00:36:26,990 We don't have time to go through the 404 00:36:26,990 --> 00:36:30,150 list of other things mentioned as well. 405 00:36:33,250 --> 00:36:36,990 It is mentioned also regarding this example of 406 00:36:36,990 --> 00:36:38,530 money, the love of money. 407 00:36:49,430 --> 00:36:54,850 There was a meeting, a sort of minister's 408 00:36:54,850 --> 00:36:57,030 fraternity where they were going to arrange a 409 00:36:57,030 --> 00:37:02,510 massive big mass meeting, but the whole arrangement 410 00:37:02,510 --> 00:37:04,990 just fell into tatters. 411 00:37:26,530 --> 00:37:27,230 And when 412 00:37:27,230 --> 00:37:38,150 one 413 00:37:38,150 --> 00:37:41,250 went into it, it was discovered that it 414 00:37:41,250 --> 00:37:42,990 was simply the love of money. 415 00:37:43,130 --> 00:37:45,610 These ministers were asking how much money they 416 00:37:45,610 --> 00:37:47,310 were going to get out of the deal 417 00:37:47,310 --> 00:37:52,330 of this mass meeting, this crusade, and that 418 00:37:52,330 --> 00:37:54,310 was what destroyed the whole arrangement. 419 00:37:57,330 --> 00:37:59,350 We once arranged services. 420 00:38:02,990 --> 00:38:12,430 Preachers came, and they said, well, if our 421 00:38:12,430 --> 00:38:13,330 choirs are going to get out of this 422 00:38:13,330 --> 00:38:16,010 deal, come to sing at this meeting, then 423 00:38:16,010 --> 00:38:19,450 we demand so many thousand for their performance. 424 00:38:22,770 --> 00:38:25,550 If we lead the singing, the chorus singing, 425 00:38:25,910 --> 00:38:28,390 then we demand this amount. 426 00:38:34,810 --> 00:38:49,110 Eventually, I don't know 427 00:38:49,110 --> 00:38:52,890 how many tens of thousands they were demanding. 428 00:38:53,350 --> 00:38:56,310 That is such a curse in Africa, the 429 00:38:56,310 --> 00:38:59,330 love of money, which just destroys the work 430 00:38:59,330 --> 00:39:03,010 of God because the love of money is 431 00:39:03,010 --> 00:39:06,730 just so intertwined with church work that it 432 00:39:06,730 --> 00:39:07,690 destroys it. 433 00:39:12,590 --> 00:39:18,190 Flee these things lest they wound you. 434 00:39:20,130 --> 00:39:28,170 Money can become bigger 435 00:39:28,170 --> 00:39:32,110 to you than 436 00:39:32,110 --> 00:39:43,810 God. 437 00:39:44,410 --> 00:39:46,510 You might say, I want to study because 438 00:39:46,510 --> 00:39:48,910 I want to earn megabucks. 439 00:39:49,210 --> 00:39:50,410 I want to become really rich. 440 00:39:50,590 --> 00:39:53,250 Well, if that's your attitude, your Jesus is 441 00:39:53,250 --> 00:39:53,890 dead already. 442 00:39:54,170 --> 00:39:55,550 Herod has destroyed him. 443 00:40:16,950 --> 00:40:19,230 Chapter 6 verse 1, let as many bond 444 00:40:19,230 --> 00:40:21,190 servants as are under the yoke count their 445 00:40:21,190 --> 00:40:24,050 own masters worthy of all honor so that 446 00:40:24,050 --> 00:40:25,950 the name of God and his doctrine may 447 00:40:25,950 --> 00:40:27,170 not be blasphemed. 448 00:41:00,190 --> 00:41:03,170 And those who have believing masters, let them 449 00:41:03,170 --> 00:41:05,670 not despise them because they are brethren, but 450 00:41:05,670 --> 00:41:08,630 rather serve them because those who are benefited 451 00:41:08,630 --> 00:41:10,210 are believers and beloved. 452 00:41:10,650 --> 00:41:12,170 Teach and exhort these things. 453 00:41:34,350 --> 00:41:37,810 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent 454 00:41:37,810 --> 00:41:40,370 to wholesome words, even the words of our 455 00:41:40,370 --> 00:41:42,430 Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which 456 00:41:42,430 --> 00:41:46,430 accords with godliness, he is proud knowing nothing. 457 00:42:20,050 --> 00:42:24,110 But is obsessed with disputes and arguments over 458 00:42:24,110 --> 00:42:29,550 words from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil 459 00:42:29,550 --> 00:42:32,730 suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds 460 00:42:32,730 --> 00:42:34,210 and destitute of truth. 461 00:42:40,750 --> 00:42:43,770 Who suppose that godliness is a means of 462 00:42:43,770 --> 00:42:44,250 gain. 463 00:42:56,530 --> 00:43:03,950 And then it concludes by saying there, from 464 00:43:03,950 --> 00:43:06,030 such withdraw yourself. 465 00:43:06,650 --> 00:43:10,230 Do you see why Jesus is stifled, Jesus 466 00:43:10,230 --> 00:43:12,790 is killed, why Herod is given free reign 467 00:43:12,790 --> 00:43:14,930 to destroy the life within you? 468 00:43:15,070 --> 00:43:17,710 Because you do not flee these things. 469 00:43:44,570 --> 00:43:47,450 Cling to these truths. 470 00:43:48,130 --> 00:43:49,990 Flee from that which is wrong. 471 00:43:51,270 --> 00:43:52,650 Do some introspection. 472 00:43:53,550 --> 00:43:57,650 Ask and say Lord is your life really 473 00:43:57,650 --> 00:43:59,690 alive within me? 474 00:44:04,430 --> 00:44:06,870 And if you 475 00:44:06,870 --> 00:44:19,890 do 476 00:44:19,890 --> 00:44:22,650 not flee from this, you will be killed. 477 00:44:25,330 --> 00:44:27,330 And if you do not flee from this, 478 00:44:27,590 --> 00:44:28,070 you will be killed. 479 00:44:30,470 --> 00:44:34,970 So this text says man of God flee 480 00:44:34,970 --> 00:44:38,810 these things so no wonder we as we 481 00:44:38,810 --> 00:44:42,770 walk on our heavenly journey we walk on 482 00:44:42,770 --> 00:44:46,430 white bones of those who have died along 483 00:44:46,430 --> 00:44:48,910 the way because they have not fled from 484 00:44:48,910 --> 00:44:51,450 the things that the Bible commands them to 485 00:44:51,450 --> 00:44:52,370 flee from. 486 00:45:03,350 --> 00:45:04,150 Jesus 487 00:45:04,150 --> 00:45:17,310 and 488 00:45:17,310 --> 00:45:20,510 Herod cannot be comrades together in your heart 489 00:45:20,510 --> 00:45:22,730 and the one will destroy the other. 490 00:45:23,330 --> 00:45:26,290 It is no wonder that you find that 491 00:45:26,290 --> 00:45:29,710 there's a deadness that's creeping inside you and 492 00:45:29,710 --> 00:45:32,310 you are suffocating it is because you are 493 00:45:32,310 --> 00:45:35,130 not heeding the words of fleeing these things. 494 00:45:36,910 --> 00:45:38,010 Let's stand to our feet. 495 00:45:42,450 --> 00:45:44,830 I ask you Lord send your Holy Spirit 496 00:45:44,830 --> 00:45:56,550 to lead us into all the truth to 497 00:45:56,550 --> 00:45:59,590 correct and convict us as to whether Jesus 498 00:45:59,590 --> 00:46:01,790 is alive in our hearts or has been 499 00:46:01,790 --> 00:46:03,410 destroyed by Herod. 500 00:46:08,770 --> 00:46:12,310 Our Holy Spirit move in our midst touch 501 00:46:12,310 --> 00:46:28,330 each and every one 502 00:46:28,330 --> 00:46:32,750 that each one will be forced to face 503 00:46:32,750 --> 00:46:35,110 the truth that if I do not flee 504 00:46:35,110 --> 00:46:38,390 the things that you convict them of that 505 00:46:38,390 --> 00:46:41,090 the child the Christ child will be destroyed 506 00:46:41,090 --> 00:46:41,830 in them. 507 00:46:45,290 --> 00:46:52,470 I ask you Lord that as we leave 508 00:46:52,470 --> 00:46:54,650 the service now that you would work in 509 00:46:54,650 --> 00:47:02,430 every heart revealing whether Jesus is alive in 510 00:47:02,430 --> 00:47:03,850 our hearts or not. 511 00:47:04,330 --> 00:47:05,030 Amen.