It would be. Foolish to think that Christians can't be fools. That would just be crazy. When Peter was filled with emotion on the Mount of Transfiguration, Then it happened. Writes Luke.
As they were parting from him, that was Moses and Elijah speaking with Christ concerning his crucifixion. That Peter said to Jesus, Master, It is good for us to be here. Jesus is like, shut up. Yeah. This is Cross Reference Radio with our pastor and teacher, Rick Gaston.
Ricky is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through a topical series. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about Cross Reference Radio. specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching.
Now here's Pastor Rick as he continues his topical message called Proverbs and Fasting. Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. That's for political conversation. It should end many arguments. Here's a This is one of my favorites.
One of these days I'm going to learn how to do this one. A soft answer turns away wrath. But a harsh word stirs up anger. You can diffuse a situation by just, not always, sometimes you know, some folks are just. They're just jihadists for anything.
and you you're stuck. But oftentimes, you know, you can diffuse a situation with just a kind word. Proverbs 16:32. What we're looking at again is how these things apply. He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, but he who rules and he who rules his spirit Than he who takes a city.
Self-control. Proverbs 18, 7.
Now this is another good one because it has violated so much. You know, A spouse will say, ask for a consultation for marriage counseling alone and And they'll tell you all the bad things the other one is doing, and the natural thing is to know that person's a scoundrel. I'd hate them with you. And then the other side comes and tells their story, and now, what? Oh man, I hate the yellow one now.
So here's that proverb. The first one to plead his cause seems right. until his neighbor comes and examines him. And you know, that's right, you gotta watch. There's two sides to the story.
And you just, you know, to just listen to one side and think that's the gospel. Is a dangerous place to be.
Sometimes it is true.
Sometimes that one side of the story is true, but you got, you have to. Vet it. Validated. Be careful of jumping to to conclusions.
Some people, that's the only exercise they get. 212 The way of a man is right in his own eyes. But Yahweh weighs the heart. And what that means, yeah, Of course my way is going to be right. It's something I'm convinced of.
Until I factor God in.
Now that forces me to evaluate myself. And make sure I'm not being arrogant. and closed-minded To a fault, because I am closed-minded on some things. Like false religions. But not on everything.
Some things you have to, you know, you have to weigh them again in the balances. Things change. But not the essential doctrines. There are some things that are fixed. Proverbs 21, 2.
I read that one. 27:6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Yeah, someone who's always slapping you in the back, yeah, great job, but really can't stand you, it's just setting you up. But a friend will say, Just tell oh A friend will not tell you something to get you to do what they want you to do.
A good friend will tell you Something that they see is going to happen to you because they care about you. Not them. There's nothing in it for them except their care for you. It's been said I don't know about women, but men I won't. If a man A man usually can have no more than one Good friend in a lifetime.
Something to think about. Because you know, we're just built different. You have to kind of earn it, and you have to secure it. Usually, you know, may go back to childhood or some common experience. Good friends.
If you have them, you know, be gentle with them. They're a gem. You can have many good friends, many very good friends. But the very best one, hmm, that's something to think about anyway. Be diligent to Know the state of your flocks and attend to your herds.
Well, Dad should know what's going on in the house, and so should mom.
So a pastor should know what's happening in the flock. The pastors, we report to each other our interactions with the flock so everybody knows the state of the flock. These proverbs are safety nets. Guardrails for life, so that if you do run off the road, you don't run off a cliff. Application versus inapplication should mean something to you.
Now we're not talking about at this point. those outside the church or fools outside Christianity. We're talking about those who claim Christ as Lord. but won't listen. Failure to apply these lessons comes with consequence, but unfortunately, I think sometimes one thing that fuels A person that is rep Habitually Foolish.
Harsh, stupid. But habitually, if selfishness is one. And the need for attention is too. And then you add to that a little stubbornness of self-will. Defiance.
Jealousy How dare you be smarter than me, have more perception than I, and then you have this. person that you love That does not apply lessons and creates problems for everybody. Fall out. There are fools in Christ, and the Bible teaches that very clearly. Consider the church at Corinth.
Demas, Diotrephes, one of the worst characters. in the New Testament. The church at Laodicea. How about the Galatians? The Galatians were doing fine.
Listening to Paul and Barnabas becoming Christians. And then the Judaizers, the ones who said, yeah, yeah, Christ's right, that's right, but you still got to have Moses. They came behind Paul and Barnabas and they upset the apple cart. But Paul asked them this question, O foolish Galatians. Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth?
Before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you. as crucified, as the sacrifice. Corinth and the churches in the region of Galatia recovered. They got their act together overall.
So, according to God, Habitual folly is not a virtue. Matthew 10. Jesus said to his disciples, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so you better be wise. That's what he says. He says, I send you out in the midst of wolves, therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
Low profile, be able to fly and understand. What you're dealing with. Or else you're just going to be prey. And he's not If the Christians would only pray, there'd be no Christians left after a while. That'd be it for Christianity.
But Christianity has survived because the church has been wise. Then when I say the church, I mean believers, the universal church. And this is how I'm using it now. Wisdom is also gained. by being around mature believers.
Problem is a fool doesn't want to be around mature believers. First off, they're going to irritate the mature believers so much the mature believers don't want to be around them.
So, if you, you know, if you keep shooting yourself in the foot. and causing other people to get hit with shards of this or that because of your behavior. Maybe you want to stand down. Get around some smart people and let them lead you. Without a contract.
Volitionally. Of your own free will. That's you know, that's what makes the church. I get to pastor and preach to you by your consent. And Christians don't like enough of that.
Well this, they vote. with their feet. They don't come back. They walk somewhere else. Wisdom is gained by being around mature believers.
Some people do go to their grave always making the wrong decisions, so just don't let that be you.
Some are self-made fools. They're incurable. Proverbs twenty seven, twenty two Though you grind a fool into mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain. yet his foolishness will not depart from him. And what is that?
It's the saying that some people are irretrievable. Just don't be them. Can't say that enough.
So let's try it 20 more times. Because they refused to heed, refused to heed. Jesus said, Be careful how you hear, be careful how you heed. Always living in a state of drama. Do you know anybody like that?
Always, there's a drama going on. Just give them a little bit of five minutes or so, here's another one coming.
So the application of Proverbs is learn How to act. And learn how to act on sound. Council. I'm not going to take any more verses. Oh, we got we have a little time.
We're only two minutes into it. Chapter 2 verses 1, 2, and then verse 5 of the Proverbs. Yeah, we could you could say Proverbs is wisdom For dummies of the faith. In a humorous way, but it is much more rich than that. It's not just for those who are slow, it's also for those who are very quick.
My son, have you received my words? And treasure my commands within you. Do you know how hard it is to get a young? or middle aged child, to treasure the wisdom of the parents. When they're little, yes.
When they get older. But in that middle zone. You might have some problems there.
So that you incline your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding.
So the child of Christ will say, sign me up. I'm going to be that team. That's gonna listen To those who've been down this road before, rather than. Go down this road without them. and incur whatever stupidity I can muster.
It continues chapter 2 verse 5. Then you will understand the fear of the Lord. And find the knowledge of God. It's all about God, it all comes back to God.
So Learn to live. without drawing The enemies Undo fire. Do not make a habit of doing things that make no sense. Learn to do good, seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow, Isaiah. Chapter 1, Ephesians 5.
Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what is the will of the Lord. How are you going to do that? Bible study, yeah. Church time, absolutely, because here the Holy Spirit moves in a unique way when you are one-on-one with the Holy Spirit. And He moves in a unique way when you're in the assembly.
just as powerful. And he moves in a unique way when you're sharing the faith or you're genuinely encouraging someone and not trying to show off how much you know. Do not resent people. who you should admire. That's jealousy.
Fools are made, they are not born. Jacob. I mean a heel catcher from birth and he didn't change much. As far as His ability to manipulate very easily. But in time, In time he was never the same.
He wasn't somebody to Fear that he's gonna rip you off. God did change him. Because Practicing How to think right. has rewards and thinking with your feelings without thinking is very bad. Everything, if you're one of those folks where everything is dominated by your initial feeling, your impulse, and you just won't slow it down.
Think it through. Cool down a little bit. You're cheating yourself and probably others around you too, because With some people, when feelings change, so does their loyalty, which means they never were loyal. And if you don't have loyalty, that is not discipline. Discipleship is not.
a factor in your life. Good sense is disciplined. Discipline is hard work. I loved the discipline that the drill instructors inflicted on me. I loved it.
I mean, I didn't know if I'd make it or not sometime, but I just said, these guys are crazy, and I'm just loving this because this is what's needed. They didn't explain anything, they explained sometimes, they explained it one time. And you were supposed to remember it. And if you didn't, there were consequences. And I just thought this was so attractive.
Anyway. They force you to do things.
So, you know, that's life is that way. You don't have to go to boot camp to experience that. But Don't be one who disregards facts. Proverbs 13:16: Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool lays open his folly. Yeah, because he's not prudent.
He's not thinking it through. And Christians are notorious for acting impulsively under the guise of passion or evangelism. Which brings me to John Allen Cowell. 26 years old. An American Christian.
Who was a missionary? According to himself, Killed By a people that lived on an island. Off of India Sentinelles, I think they're pronounced, Centillanese, something like that. Doesn't matter, don't correct me later. I don't want to think about it on the way home.
This was a tribe That voluntarily isolated themselves from civilization. And as such, their immune system would be Not there. This young man wanted to reach them for Christ. Never mind if he had a cold or some virus or bacteria or something, he'd just wipe out everybody. He didn't care about that.
He knew they were intolerant to visitors and had a history of violence. The Indian government put a no-go zone. Around this island, which he decided he should break that law because, after all, he had to get them the gospel. This is what happens when you think you can get the gospel to people that God can't get to. This is not the days of, you know, Captain Cook, who they actually cooked in the end.
Irony. Anyway, in 2018, John Allen Cowell attempted to introduce them to Christianity. He was a well-educated person. But he was l he was led by delusion. And he left behind brokenhearted parents, and a fool's testimony.
Nothing has come out of this good for Christians. for the people on that island. for anybody else. One of his friends said, What he did was stupid and courageous and bold. And I wish I were like that.
I mean you just you got the stupid part. You got that part? I'm not questioning their salvation. I'm not saying John Allen Cow has gone to hell for this. Absolutely not.
He's probably in heaven. But that does not Make right what he did. Proverbs can help stabilize impulsiveness. Proverbs should steer Christians away from zeal without knowledge. Choices without the Holy Spirit.
Whatever happened to you, lean not on your own understanding. I'm sure he would have had a big argument, been passionate about what he did, but there's no way wisdom is measured by her fruit. Proverbs 14, 29. He who is impulsive exalts folly. It would be Foolish to think that Christians can't be fools.
That would just be crazy. When Peter was filled with emotion on the Mount of Transfiguration, Then it happened, writes Luke, As they were parting from him, that was Moses and Elijah speaking with Christ concerning his crucifixion. That Peter said to Jesus, Master. It is good for us to be here. Jesus is like, shut up.
Yeah. Yeah. He's listening, he's letting him go like he does. Peter goes ahead and says, and let us make three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. And Bluke adds.
not knowing what he said. Nobody questions Peter's love for Christ. But it's impulsive. And the next voice he heard From the Father, this is my beloved Son. You listen, he's the one, he is the star.
Now some double down when proven wrong. Jude said, these are sensuous. persons who cause divisions not having the spirit. Those are the ones you point out, chapter 6, verse 19 of Proverbs. about sewing Seeds of discord, well, sowing discord.
And They'd just double down instead of repenting.
So, final thoughts on the Proverbs. Proverbs are to contribute to sound decision-making according to God. James 1 If any of you lacks wisdom, and everybody who comes to Christ should raise their hand if that question was asked. Which of you lacks wisdom in Christ? You have all the wisdom in the world.
What about in Christ? If you are a new convert, if you're a new convert, you lack wisdom. Because the older ones do too. Let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach. And it will be given to him.
What is that? It will be given without approach. God's not going to say, what, you don't know this? You know, people do that. Oh, you don't know this?
Oh, you didn't know. Shut up. No, I didn't know it. That's why I'm asking you. You didn't know I didn't know this?
You didn't know.
Okay. Anyway. Kings benefited from the proverbs.
So, what Paul says in the New Testament, I'm going to skip stuff so we can get to the next question. I think I've made my the points I'd like to make at least. The willful versus the wise. Without carnality, without pride. Paul Wrote about some unbelievers.
He said, they profess to be wise. They became fools concerning religion. They think they have the answers. And they bow down to beetles and snakes and rats and other stupid animals, created beings. That's not wise.
Again, Proverbs 14:12: There's a way that seems right to man, but its end leads to death. Again, a verse not limited to the gospel, it applies to other ways of thinking. A misguided zeal can masquerade as evangelism. or maturity Or bravery of something other than what it is. Let me close this question with this verse from Revelation.
Jesus said this seven times to each church. The good and the bad. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. And the churches are the people, because without the people, There's no church. You learn that very early, right?
You teach your children. This is the church. This is the steeple. Open the doors. Where are the people?
And the kids should say there's no people there, there's no church. All right, now question number three. Fasting, how, when, duration, command Well, I'll take this verse as our kingpinned to hold the trailer to the tractor, Acts chapter 13, verse 3. This is about Paul and Barnabas, when they were sent out on their first missionary journey, And that's where they established the churches in Galatia. Then having fasted and prayed, they laid hands on them and sent them away.
No further details given. about that exercise. Yeah. Fasting. Let's define it.
Abstaining In the service of God. Of course, abstaining from something you want. Like, you know, today I'm going to abstain from hitting myself in the head with a hammer. That's not fasting. Wilmington's book of Bible list says that there are twenty actual fast Recorded in the Bible.
Now, fasting is brought up much more than that in indirect ways, but actual events, like that one in Acts chapter 13, he says it 20 times. That merits our attention.
Well because what if he said it was two? Maybe, you know. But what if he said it was 500? Anyway, denying oneself a craving With the specific goal of drawing closer to God and drawing further away from your own carnality. That is what Fasting is supposed to do.
And I have to add very quickly: this is not the only way to do that. Fasting is for some, it's not for everybody.
Some people have health issues. They can never.
Well, there are ways that everybody can fast, and I'll hopefully hit on.
Some of them. Anyway. to get away from the flesh. Yeah. It's the new meaning to a sacrificial meal.
You have a sacrificial meal, you sacrifice an animal. Or you have a sacrificial meal where you sacrifice eating the meal. She says, I'm not going to eat. She sacrificed that meal. Anyway, I thought it was pretty clever, and I was expecting, actually, I was expecting a standing ovation.
for that. Fasting helps suppress the flesh. Because the flesh does nothing but war against the spirit without interruption. Never. There's a spirit.
Find rest from the flesh.
So to fat, then you you may overcome the flesh And it's suppressed. And so you're not picking it up, but it's there and it's pushing against the hull of the ship, trying to get in, just like a submarine. You know, the ocean is constantly. pressing on the hull. of that vessel.
So to fast is to appeal to God. For Christ's likeness. There are other ways to express This sincere Desire, endeavor of the Christian. Do some fast but never serve? Let's get them out of the way because there are those, they're high-minded, they're who I fast three times a week.
Isaiah fifty eight eight, verse six. Is this not the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bonds of the wicked. To undo the heavy burdens to let the oppressor go free. That you break every yoke.
He's saying, you know, God is saying, you know what I want? I want you to do something with your faith. And don't just stop eating. And think that, ooh, you know, an empty stomach, I don't need a full heart. Thanks for tuning in today to Cross Reference Radio, where Pastor Rick has some answers for various questions that have been asked.
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