It's Not Worth It Sun. PM 8-4-96

Hebrews chapter 11.

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

Would you also pick up 1 Kings chapter 15?

1 Kings 15 · chapter mention

You might want to turn this down just a little bit, guys, up there.

Thank you.

Hebrews chapter 11 and 1 Kings chapter 15.

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention 1 Kings 15 · chapter mention

Brother Art said it.

It was part of my notes tonight also.

I wanted to thank all the teen workers and teen laborers and all the teen parents and then all the teens.

They just come off of a tremendous July.

Every Friday night there were activities for the teens.

Good preaching.

You know, I it's good for me to have a few children because I can check out what's going on in the church and not be at all the functions.

And uh as I talked to some of the different teens, if you would, that uh were involved in these different functions and listened to the preaching, I heard very good comments and good testimonies, and they enjoyed themselves.

Uh teens, they they need to have something to do.

They they won't they won't sit at home all day without getting uh bitter if they stay there all month long.

So we've got to give them things to do, and it's better in the shopping mall and better in other places they could hang out.

And I'm glad we have an active team ministry that keeps them busy for Lord Jesus Christ.

So there's fun, there was food, there was fellowship, there were spiritual activities, at every function there's preaching, and I appreciate all the work that's going on in there.

Hebrews chapter 11.

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

Now I'm hoping that uh the ones in the uh lobby now in the four year are out there doing whatever, and then you're gonna be coming in, please.

Hebrews chapter 11 and 1 Kings chapter 15.

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention 1 Kings 15 · chapter mention

It's been my goal during the summer to shorten the messages just a little bit on Sunday nights to and not so much uh uh shorten them as far as content, but as far as the time, so you can have time to have uh fellowship with your families in the evening.

Hebrews chapter 11.

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

And notice if you would verse number 24.

Verse number 24 of Hebrews chapter 11.

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

By faith, Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.

Isn't that an interesting statement?

When he was old enough to understand what was going on, he said, I don't want to be called Pharaoh's, uh I don't want to be called the daughter, uh Pharaoh's daughter's son anymore.

Verse 25.

The first word is what?

Say it.

Choosing.

So he made a choice rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

And that's a good choice, amen.

He chose rather not to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, but he chose God's people.

Verse 26, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.

For he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

You know, evidently Moses looked at what uh the daughter of Pharaoh, being the son of that daughter, uh uh, could have had, and he looked at it all, and he must have said in his mind, it's not worth it.

I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna go into that sin, that Egyptian sin, the Egyptian uh way of life.

I'm gonna rather go out and I'm gonna be one of the children of God.

I was born to a Jewish woman.

I'm gonna go out and live as a child of God.

Every one of us, sooner or later, will face something in our lives that could destroy us.

It's an evil day.

And the net is laid for the fish, if you would.

It's an evil day.

The snare is laid for the fowl.

It's an evil day, and please look up here.

I believe if I know principalities and powers well enough, there's an evil day appointed to each one of us.

There's an evil day appointed to you, sir.

There's an evil day appointed to you, ma'am.

There's an evil day appointed to you, husband.

There's an evil day appointed to you, wife.

There's an evil day appointed to you, father.

There's an evil day appointed to you, mom.

There's an evil day appointed to you, ministry leader.

And I'm going to tell you, there needs to be a thought that comes up in our mind in that evil day, it's not worth it.

It's just not worth it.

Look if you would at 1 Kings 15 and stay with me.

1 Kings 15.

This won't be a message that maybe many people flood to the altar on, but there is going to be something that comes up sooner or later, brethren, and we need to make sure that our mind and our heart is prepared for it.

Look at 1 Kings chapter 15, and look if you would at verse 5.

1 Kings 15 · chapter mention

Verse 5.

Because David did that which was, say it, right?

Everybody say it, please.

Right.

In the eyes of the Lord, and turn not aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life.

Wouldn't it have been nice if that verse would have stopped right there?

Wouldn't it have been great for David to come out of that thing and said he did always that which was right in the eyes of the Lord?

Yeah, I know he numbered the people he repented.

I know he did some things, he he uh was involved in some things, and he repented, but it doesn't stop there.

Save only in the matter of who?

Uriah the Hittite and by the way, his wife.

I'll make a statement too.

If David were here tonight, he would stand up here and say, it wasn't worth it.

It wasn't worth it.

It wasn't worth it what I did to Uriah the Hittite's wife, and then what I did to Uriah the Hittite to try and cover it up, it wasn't worth it.

If you read the story, it caused a Ahithophel to get bitter.

Ahithophel had a son named Eliam, and Eliam had a daughter named Bathsheba.

And if you know the story, Ahithophel as the grandfather got bitter against David, and then later on stirred Absalom up, and there was a revolt, if you would, when Ahithophel the Gilonite joined himself to Absalom and began to take over the kingdom, and it messed everything up, and David knew it was his fault.

If David were here tonight, he'd say to us all, listen, it's just not worth it.

The pleasures of sin for a season aren't worth it.

Look, if you would at 1 Samuel 22.

1 Samuel 22.

Now, I realize tonight you may say, you know, I got that all pretty well under control.

There's an evil day that says, the Bible says, will come upon us suddenly.

And we need to get something in our mind tonight.

We men, we women, we need to get something in our mind, teenager.

It's not worth it.

1 Samuel chapter 22.

1 Samuel 22 · chapter mention

Look if you would at verse uh 19.

And Nob, the city of priest, smote he with the edge of the sword.

This is that Doeg the Edomite comes in.

One man escapes.

In verse 20, his name is Abiathar.

He escapes and he goes to David.

And David shows Abiathar mercy because David feels responsible.

Look if you would at chapter 23, please, of 1 Samuel.

And notice what happens in verse 6.

And it came to pass when Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, fled to David, to Kelah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

And if you know the story, verse 9, and David knew that Saul secretly practiced mischief against him.

He said to Abiathar, the priest, bring hither the ephod.

This man who escaped out of the destruction of the city of Nom, his name was Abiathar, and he brought out with him this ephod, which was part of the priestly garments, if you would.

And every time David wanted to know something of the Lord, he would bring hither the ephod, and God would use that to, uh, if you were, it's an inquiry type of thing.

It was at a time when David didn't have the ark of God.

It was uh stored down at the Philistines' place, and David had the opportunity to call for the ephod, but the point is Abiathar kept it.

Look, if you would at chapter 30, stay with me.

Chapter 30 of 1 Samuel.

And chapter 30, David again in verse number 7.

And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring hither the what?

Ephod.

David had entrusted Abiathar with this ephod.

And every time David wanted to inquire of God, he said, Abiathar, bring the ephod, bring me the ephod.

I want to see what God has to say.

Look if you would a little bit further and look at 2 Samuel 15.

Abiathar raises up in rank and in privilege and in responsibility.

And by the time David becomes king, Abiathar has a great position that he shares with Zadok.

Look at 2 Samuel 15 and notice, brother, in verse 25, uh 29.

Verse 29.

And by the way, this Old Testament is for our ensemble.

Verse 29.

Zadok, therefore, and who?

Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem and they tarried there.

So here we have now Abiathar has been lifted up to where literally he's one of the men shouldering the ark of God, and he's been entrusted with that.

And he's one of David's loyal members while Absalom takes over.

But Abiathar makes a mistake.

Look at 1 Kings chapter 1.

1 Kings 1 · chapter mention

1 Kings chapter 1.

1 Kings 1 · chapter mention

In 1 Kings chapter 1, look at verse 5.

1 Kings 1 · chapter mention

Verse 5, thank you for turning there and studying your book with me tonight, amen.

Hey, listen, let me just say something.

Don't come here and fall asleep, amen.

Somebody says, Why is it so cold?

So your teeth chatter when you sleep, amen?

I'm serious, amen.

We want you to stay awake.

1 Kings chapter 1, stay with me.

1 Kings 1 · chapter mention

And look if you would, verse 5.

That Adonijah, the son of Haggath, exalted himself, saying, I will be king.

He wasn't supposed to be king, Solomon was.

But he lifted himself up.

And look who Anonijah confers with, verse 7.

He confers with Joab, the son of Zariah.

And with who?

Abiathar.

I'm telling you, Abiathar got in with the wrong men.

He got in with Anonijah.

He got in with Joab.

Zadok, if you would, in verse 8, stayed away.

But look what happens at 1 Kings chapter 2.

1 Kings 2 · chapter mention

And notice verse 26.

Verse 26.

Solomon goes and look what he says to Abiathar.

And then Abiathar the priest said, The king, get thee to Anathoth unto thine own fields, for thou art worthy of what?

Death.

Hey, Abiathar was the one who carried the Ephod.

He escaped the city of Nob.

Stay with me.

And God allowed him, if you would, through David's leadership, to even bear the ark up.

And he was a well-renowned man.

But just that one time of messing around with the wrong people and running with the wrong crowd, with the Joabs and the Adonijah, just that one time.

The judgments were pronounced where he said, You know what, Abiathar, you're worthy of death.

You were part of the conspiracy.

But I will not at all this time put thee to death because thou bearest the ark of the Lord God.

I'm telling you, if Abiathar stood up here tonight, he would say, Don't run with the wrong crowd.

Don't get in with the wrong crowd.

It's just not worth it.

It's just not worth it.

Look if you wrote it, 2 Samuel chapter 1.

2 Samuel 1 · chapter mention

2 Samuel chapter 1.

2 Samuel 1 · chapter mention

And you know it's not hard to get illustrations out of this book.

2 Samuel chapter 1.

2 Samuel 1 · chapter mention

And would you also pick up 1 Samuel 28?

2 Samuel 1 and 1 Samuel 28.

Here's an unusual statement.

2 Samuel 1 and 1 Samuel 28.

Just a couple more scriptures to look at.

You're going to be surprised how quickly this goes.

1 Samuel chapter 1.

1 Samuel 1 · chapter mention

Look what's said about Saul in verse 21 at his death.

Verse 20 says, Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Escalon, that's where the Philistines were.

Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice.

Verse 21, ye mountains of Gilboah, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain upon you, nor fields of offerings.

For there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away.

And the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.

The anointing of the oil was to delegate himself that he was going to be and did become the king.

And when he was little in his own eyes, God blessed him.

But some things happened along the way.

Look at 1 Samuel 28, stay with me.

And also pick up 1 Chronicles 10.

1 Samuel 28 and 1 Chronicles chapter 10.

1 Chronicles 10 · chapter mention

Isn't it good we got a Bible to study?

Amen.

Moses said, you know what?

It was my choice, and when I came of age, I decided I didn't want to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.

I didn't want to enjoy all that sin.

I wanted to go out with God's people.

It just wasn't worth it.

It's just not worth it.

1 Samuel, if you would, in verse chapter 28, look at it with me, and look at chapter 28, verse 3.

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried it in Rhema, even in his own city.

And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits and the wizards out of the land.

And the Philistines gathered themselves together and came and pitched in Shunim.

And Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboah.

And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was what?

Say it, afraid.

Not only was he afraid, he was backslid.

In our terminology today, he wasn't walking with God.

He was afraid and his heart greatly trembled.

And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not.

Why?

God had already taken his power and his presence from him because of Saul's previous actions.

And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

Why?

God was done with him.

He had entered the priest's office and offered sacrifices.

He had blamed it on the people.

He had over and over and over disobeyed God, and one day God finally said, I'm done with you.

And Saul goes out and consults a witch.

And look if you would at 1 Chronicles chapter 10.

1 Chronicles 10 · chapter mention

Verse 13.

So Saul, chapter 10 of 1 Chronicles, so Saul died for his transgression, which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a what, say it, familiar spirit to inquire of this, of it, and inquired not of the Lord.

Therefore, he, that's the Lord, slew him and turned the kingdom of unto David, the son of Jesse.

Hey, you know what?

When Saul had got to the place was he so far away from God, he went down to the soothsayer, he went down to the witch, he went down to the fortune teller.

It would be like going to the horoscope today or somebody in the world to get our direction on what we're supposed to do in our life, and being Christians, not inquiring of God, and not getting our counsel from somebody walking with God or from the preaching or from this book and not praying, not fasting about it, just going out and taking anybody's counsel or going and talking to somebody that doesn't know anything about God.

It would be just like that.

And so I would stand up today and say, It's not worth it.

It wasn't worth it.

I lost it all.

And Jonathan, his son, died also.

Look at Numbers 22, stay with me.

Numbers 22.

The last scriptures I'm going to ask you to turn to.

Brother, we need to get something in our brain going that when the evil day comes and the snares laid before us, something needs to come in there and say, it's not worth it.

It's not worth giving up what we have.

It's not worth giving up our fellowship with God.

It's not worth giving up our family.

It's not worth giving up our ministry.

It's not worth giving up the power of God.

It's not worth it.

Numbers 22, please.

Numbers 22.

This is Balak.

He comes to Balaam.

And he says, Balaam, I want you to go out and I want you to curse the children of God.

And God intervenes a little bit, and Balak shows up again, verse 15, a very important man.

And Balak sent yet again princes, more and more honorable than they.

And they came to Balaam and said to him, Look at it, thus says Balak, the son of Zippor.

Let nothing, I pray, hinder thee from coming unto me.

For I will what?

Say it, promote thee unto very great honor.

And I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me.

Come, therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

God deals with Balaam again.

He has his donkey.

Give him a good preaching message.

Amen?

And look if you would at verse 37.

Verse 37.

And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee?

This is the one that wanted Balaam to curse God's people.

Didn't I call you?

Wherefore cameest thou not unto me?

Am I not able indeed to promote thee to honor?

And you know what?

Balaam had initially struggled with this whole thing, but after that donkey turned around and give him a lesson in preaching, he didn't struggle much anymore.

You see what was going on here?

Somebody came by and said, Hey, I'm able to give thee honor, I'm able to give thee prestige, I'm able to give thee status, I'm able to lift you up.

People don't know who you are.

Look at chapter 24.

Stay with me, chapter 24.

Verse 10.

And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam.

And he smote his hands together.

And Balak, that's the one who wanted him to get to curse, said unto Balaam, Stay with me, I called thee to curse mine enemies.

And behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

Therefore, now flee thou to thy place.

I thought to promote thee to the great honor.

But Lord, the Lord, the Lord hath kept thee back from honor.

A few years back, I got a call from a very, very well-known, prominent man.

If I may name the name, you'd know who he is.

Good man.

Solid Christian, strong Christian leader.

And he said, um, Pastor Fisher, uh, we have chosen your church to uh host a certain big meeting in our area.

And we like you to do that.

We think it would be good for your church, and we really feel like it would be good for you as a pastor and uh as a future leader.

Now, in no way, shape, or form am I saying that this man was Balak.

But the principle holds.

And he said, We'd like to do this, and here's what you'll need to do, and these are the dates, and da-da-da-da-da-da.

And I said, Well, let me ask you a question.

Uh, when do you need an answer?

And they said, uh, he said, uh, well, we'd like to know within 24 hours so we can get it scheduled.

I said, All right.

The next day he called me back and said, Well, we're looking forward to having the meeting out there.

We we believe it's going to go very well.

We believe it'll be uh a help to the area, and it'll be a help to you, Brother Fisher.

What's your answer?

And I said, No.

That's not what God wants for our church.

He said, Brother Fisher, uh, do you understand what you're saying?

I said, Well, let me recommend to you someone else.

And I recommended to them another church, another pastor, and by the way, I'm not against them.

I'm not going to name any names because I'm not against them.

It just wasn't for our church.

We've not brought that stuff into our church.

All the stuff that goes along with all that.

He said, uh, do you want more time?

I said, no.

No, I'm for you.

Uh if you have some of these meetings, I'll certainly promote them.

But it's not for me.

It's not for our church.

He said, Well, why didn't you ask us what we thought?

Because I asked God what he thought.

And God led me to this area of scriptures.

Oh, it was about three months later another man called me of very prominent national stature.

And said, you know, I represent the such and such group and conference, and we'd like to uh ask you to host uh one of our big area wide meetings.

And I said, Well, brother, listen, I really appreciate that.

I'm honored.

But I think I could give you an answer right now.

He said, Well, you haven't even prayed about it.

Well, I said, I just had a call about three or four months ago, and I did pray about that one, and I think the answer would be the same.

And I said, But let me recommend to you, and I recommended another pastor up the roadways.

I said, I'm not against you.

And I'm not opposed to having you preach in our pulpit either one of these.

No problem.

It just wasn't for us.

About four weeks later, I got a call from another guy.

It's the Trinity called me.

And uh he said, uh, well, uh, we've been thinking, and uh, would you be interested?

I said, Well, no, no.

You know, we'll have local church meetings and invite other churches in, but it's just it's just not really for us.

Now, before you go away and say I'm slamming anybody, I'm not slamming nobody.

Did you hear what I said?

And if you think you know who they are, maybe you really don't.

They're still my friends.

You'll say, well, why didn't you do it?

Because the only reason we've ever had meetings in our church is for the needs of our church.

If we have a pastor come in or we have a missionary and evangelist comes in, the reason for having that man is in for our church.

And then we invite other churches and say, we're having a local church meeting.

If you'd like to come, we'd like to invite you to come.

I'm not opposed to anything else that's going on.

But there are some great dangers involved if it becomes outside of the local New Testament church and all they're doing is using the building and your people.

You never know when a little leaven gets in.

You never know when a doctrine changes.

You never know when someone gets against someone else.

And then you're expected to jump on the bang wagon and be against them too.

Are you listening to me?

And there's stuff going out there, stores against store and so against so and stuff against store and stuff against store and stuff, and what you can stay, I still stand with God.

And you know what's good?

We can have stones through, and have stone so in, and have stone so in, and have so-and-so in.

And we can get stones among all the so-and-so's, amen.

Oh.

It's good not to be involved in some of the politics.

So I guess I I had my opportunity.

And to be honest with you, probably ten years ago, maybe eleven years ago, boy, I would have lost sleep all night long.

Waiting for a call like that.

But through the years, God tempers you out a bit.

You say, have you ever thought back and wished you would have done that?

Please look up here.

No.

And the longer I stay at it, the longer I know it's not for me.

You know where I go to preach in some of these churches and some of these areas?

Some of these big group meetings that I go to is called camp meetings.

You know what they do?

Alright, uh, let's see.

Uh, next, Brother Fisher.

Come on up.

Brother Fisher, good to have you with us tonight.

Lighthouse Baptist Church in San Diego.

Now sit down.

At these meetings, you don't have to worry about flowery introductions.

Now we like to uh welcome uh one of the one of the greatest.

And I'm not opposed to honoring and all that, but at some of the meetings I go to, they just kind of look at you like, all right, give it to us, big boy from California.

And you better have something good.

A couple of weeks from now I'm speaking in Georgia, and uh I I asked them if I could, I usually speak three days there, and I asked them if I could just speak two days, and then I'm gonna fly to West Virginia.

And I'm gonna get off the airplane on a Wednesday afternoon in Charleston, West Virginia, and we're going up into the Appalachian Mountains, and there's a camp meeting up there.

And these are not Southern California people.

These are mountain people.

And this is their second camp meeting, and they've asked me to come and speak.

Probably one message.

Now, may I say to you that these people would not be those kind of people if you would that let's just say you wouldn't see them in a big city, and you may never know who they are, but they're God's people, and they love the Lord.

Hey, how y'all doing, brother Fisher?

I heard some good things about you.

I hope you preach well tonight.

I hope I do too.

Where are you from?

Is that that there in California?

You ever been one of those earthquakes?

Well, you sure got a lot of strange people out there.

I made the mistake one time in a very southern accident meeting of saying, you know, y'all talk to your nose a lot.

They didn't react the way you're reacting.

I say, what is y'all mean?

They weren't laughing.

I put I put a big note, don't ever do that again.

So I I guess I gave up the potential limelight.

But I can say to you with all honesty tonight I'm doing what God wants me to do.

I'll tell you why.

I've watched promotion and honor and prestige and being well known eat up pastor after pastor after pastor after pastor.

I watched their ruins some of them.

I watched them get lifted up.

I've watched their congregations get depleted.

It would have been better if they stayed little in their own eyes.

And I'm not against anybody, I'm just saying promotion and honor.

Please look up here.

It's sometimes just not worth it.

Now you say, why are you preaching this to us?

You don't have to worry, I'm not.

You gotta be careful about your business.

Where you work.

You gotta be careful about a heart that wants to be known in our congregation.

If you men sit there back there and say, I don't want no why he never asked me to preach, you better be careful.

If you ladies are in here saying, I don't know why my husband's not appreciated more and recognized more, lady, you better be careful.

I'm saying to you, there's some things in this Bible that God puts in here that He shows us it's just not worth it.

And please look up here, and we don't have to do it to find out it's not worth it.

Haman got all bent out of shape because Mordecai wouldn't bow down to him.

And he set up a situation where he was going to have honor and everything, and God worked it out to where Mordecai got the honor and the same gallows which was made that was supposed to hang Mordecai, there Haman hung on those gallows, a penny or something.

If Haman was here tonight, he'd say it's not worth it.

It wasn't worth it.

Amnon was vexed and he had to have Tamar.

He had to have her.

And then he defiled her, and when it was over, he didn't want her.

If Amnon stood up here tonight, he'd tell you it wasn't worth it.

Judas had to have his money.

Let me say it again.

Judas had to have his money.

And he betrayed the Lord through 30 pieces of silver.

If he could stand up here tonight, he'd say, it wasn't worth it.

You know, sometimes it's good to go through our life and say, where's my weakness?

Where's it at?

What is it that could get me?

What is it that could snare me?

Lord, show me.

And please look up here.

It might change as you go through life.

What used to be that which would get you ten years ago may not be the one right now.

And every once in a while it's good to take a step back and say, Lord, show me what's going to get me.

Where's my weakness right now?

And then look at it.

Look at it square in the eyes and say, that's it right there.

And look at it and say, you're not worth it.

I'm not going to give up what I have for you.

Ananias and Sapphira.

They just had to keep back that little bit.

They had to lie about it.

If they could stand up here today, they'd tell you it wasn't worth it.

Are you listening tonight?

What is it that's in our lives right now?

Hey, you know what?

When I was 25 and I was saved, it was totally different that now that I'm over 40 and saved, and a pastor, there's something now that I have to look at and find out what it is and say, if it's not when I was 25, I know what it was back then.

God taken me through that.

That's not my problem anymore.

What is it now?

What could get me right now?

And if you think you're invulnerable and nothing can get you, you're fooling yourself.

Jehoshaphat joined affinity with Ahab.

And you'd think he would have learned his lesson with what God did to him.

But at the end of life, he had joined again to Ahaziah.

And God broke his works.

If Jehoshaphat could stand up here now, he'd say, It's not worth running with the wrong leader.

It's not worth running.

It's not worth trying to please them.

It's not worth that thing where that leader manipulates you.

It's not worth it.

Lot looked down and saw it down there, and he he looked past all the sin of the city and raised his family there and lost his whole family.

He said, No, he didn't lose them all.

Well, on the way out, he lost his wife.

Amen.

And what happened later?

If Lot could stand up here now to us, he'd say, listen, it's not worth it.

That's why you'll hear us preaching separation and standards.

That's why we have separation and standards in our school, in our Bible Institute.

That's why we ask our teachers and our Sunday school teachers and our choir members to have certain standards.

We're not following you around what you do in your home, but I'm going to tell you something.

It's not worth it.

If Samson could stand up here tonight, he'd say, you know, I was strong.

Got a little arrogant, a little cocky.

Thought, well, what's the big deal, Delilah?

What's she gonna do to me?

I I can I can live this situation.

I can live in this gray area.

I'm strong.

It hasn't got me yet.

Are you listening to me?

I can live in this gray area.

Nobody knows, and God hasn't rained down uh thunder and lightning on me yet, and and I think it's okay, and I got enough strength to say no to it when I want.

And he played around and played around and played around in that gray area.

And before long, he let it out finally what the secret was, and when he fell asleep, she locked off his head and cut his hair, and he woke up, he thought everything was just like it was before, and he wished not the Lord had departed from it.

And the next thing you know, he's down there, and they they they they they destroyed his eyes.

And you find him down in the prison house grinding.

And his hair begins to grow back and he gets his strength back, but he never was what he was before he pulled around in that gray area.

Listen to me, teenager.

He never was what he was before when he played around in that gray area and thought nothing would get him.

He came out with his eyeballs and finally got to the end and he said, Now just give me one more time, one more time.

And then you said, Oh, that was the great final thing.

He never accomplished what he could have accomplished if he would have stayed away from the Bible.

It only takes one day.

It only takes one weekend, it only takes one hour.

And in that hour and in that day, and in that weekend, we need to have in our mind, is just not worth it.

I want all of you to reach your potential.

I rejoice in no one that has fallen.

Did you hear about so and so?

Big leader, he fell.

Man, what's you to rejoice about tonight?

What is it in your life?

Right now.

Some dumb movie on television?

A little bit of the gray area music, lustful eyes, guys, lustful emotions, ladies, bitterness, feeling used and abused and nobody cares for you.

Cancel the pity party! It's just not worth it.

Get into the bottle and see God appreciates everything you do.

Everything you do, and so nobody else recognizes that at the judgment seat of Christ, He is the only one that matters.

It's not worth getting bitter.

It's not worth harboring anger.

Either go to the person and get it right, or go to God and say, I can't go to the person, give me forgiveness.

It's not worth dwelling on it.

It's not worth eating you up all night long and thinking about it.

It's not worth in the middle of the day sparing about that thing and just looking at that thing.

It's not worth it! It's not worth the pleasures of sin for a season.

Joseph had a chance.

There she was.

Lie with me.

You know what he did?

He looked at her and said, Baby, you're not worth it.

And he ran and he fled.

I wonder what she thought.

How can he run from me?

I'm saying, baby, you're not worth what God has for me.

It's not worth it to me to have anything to do with you.

Oh, you say they lied about him, went to prison, but God was with him.

It wasn't worth it.

Stick this in your brain.

When it comes, the temptation, the tempter.

And wouldn't you agree?

It's going to come.

It has already.

It'll come again.

When will I be through with this temptation?

In the millennium.

We're in a warfare, we're in a battle.

Not worth it to those children.

Not worth it for that spouse.

Not worth it to break fellowship with God.

Just not worth it.

Money, fame, prestige, pleasure.

Whatever it is.

In your life, in my life.

And you say, you know what, I I wonder.

Boy, the preacher must be really, you know, struggling with something.

You've got time to worry about me?

Why don't you start with you?

And that's a full-time job.

And I've got my full-time job.

Something comes up in your mind, please look up here, before you even think to do it, just say, it's not worth it.

I mean, there it comes that thought again.

Harboring or dwelling or fantasizing.

You need to say, you know what?

It's not worth it.

Whatsoever things are true and just and honest and good report.

Virtue, praise, think on these things.

It's not worth it what I'm thinking about.

Don't we all have to do that?

I wish I was more completely lodged in Christ in the area what goes on in my mind.

I wish I was more conformed to his image sometimes.

What goes on up here?

You say.

Oh, you must have a filthy, wicked mind.

No worse than yours.

Amen.

Now, some of you don't know some of the things that I've experienced, and I'm glad you don't.

But we all have our battles, don't we, brother?

Would you say something with me so you remember this message?

Repute.

It's just not worth it.

Say it.

And say, man, this is silly.

Be more silly when your eyes are punched out.

You're grinding.

Say it again.

Begin.

It's just not worth it.

That argument with your spouse that's been going on for three days.

Say it.

It's just not worth it.

Now what was it that we were arguing about?

Only what's done for Christ will last.

That's worth it.

That's all stand.

Don't leave.

Look up here.

Look up here.

Please look up here.

Unless you're praying already.

Don't deny the weakness.

Look straight at it.

Don't try to say it's not there, I'm okay, it's not a problem, it's somebody else's.

It's my problem.

It's my problem.

It's not someone else's problem, it's my problem.

It's my weakness.

I'm not going to run from it, it's there.

But I'm not going to give it into it with your help, God.

You know what I've been struggling with.

God helped me to have the mindset, it's just not worth it.

David did right, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

One area, God says.

You say, we did other things wrong, I know, but that's the only one God brings up.

With your heads bowed and your eyes closed.

Maybe you know somebody tonight you'd like to pray for.

Maybe you'd like to say, God, my wife and I are coming tonight, and we're just going to bow our knee and say, God, help us in that evil day.

Sir, maybe you need to come tonight and say, in that evil day, God, help me to have the mindset, it's not worth it.

Ma'am, lady, sister, it's just not men I'm talking about.

In that evil day, in that evil time, it's just not worth it.

Don't let it destroy you.

It's not worth it.

God's got something for you, church.

God's got something for you, individual.

God's got something for you, brother or sister.

God's got something for you, teenager.

God's got something for you.

Eighth grader and seventh grader and sixth grader and fifth grader and fourth grader.

God's got something worth you.

He wants to use you for.

Not worth it.