The Silence with Pastor Earl Glisson

So tonight, if you have your Bibles, turn over to Matthew

Matthew 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3. You know, I titled this message

The silence. Later on, I can tell you another

title. I could have called it, but

we'll wait till we get to that point.

And but in Matthew chapter 3, verse one through 2, it says now

Matthew 3 · chapter mention

in those days, John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness

of Judea saying repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Amen. Let's pray.

Father, we thank you so much for the word of God.

We value your word. In fact, when you look at the

context of Scripture, although, and we know it's about a king,

his Kingdom and his royal offspring, we know this, that

when you boil everything about your word, this truth reigns

supreme that you keep your word, you keep it.

And we're thankful for that. So that's why it's so important

for us to renew our minds to your word, your ways.

And it required us to have a nature that would be willing to

hear you so that we could perpetually have the strength to

put down our flesh and to allow our minds to think on things

above, to think on the things that are of God.

But we need the Holy Spirit to teach us because our natural

study will not do this. Only the Holy Spirit can reveal

the truth that comes from God. And so Jesus, when introducing

the Holy Spirit, he said, now when he, the Spirit of truth

comes, he's going to cause things to come to our

remembrance. He's going to teach us all

things. He's going to guide us into all

truth and he's going to show us things to come.

So Holy Spirit, we thank you that you're here today.

We thank you for this move of the Spirit that's taking place

right now in our services. Through the teaching of your

word You are going to illuminate us so that we can receive the

engrafted word of God which is able to save our souls.

Apply these principles in our lives so that we'll be doers of

your Word and not hearers only in Jesus name and all God's

people said Amen. I do encourage you make sure

that you become a person that always maintains big context

because a lot of times, you know, when you have so many

subjects that you can minister in the word, you can get excited

about very specific ones. And then you can lose context of

everything because you get so centered in on just one

particular aspect of God. You know, I, my wife is really

good at what she calls connecting the dots, right?

I'm really good at connecting the dots when it comes to the

scripture because, you know, God has given, you know, allow me to

when I minister this holistic approach to be able to

communicate scripture. So when you get into a context

of something that sometimes you're like, there's plenty of

things that help you learn and grow and understand certain

aspects that maybe you didn't see before or, or understand

context. What I love about if the Old

Testament was not necessary because we're in the, I like

what Rick Renner said because I'm like, man, that's really

more precise. He said, you know, we call it

the the church age, He said, but really it's the last days.

Now, the church happens to be a part of the last, he said, but

we're in the age of the last days.

So when Pentecost did, it says, you know, in the last days the

Spirit would be poured out on flesh.

So we are in this period called the last days.

That means the next period after this is a catchy tribulation.

That's the transition time between the last days and the

millennial reign of Christ. So, you know, I love the Old

Testament because there are there are things within it that

gives us insight to how things are going to be here.

Now, how do we know this? Because Jesus himself used the

Old Testament to tell us about future events.

Now, he said in the last days, it'd be like the days of Noah.

So if you want to know us our future, go back to Noah's day

and Noah's before the law of Moses.

Are you hearing me so there are progressions.

There was something how many enjoy the Bible reading plan

we're doing this year having the proverbs man this this week's

Jeremiah got has me jacked up this week's Jeremiah.

I'm like, Lord, is that could this be?

So I'm asking questions, Hallelujah.

I mean, because I like preaching out of the books that you know,

you don't always preach out of, but you know, you want to preach

out of them with confidence, knowing where you're going.

Man, there's some things that Jeremiah right now.

I'm like, Lord, I mean, Jeremiah answered some some very specific

questions for me this week and I'm excited about that.

All right, because again it makes everything crystal clear.

Glory to God. So Matthew 3 one through 2 says

this, although I'm not going to be in the Old Testament all

today. It says that John the Baptist

went about doing what preaching repent for the Kingdom of heaven

is at hand. Jesus said until this gospel of

the Kingdom is priest in Matthew 2414 to every nation has a

testimony. Then the end will come.

So G So we can say here that John preached the gospel.

John did repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Now look at Luke chapter 3 verse one.

Luke 3 · chapter mention

Now in the 15th year of the reign of Tybrus Caesar, when

Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea and Herod the Tetra Art,

which is governor of Galilee. And then he has a brother named

Philip, who's a governor of another region.

Then had another brother, OK, that was a governor of a

different region. And the reason why there are

three brothers, their father was Herod the Great.

And Herod the Great when he died, divided his rulership to

his three sons and they had different regions by which they

governed. All right.

Now, Herod the Great is the one who was had an encounter with

the wise men, the astrologers from the east that came into

town with an entourage and an army because of what they were

carrying to present to the king. OK, not like our nativities.

It's not three people. There was quite a few people

that had showed up and it said all Jerusalem was in an uproar

or was in fear or, you know, was concerned.

And you don't get that from three people carrying a little

bit of boxes. With that being said, he came in

and they said, we've come to see the child which is born king of

the Jews. Now Herod the Great is the king

of all of these regions that these three brothers now have

have portions of. And so he in his with his

wickedness, not with concern, not with true, you know,

humility. He says, listen, you know, he

gets his guys out and he says, who's this king that they're

talking about? I'm the king.

I mean, what king are they talking about?

The King of the Jews? I am this guy.

And so they his wise people came up, said, they say, there's a

guy that's going to be born in Bethlehem.

And so he says, now listen, when you see this king come back, let

me know so I can go and worship him too.

Now, did Harry the great want to go worship Jesus?

No, right? We know this because the Lord

speaks to the wise men and say Hey, do not go back and tell

Harry where this kids at. In fact, I'm not even going to

let this kid stay in the community at this point.

I'm going to tell because they've got plenty of money to

be able to travel to Egypt now and stay for till he died.

OK, we're going to take get him out of here and you go another

way. And when they realize these guys

ain't coming back, you know, so then Herod starts killing off

every child that is 2 or younger so that Jesus was not in the

Manger when the wise men came. He was already a toddler because

when they came to him he was at a house not not at a a stable

anyway. OK so with that being said this

is their father who hated the thought of Jesus being king at

the birth I had. There's no indication how much

he communicated with them. The Bible doesn't say that.

But it wasn't till after he died that obviously these guys,

Jesus's father comes back. But because one particular son

was in a particular area, he did not go there at all.

All right. And so Herod is in power in the

realm of Galilee. Luke chapter 3 jump down to

Luke 3 · chapter mention

verse 19 and 20 and it says but when Herod the governor of

Tetriarch was reprimanded by him, this is by John the Baptist

because of his wife which was his brother's wife Philip.

So Philip had this lady as his wife and Herod basically seduced

her or she wanted to be with Herod, whichever one, and the

next thing you know she came over to his house and remained

all right. So John is saying to him because

of all the wicked things which Herod had done, Herod also added

this to them all. He locked John up in prison

because John was telling him it is not lawful for you to have

Philip's wife. OK, so John is John is going

about preaching what the gospel and contained within the gospel

is that Kingdom of heaven. People that are in covenant with

God do not take another man's spouse.

Right now when we think about the gospel, all we think about

is Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave.

Have you asked him into your heart?

Do you understand the gospel is good news about the Kingdom,

which includes other things than just being born again?

So when you go preach the gospel, you preach the entirety

of it. If you want to go about

preaching the gospel, then go preach about the Kingdom of God.

And you know one, what's good news is that the good news is in

God's Kingdom, there is a man with a woman that God brings

together and they are to remain together and serve and worship

God. That's good news.

And and if they'll serve God and train up their children, then

the probability that their children following God and it

goes from one generation to the next generation, you know what?

That's good news. So when you talk about parenting

God's way, good news. When you talk about husband and

wife relationship according to God's way of doing things,

that's good news. When you talk about being healed

by the King, that's good news. When he'll provide, that's good

news. It's not just do you know where

you're going to go when you die because Jesus Christ paid the

ultimate price so you could be saved.

That is not the that is not the gospel.

It's part of the gospel. So John is preaching the gospel,

and part of the gospel is to communicate that what Herod's

doing is outside of the good news of God.

Amen. It's outside the good news of

God. Now, what I'm going to do is

we're going to jump over to Mark chapter 6 so that we can get

Mark 6 · chapter mention

this account because we see that he locks John up.

But in order for us to understand this whole context,

I'm going to need to insert some additional scriptures within the

Gospels for us to get this full context of where we're going

tonight, because we're talking about the silence.

So Herod the Great knows there's a, a child that has been born

king of the Jews probably communicated this to his boys.

It doesn't say he did, but it doesn't say he didn't.

All right, when Herod gets around, now all of a sudden John

is preaching about this Kingdom, right?

You repent for the Kingdom of God is here, the Kingdom of

heaven is here, meaning it's within your midst.

So now for Herod here, the son, he could say, well, dad talked

about this king that was born at one time and he wanted to kill

him. And, and you know, it's in their

history books of all the children that died during that

time frame, 2 and under males. So it's not like he's not aware

of this. And now all of a sudden this

guy's talking about it. Well, not only is he talking

about the Kingdom of God, but he's also talking about the good

news of the gospel, of which how you should live within the

Kingdom because there's a standard of living.

This is why he uses the word repent.

Repent is not a religious word. It simply means change your

thinking side with God. God's way of living is good

news. It's the way to live.

So he had no problem addressing the government of his day.

John didn't had had no problem addressing the government of the

day with the words that were given to him as a prophet.

And again, if you were here on Sunday, a prophet is speaking by

right of the word of God. He's not speaking his own.

He's representing the word of God.

OK, And is John a prophet? Jesus said he was the greatest

prophet. And if Jesus says he's the

greatest, then John must have been the most proficient.

I'm not saying the rest weren't. We know Samuel was extremely

proficient because not anything he said didn't come to pass.

I'm just saying the reason he's the greatest because he

announces the king. I mean that's why he's the

greatest. But we also know that he his

words were accurate. OK, so in Mark chapter 6

Mark 6 · chapter mention

starting in verse 14, it says and King Herod heard of it and

his name and his name had become well known and the people were

saying John the Baptist has been risen from the dead and that is

why these miraculous powers are at work in him.

Now we kind of get into this story after John's dead here in

Mark 6 to understand how John died.

It's at a time that Herod's hearing about someone else named

Jesus. OK, so and King Herod heard of

it, and his name had become well known.

Who's his name? Jesus.

So Herod knows this guy named Jesus.

All right, now for Herod, he has surmised because people are

saying, you know, he's thinking, is this John the Baptist that's

risen from the dead? And that's why he's doing all

these miracles. Now at this point, we need to

jump over why do we, why is why does Herod say this?

Because in John chapter 10 verse 41, it says many came to Jesus.

John 10:41

And we're saying while John performed no signs yet

everything John said about this man or Jesus was true.

So everyone knew that John as a prophet performed no signs.

John raised no dead, no more ray healed no person did not, you

know, turn water into wine didn't change water.

That was bad to be able to be good.

He, I mean, there's no miracle. He called no fire down from

heaven. And you think if anybody could,

because he did have the spirit of Elijah about him, but he did

not call fire down from heaven. No miracle was with him.

Yet his message was so profound that Herod is concluding or

considering that this guy's authority and power, what he has

said, what he had heard, and we're going to see this in the

context. What he had heard from John was

so compelling that now he's thinking if if he's raised up,

that that's probably why the miracles are happening.

OK, so going back to Mark 6, now we'll get back into verse 15, he

said. But others were saying he's

Elijah and others were saying he's a prophet, like one of the

prophets of old. But but when Herod heard of it,

he kept saying, John, whom I beheaded, has risen.

Now, what in the world did John say that Herod became convinced

that it was the one he cut the head off of?

Yeah, that's a really good question.

Well, let's go on. For Herod himself, verse 17 had

sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of

his wife, who was, you know, the wife of his brother because he

had married her. So in essence, I said, leave my

brother, come to me. Verse 18.

For John had been saying to Herod, it is not lawful for you

to have your brother's wife. And so the wife had a grudge

against John and, and wanted him put to death and could not do

so. So the wife wanted John dead.

All right, but why couldn't she? Verse 20 right.

For Herod was afraid of John. John's work, no miracles.

But he's afraid of John. He's afraid of John knowing that

he was a righteous and holy man. What's he know about John?

He's righteous and holy, but he's holding him in prison.

He's righteous and holy, holding him in prison.

Why? Because of what he's saying

about him, about about his wife, right.

So he's like, in essence, what's what's, what is Herod's mode of

operandi at this point. Let's silence John.

Let's shut off his voice now. Let's go on said, well, he was

afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man,

and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was

very perplexed, but he used to let enjoy listening to him.

Well, what do you think John was saying to him all those times he

was talking? He's talking about the gospel.

He's preaching things concerning the Kingdom.

He's constantly staying getting in front of the king.

Now, this is not the way, you know, the way most of us want to

be able to go before authorities.

We want to be able to freely go before authorities.

But that but God in this moment, based upon the way hair

function, God is putting his prophet in front of King Herod

often and he's hearing the gospel.

Who's telling King Herod the gospel?

John is all right. A strategic day came when Herod,

on his birthday, gave a banquet. OK, wait a minute before we get

to that. He enjoyed listening to him.

Now let me bring in Matthew 14, five.

Matthew 14, five. Now notice, although Herod

himself wanted to put him to death.

So again, when you read here in Mark, it said that he was afraid

of John. Knowing he was a righteous and

holy man, he kept him safe. Well, when you read that, you're

like, well, he kept him safe. And then he wanted to hear him.

He's perplexed, but he enjoyed listening to him.

But really, what's Herod's heart towards John?

Matthew 14 five Although Herod wanted to put him to death, he

feared the crowd because he regarded they regarded John as a

prophet. So just because Herod kept him

safe didn't mean he wanted him to be safe because the scripture

reveals to us what's going on in Herod.

Herod did not want John to stay alive.

He wanted to silence him. He wanted his voice off the

planet. Hallelujah.

Shut up, Baba Satta. Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus. Glory to God.

Glory to God. Hallelujah.

Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus.

Hallelujah. So he wanted him killed.

Now let's jump back into verse 21.

A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet

for his Lords and military commanders and the leading men

of Galilee. And when the the daughter of his

wife, which is now who his niece came in and dance, she pleased

Herod and his dinner guests. And the king said to the girl,

Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.

And he swore to her, whatever you ask, I will give it to you,

up to half of my Kingdom. And she went out and said to her

mother, Well, who? Who's controlling the

conversation now? All right, what shall I ask for?

And she said the head of John the Baptist, immediately she

came in a hurry to the king and said, I want you to give me at

once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.

And what kind of kid wants somebody beheaded and get their

head? This is very dysfunctional

family people. All right, so and although the

king was very sorry because again, now we know when you hear

he's very sorry, that doesn't mean he didn't want him dead.

We know he wants him dead. But there's something about

John's words. There's still something about

John's word words that perplex him, but he enjoys listening.

There's some kind of context yet because of the the wife.

I'm going to do that bitty. And then he, you know, he's out

there to give his word. At this point, we go on.

It says this. But because of his oath and

because of his dinner guest, he was unwilling to refuse her.

Immediately, the king sent an executioner and commanded him to

bring back his head. And he went and had him beheaded

in prison and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the

girl. And the girl gave it to her

mother. Hallelujah.

Yeah. Happy birthday.

Amen. You know, I mean, that's not how

I would want to pick my way of going, leaving planet Earth for

the Lord personally. But, you know, we all know how

John left the planet. He was beheaded.

All right? So in his mind, he has silenced

him. Yet we opened up Mark Six that

he's convinced himself the voice is back, which reminds me that I

got by the spirit. That's why I was thanking the

Lord. The Lord quicken my spirit

reminded me Abel talked after he died.

Cain killed his brother Abel and the Lord comes in and says

what's up. That's Pastor Earl version right

there, right. Where's your brother?

He's like, am I my brother's keeper?

I don't know. He's like, mm hmm.

He said, well, his blood's talking to me.

Are you hearing me? Do you understand?

This is why they wanted to kill Jesus.

But the blood still talks. You cannot silence the blood.

I say. You cannot silence the blood.

Glory to God, Amen. You need to know this.

Who you are and what you are doing cannot be silenced, Can be

silenced. Even if they were successful to

remove you, you can still be talking.

Hallelujah. Well, he's so concerned about

this and he's hearing about it. This guy named Jesus thinking

it's John. Scholars now again doing some

additional study. Scholars believe that in Luke

Luke 13:31–32

chapter 13 verse 31 to 32, it says this, that John, that these

Pharisees come to Jesus and scholars believe, although the

Scripture does not say this, they believe that it was Herod

who sent them. Just that that at that time some

Pharisees approached saying to him, this is Jesus, go away.

Leave here for Herod wants to kill you.

So under the pretense, these religious Pharisees, under the

pretense of we're really concerned about you and your

life because we have heard that Herod wants to kill you.

And so it probably be good for you to like go somewhere else,

man. I mean, we're here to help you.

We don't want you to die. The Pharisees don't want him to

die. We know better than that, right?

No, the Pharisees wanted him just as silent.

I said the Pharisees wanted him just as silent.

Is this not true? So Herod wants you killed.

Whether he sent them or not, they make the statement Herod

wants you killed. And if Herod is convinced that

John the Baptist has been risen from the dead, we already know

how he feels about John, because the last thing he wants is a

risen John to show back up and tell him that he can't have his

wife and then work a miracle. OK, don't want that because you

know Elijah or Elijah, one of those guys, they worked some

miracles when the government tried to come and take who was

Elijah or Elijah? Please someone help me.

Yeah, for the 50 commanders, Elijah, Elijah.

So Elijah, you know, 50 of the the government came to get

Elijah and he says, oh, if I am a man of God, then fire come and

consume you. Well now if John the Baptist has

function into miracles now he could go up and say you going to

let go of the woman? No, I'm not well, I'll call fire

down from heaven. That wouldn't be good, at least

not for Harris. We understand that he was

concerned, but it goes on. And look what Jesus says though.

Jesus said go and tell that fox, come on, say Amen.

He said go and tell that fox, go and tell that fox go and tell

the fox Hallelujah. And you know what, right now I

really want to do that little click, click, tick, tick thing

that that one fox that what's it doesn't have the tail.

What was that? No, the one little show.

Fantastic. Fantastic.

Yeah. And he did a little.

Whatever. I want to do that right now so

bad, but I don't really remember it.

You go tell that fox. OK, Sorry.

I mean, it was just in my mind. What can I say?

All right, Hallelujah. Again, just getting some things

in my spirit right now. So I'm going to I'm going to

pull it up and then and and and I need to be able to look at

this glory to his name. I said glory to his name.

He is the King of kings. Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus. OK, so according to Albert

Barnes, a fox is an emblem of slyness, of cunning, of artful

mischief. The word is used to denote a

dissembler. Herod was a wicked man.

But the But the particular thing to which Jesus here lose to is

his vices is not his vices but his cunning, his endeavoring to

remove him out of his territory. OK, so go back to that verse

again. It says and he said, you go and

tell that fox, behold, I cast out demons and before cures

today and tomorrow and tomorrow, and on the third day I will

reach my goal. He said, you go tell him that.

And those are the words Jesus directly communicated through

someone called Pharisees to Herod.

We have no indication whether they went back and told him that

or not. Now again, if the Pharisees who

definitely wanted Jesus dead, they might have said, bro, he

said you were a fox, right? You know, you, you should do

something. I we don't know this because it

doesn't say the scripture doesn't conclude.

So again, we can't technically speculate.

But with that being said, let's turn over to Luke chapter 23.

Luke 23 · chapter mention

The silence, say. The silence says when Herod

heard it, when Pilate heard it, he asked whether the man was a

Galilean. Now we're at the place in

Scripture where Jesus has left the garden.

He has been apprehended. The high priest has, you know,

basically people have come and falsely accused him most of the

night, of which Jesus finally makes this statement because

during the time he's being communicated to by the high

priest, he remains silent. Then all of a sudden they're

like, are you going to say anything?

And Jesus finally said one statement that he knew once he

said it, they ripped their clothes and he said he's

blasphemy. And then it's all they take him

to Pilot. Pilot has a conversation with

Jesus. And Jesus the majority of the

time remains silent. Silent doesn't talk.

He says, you going, are you going to, are you going to say

anything about your accusers? He didn't say nothing.

And then he said, don't you know I have the power to kill you?

And then he responds, he says you have no power unless my

father gave it to you. So at this point, Pilot's wife's

already had a dream about the guy.

And she's like, you need to leave this guy alone.

And Pilot don't really want to deal with this dude at all.

So he comes back and he says, wait a minute, where's this guy

from? He's a Galilean.

Ah, I got you. We're going to send him to

Herod. That's Herod's jurisdiction.

Now we're really getting into government, right?

This is how government is. They pass it from one place into

the next place because nobody wants to make a decision, right?

So we see in government in the Gospels.

All right, So all of a sudden he learned that he belonged to

Herod's jurisdiction. He sent him to Herod, who

himself was in Jerusalem at the time.

Now Herod was very what man, he was glad when he saw Jesus

because he's been hearing about this guy all the while thinking

he's John now it could be that when he saw him, he's like,

well, obviously it's not John. I remember what the guy looks

like. I talked to him all the time.

They definitely a different looking guy.

You know, if it's if it's him, he's reincarnated in a different

body. OK, all right, so it says.

Now Herod was very glad when he saw him for he wanted to see him

for a long time because he had been hearing about him and was

hoping to see him. What see some signs performed by

him and he what questioned him at some This was not a short

time together at some leap, but He answered him nothing.

Jesus is standing before King Herod, who is a wicked man in

need of repentance. Jesus, the King of Kings, the

Savior of the world, saying nothing, but who's talking?

The chief priests and the scribes were standing there

accusing him. Shall we continue?

And Herod with his soldiers, after treating him with contempt

and mocking him, dressed him in a gorgeous robe and sent him

back to Pilate. What did Jesus say to Herod face

to face? When I read this, you know, it's

been a little while. I've this been on a burner for a

little while. I realized Jesus did not preach

the gospel to Herod. Herod's lost.

Herod's wicked. Jesus is standing before a

wicked person and withholds the gospel.

Does it even tell him? Does it tell him to repent?

Oh, it's messing you up right now.

I know it messed you up. It messed you up.

I mean, again, This is why the Bible's so amazing to me.

And you understand this is not out of character for the Word of

God at all. I mean, I just don't have time

to connect all your dots for you.

I'm just staying with Scripture. It's obvious that here is Jesus

now. Has Herod heard the gospel?

He has, but now the person who the gospel is all about is

standing before Herod and will not tell him the Gospel.

Joseph Bench Benson, a commentary, said this.

Nevertheless, because Herod had disregarded the admonitions of

John the Baptist, and had been guilty of the a heinous crime of

putting him to death, Jesus, liberal as he was of his

miracles to the poor and the afflicted, would not work them

to gratify the curious curiosity of a tyrant, nor so much as

answered one of his questions, though he proposed many to him,

probably concerning the miracles which were reported to have been

wrought by him. In this our Lord followed the

rule observed by God in the administration of his moral

government. He bestows on men means

opportunities and assistances, such as, if they improve,

approve, improve them properly, will lead them to knowledge,

holiness, and happiness. But these being slighted by men,

God, after waiting the determined time for wise

reasons, shuts up from them all the springs of grace, and leaves

them hopeless of that salvation which they have so long

despised. This account is literally the

silence of the Lamb. Hallelujah Hallelujah.

Which tells me there's a power that can be bigger than words.

Are you hearing me? With that being said, that's why

James chapter one verse 19 says this.

You know, my beloved brethren, James Tolkien, but everyone must

be quick to slow to you know what we say.

This silence is golden. Now when you need to speak, you

need to speak, but we need to be quiet, need to be quiet.

And you know what, not everyone you need to talk to.

Not everything that's going on requires you to say something.

In fact, Jesus during this time, I mean Jesus, no, no, if I work

a miracle, he's not going to repent.

I mean, I'm not going to change his their thinking.

I'm not going to change them. In fact, they've despised

everything that I sent John to say already.

So when the head of the church shows up, he keeps his mouth

shut. Man, you do not want the head of

the church to keep his mouth shut.

But we need to take a lesson from the head of the church,

which is be quick to because Jesus only spoke what the Father

said, and it's obviously the Father did not say tell him

this. Now, has Jesus said something to

Herod? Not directly, but through the

Pharisees? You go tell that fox, but I'm

not even going to talk to him personally and did not Sometimes

we make demands on hearing from people that God name won't

silent in your life because of you making such a demand to hear

Hallelujah. I mean, we say all the time we

don't deserve salvation, but we act like we deserve to hear,

well, you're going to hear for a season.

We understand that God desires that none would perish, but that

all would come, would come to repentance.

But talking can stop. I mean, just read Romans chapter

Romans 1 · chapter mention

1. Romans chapter 1 is very clear

Romans 1 · chapter mention

of a conversation happening with individuals.

But they snubbed the things of God, and it said God gave them

over to their depraved minds. And in the last of the last

days, you need to understand I don't want to go there, Lord,

I'm not going to go there, OK? So be quick to hear, slow to

speak, slow to anger, right. For the anger of man does not

achieve the righteousness of God.

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains

of wickedness and humility, receive the Word implanted which

is able to save your soul. But prove yourselves.

What doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who delude

themselves. We have to be a doer of the

Word, and to be a doer of the Word is to be caught, not just

reading the scripture and then being a doer that we're hearing

from the Holy Ghost of how to interact and operate in each

situation. Because you understand, you may

know someone at work that is lost.

But again, when we minister on the Lord of the harvest, we talk

about how God sets things up. A lot of times we go and just

start talking about things, thinking that people are ready

when they're not even ready. I mean, because the Bible says

today's the day of salvation doesn't mean it's today.

Today's that person's day to hear from you.

You may actually sound louder if you keep silent and and do the

works. I said, do the works.

I just saw a little clip by a a Pentecostal preacher.

He says, you know, I'm a Pentecostal preacher and I like

Pentecost. You know, he says, you know, and

he said, but the problem is, you know a lot, a lot.

And I love the gifts of the Spirit and as charismatics, we

love the gift, he said, but I sure wish you would be better at

the fruits of the Spirit. He said, because you know you're

going to prophecy and you'll come here and prophecy, but then

you can't walk in self-control, you can't walk in kindness,

gentleness. You know you're not, you're not,

you're not embracing the fruits. He said honestly, I would much

rather have your fruits of the Spirit than the gifts of the

Spirit. So the fruits of the Spirit are

really, and the fruits of the Spirit speak, boy, they speak,

speak when you get up underneath the trial and tribulation and

you are long-suffering, you maintain kindness in the midst

of it. You stay faithful, gentle, these

particular types of things. You, you maintain self-control.

Although you want to flesh out about some stuff.

I mean, it speaks volume. And although you're not saying

anything, your silence is communicating.

It's communicating. So John chapter 10 verse 38, he

John 10:38

says, but if I do them, this is Jesus saying, but if I do them,

though you do not believe me, believe the works so that you

may know that and understand that the Father is in me and I

am in the Father. So here's Jesus, He's like,

look, if I don't do the worst, then don't believe me.

But if I'm doing the worst, even if you don't believe me, if

you're not believing what I'm saying because you don't want to

hear me, look at the fruit. Not only the fruit of his life,

of the way he walked on the planet, but then obviously the

working of the miracles that obviously even the lost

recognized this guy. How in the world can he be?

Now? The religious didn't do it.

What did they do? They're like, man, he casts out

devils in the name of bells above because they're going to

make any excuse to try to discredit the reputation of

Jesus. And for season, Jesus, you know,

in certain situations was able to say certain things, but he

didn't always say stuff. So again, we have to learn when

to speak, but when to remain, you know, because there's a

thing in our US culture today and that is silence is

acceptance. That is not true.

I mean at this point Jesus is silence of all of his accusers

must have me must have meant that I am everything they're

saying about me. But was he anything that they

said No, he wasn't he was righteous holy without spot

wrinkle. He's the lamb and the only one

who can give his life for us. But the the testimonies are to

the contrary. And what does Jesus do in the in

the most pivotal moment of his time on the planet?

Instead of defense, he's quiet. Because what's he going to do?

God had vindicate me and in three days I'm going to get up

out of this thing anyway, and then I'm going to walk around

and show some people, right? And is he seated on the throne

today? Come on, is he seated on the

throne today? So again, know this, there's a

time to talk, there's a time to speak, there's a time to save

the gospel. But then we also have to be

sensitive to the Spirit. Does God want you to inject the

gospel to that person? Does he want you to communicate

this to that individual? Does he want you to say this to

this person? Whatever the case may be, you

know, because again, God knows where people are in their minds

and their hearts what what they've already heard, what

they've already despised. I mean, This is why Jesus said

don't cast a Pearl before the swan.

Well, when do you not do that? And are you discerning enough to

say I'm just not even going to say anything because in that

moment, silence is the will of God.

Not well, I'm let me tell you what I really I'm, what's the

scripture say at this point? The discernment is they don't

want to hear. Why am I even talking to you?

Why am I even talking to you? You're convinced that what you

think is what you think, period. And there's plenty of people

there's and, and this spirit is prevailing in the earth, is in

the in our Nation Today, because we see this in the sector of

government. I mean, it doesn't matter what

one side or the other does. There are people who hold

opinions and they are there period.

Despite anything else, they will not go in another direction.

They are convinced it's that way.

And you know what, when, when, when people get into certain

situations. Well, what can you say?

This is why the Lord gave us that verse in Isaiah.

He said no weapon formed against you will prosper.

And every tongue that rises up in judgment, he will condemn

because at the end of the day, you remain quiet.

Let him. Let the vindication come from

him. So there's power in your

silence. It's not accepting.

It's I trust the Lord, I just trust the Lord.

Hallelujah. In First Corinthians chapter 2,

1 Corinthians 2 · chapter mention

verse four and five, Paul said this.

He said my message and my preaching.

We're not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstrations of

the spirit and of power so that your faith will not rest on the

wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

I think it's very important that as we become studiers of word in

these in these days, you know where Rick Renner wrote a book

called World Going Crazy. When we're in these last days

like this, we seriously need to say, OK, Lord, there's a time to

speak and a time to be quiet. And I need to know when do I

remain silent so that it produces the most power, that it

produces the most power. Because again, when you just

have the fruits of the Spirit functioning in your life and

then you're doing the works, at that point, let them testify and

you can just remain quiet. Because at that point, Jesus

didn't have to speak for himself in the end, because his Father

has. And did his Father get him on

the third day? I said, did he go get him?

Did the Holy Ghost go down? Did he, was he raised up?

Did he split hell wide open right?

Did he conquer death, hell in the grave?

Does he have the keys of death, hell in the grave?

Is he now more than a conqueror? Is he now reigning in heaven,

seated on the throne? Hallelujah.

Is he coming back? And not as a suffering servant,

but he's coming back as the reigning king.

Of that his word reigns supreme, which means whatever he says, he

will do. I said whatever he says he will

do. Glory to God, because God's not

mocked. Whatever man soweth that he'll

also reap. It happened, praise the Lord.

So there may be times you just need to and you produce more

power in that moment than if you say I I encourage you go through

the Scripture and see the times Jesus got quiet.

Now he did talk. This doesn't mean we just stay

quiet because there's a time to talk and and let me say this,

when you talk those who don't want to change, it's going to

make them more aggravated. You can just see it with Jesus.

The Pharisees are like, well, that didn't work.

We sent the guy, they said the stuff and he was able to say all

the scriptures to him and they made him look stupid and we

should probably just leave him alone.

Did they do that? No, let's go.

We going to come back. We going, we going to be better

this time, right? Did it stop Jesus from his

purpose? Did it cause Jesus to fall

apart? No, as long as he kept his eyes

fixed on his Father's purpose, he was able to accomplish this

task. And there were times they came

to kill him. He just the one time,

Hallelujah, I said Hallelujah. So let's work the deeds of God,

let's obey him, let's speak when we should, and let's take a page

out of Jesus's playbook.