Proverbs 15- God'€™s Will & Our Words — Shane Idleman

God's Will and the Power of Our Words

Turn your Bibles to Proverbs 15. We went about 15 minutes over on worship, but I'm glad we did. It's about time. I just hope this complements what's already taking place in the hearts of many of you tonight.

Proverbs 15. If you have your Bibles, turn there. I'm going to be starting in 15 .1. I have a whole list of announcements and different things, but I will have to try to get those at the end. And as you'll see in your notes there, we're talking about God's will in our words.

And what Proverbs 15 is about, a lot of it is about what we say. And it also talks about knowing God's will. So I thought I'd try to attempt to tie those together tonight. And this is one of those themes.

Our words. This is going to apply to everybody in this room. A lot of times we'll say, well, that doesn't really apply to me. I'm not convicted about that. I don't struggle in that area. Right? Have you ever heard that?

I've said that before. It doesn't really apply to me. I've got that down. But this area, what comes out, is pertinent to all of us in this room. Because let's remember, Proverbs 18 I believe it is, that we're going to learn in a few weeks that life and death are in the power of the tongue.

We can either build up or we can tear down. And Proverbs 15 is going to touch on this, but it's also going to touch on knowing God's will. So if you have questions about God's will tonight, I hope I can answer some of those.

So with that said, let's begin. And for those of you who are new here, what we're doing, we're spending some time in Proverbs. We're going through it chapter by chapter by chapter. And once I get through Proverbs, God willing, I'm going to start in Matthew.

And I'm ready as it is. I've got my first eight or nine sermons already done. I'm reading systematic theology on the historical Jesus. I'm getting books from historians that teach New Testament theology and just trying to bring in all these things.

Not above our head, but how it can relate to our culture. Because people are asking, who is this Jesus even today? And I'm going to do a whole study through the book of Matthew. There's no time set on it.

And I'm hoping to start that as soon as possible. So I want to race through Proverbs. But at the same time, I want to take time and I want to look at what God's Word has to say. Because I would say of all the books of the Bible, Proverbs is probably one of my most favorite.

My highly cherished because of all the nuggets of truth. And if you can just obey these Proverbs, boy, you'll make life much easier and much simpler and you'll understand God's will. Because a lot of times we want to know, God, what is Your will?

What is Your will? And He says right here. He says, oh no, I don't want that. Just tell me. Just show me. Give me something. I don't want this. I know all about that. I can quote Scripture, but often that's how He directs us.

Not as much through inner voices as wise teaching, as J .I. Packard would say. He teaches us through His Word. Now I'm not against the leadings of the Holy Spirit, but often they have to line up with His Word.

So we have to know what that compass is. The problem is if we don't have this as our compass, we can be led astray. Like children, tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. And we're tossed here, and then we're tossed there because we have no anchor.

So that's one advantage to studying Proverbs. So Proverbs, verse 1, chapter 15. I'm reading from the English Standard Version. I'm really starting to like that version, but I'll also use the New King James Version.

And interestingly, they come from different manuscripts. But more on that later as we get into Matthew. Verse 1, a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Now let me read that from the New King James.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Now that's pretty simple. What he's saying there is this is twofold. Our words can extinguish and they can prevent what I call verbal forest fires.

When somebody's popping off, our words can either, what I like to say, throw fuel on that fire. And I tell people that sometimes. You're just throwing fuel on the fire. Do you realize that? You were supposed to put water on the fire.

So what he's saying here is if you give somebody a gentle answer, you can turn away wrath. And one of the best people I ever saw, I'll have to send him this message because I mentioned him. Some of you know Burl Patterson.

He's lived in this valley a long time. Went to high school with my dad. He was in real estate. Still in real estate. But that guy, I could see people, they would chew him out on the phone yelling and this.

And he'd say, oh, I understand. Well, let's sit. Never once, never once had I ever seen him get upset. And he would calm those people down within five minutes. And now they're thinking like he wants them to think.

And he's got them right there by a gentle answer. The louder they got, the quieter he spoke. And I will never ever forget many conversations where I would hear people yelling, screaming in offices. And he would just sit there.

Every single time he would put that fire out. And I'm ready to get up out of my chair. And he's just sitting there calmly and doing that. And he's such a reminder for me when I read this. Because our words can either fuel the flames of rage, or they can quench them.

When your children are upset and angry, remember this verse. A gentle answer. You'll put anger in its place. It can extinguish that. Not only does it extinguish it, but it prevents them. A gentle answer.

Do you know how many arguments are started by not necessarily what we say, but how we say it? So he's saying right here, a soft answer will turn away wrath. Memorize this verse. I don't care what translation you use.

Memorize this verse. If you use a gentle answer, you will turn away wrath. And the New American Commentary says this, It's the ability to advert needless quarreling and to live in harmony with others.

This is a virtue of wisdom. Now listen to this. Many conflicts arise, not because the issues separating the parties are so great, but because of the temperaments of the people. So many of our conflicts aren't anything great and magnificent.

Oh, how are we going to get through it? The conflicts are normal, but it's the temperament of the people. Does that ring a bell in marriage? Husbands and wives, a gentle answer turns away wrath. And I have not mastered this.

So look to this. Not to this. Not to the pulpit. James reminds us, if you or I do not bridle our tongues, our religion is useless. Bridle your tongues. I can see some of the kids going, what are you talking about?

Well, you know what a bridle is, right? On a horse. What is it for? To restrain and to control. So James is saying, if you don't even control or restrain your tongue or the words that come out of your mouth, your religion is useless.

How many times have you said, oh, I wish they didn't know I was a Christian. After you just gave them a salt rifle worth of words. Because it's useless. It's pointless. We're hypocritical. Our words and our actions must match our profession of faith.

Bottom line. Our words are very important because out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth is going to speak. So when somebody is hot tempered and says all these kinds of things, and they say, I don't know what happened.

I don't know what came over me. I know what came over you. Your heart's in a very bad condition. Your heart needs that rejuvenating power, that repentance needs to take place. We need to be known for our gentleness, not for our rigidness.

Are you known as a gentle person? Or are you known as a hothead? Don't get around, oh, you know him. That's just the way he is. That's not good. That's not wisdom. God's will, since we're talking about God's will, has to do with the words we say and how we say them.

Wisdom, Discipline, and the Fear of the Lord

Verse 2, the tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of fools pours out folly. I mean, that's pretty self-explanatory. The tongue of the wise person, you will commend knowledge, but the mouth of fools, all they do is they just pour out folly.

All day long, they're just pouring out folly. Verse 3, the eyes of the Lord are in every place. Some of you need to hear that tonight. This is a good reminder of God's omnipresence. He is everywhere. Omnipresence.

Omnipotent. All-powerful. Omnipresence. Everywhere. And omniscient. All-knowing. So He is everywhere. The eyes of the Lord are in every place. He keeps watch on the evil and the good. Reminds us of God's sovereign control.

Verse 4, a gentle tongue is a tree of life. What's this guy's problem with the mouth and the tongue? What's he trying to do here? Well, you have to remember, they didn't have whiteout. And they didn't have copy and paste.

And this doesn't flow. And I already said this. Right? And a lot of these proverbs were written over years. And He's reminding us, listen, go back. I know you already forgot about verse 1. A soft answer.

So let me remind you again. A gentle tongue is a tree of life. But perverseness is in it breaks the spirit. So again, what is God's will? Do we build others up with our words? Or do we break them down?

Let me say this too. Anytime you use harsh words, they need to be well thought out. Harsh words should not be reactionary. Gentle words should be reactionary. And I'm trying to get to a point with my kids even, that I'm...

Let me just be gentle. Because it's hard. Because our flesh wants to just throw out all this junk. Our flesh just loves to tell people off and just spew it out and all this hatred. So our words carry weight.

Verse 5. A fool despises his father's instructions, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent. Now there's a word we don't hear very much. I don't know why the English Standard Version chose to use prudent.

But what it means is, it's having a good sense in dealing with practical matters. So let me break this down for you. A fool who despises instruction is foolish, of course. But whoever heeds reproof is prudent.

Now that's a tongue twister. What he's saying here is basically, fools don't use good sense in dealing with practical matters. Fools aren't careful in considering the consequences. And fools aren't careful in managing their resources.

That's what prudence is. So in short, fools, those who don't like instruction, they don't use good judgment, and they don't consider the consequences. That is what is foolish. So if we're talking about God's will, if you want to know God's will in your life, a lot of it starts right here.

He gives us wisdom. What is wise? What is foolish? And a lot of times God allows us to make decisions. So we have to use wisdom. That's what He's saying here. Be careful. Use prudence. V. 6, I've got to hurry.

I'm going to keep you guys here forever. In the house of the righteous, there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked. The lips of the wise spread knowledge. Not so for the hearts of the fools.

V. 8, the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. Wait a minute. Why is a wicked person sacrificing? Well, let's read on. The sacrifice of a wicked person is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to Him.

The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but He loves him who pursues righteousness. So why is the wicked person sacrificing? Well, I like what John Piper put here. The answer seems to be that an act that is good in itself, listen to this, an act that is good in itself can become ugly to God when it is done with the wrong motives.

An outward act that looks respectable to some can look horrible in God's eyes because it comes from a heart that is wrong. So basically, God is saying the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Me.

God desires mercy, not sacrifice, brokenness, not formalism. Now basically, the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination. What would happen in the New Testament, right? They would bring their sacrifice to God.

They would come to the temple as if nothing's happening. Here's my sacrifice. I'm going to sit here and worship God. God's saying put away from Me all that stuff. Don't bring sacrifice into this house because your heart is not right.

Your heart is wicked and deceitful. You've been cheating. You've been lying. You've been doing all these things. Don't come in here as if you're in right relationship with Me. Oh, that's a message for the church today.

People all across this landscape come into the church as if they're doing God a favor. I'm going to come in, my sacrifice, my time. And God's saying listen, it doesn't even matter. Put away from Me. You see the verse here in Amos.

Put away from Me these stringed instruments. Put away from Me all this stuff. Get this out of here. God says I'm sick of it. But let justice run down like a river and righteousness like a mighty stream.

See, God is more concerned about the heart than our actions from a hypocritical heart. He wants genuine actions. That's what He's saying here. If you do something and your heart is not right, that's an abomination to Me.

If you weren't here last week, I would doubly encourage you to look at last week's message online, A Call to Worship. It was by far one of the most requested sermons we've had and I just felt God's presence the entire sermon.

And I dealt a little bit with this. But I encourage you to do that when you get back home tonight. Kind of pick up where we left off. Verse 10. There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way.

See, we don't like that verse. But He's saying right here, there is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way. So if somebody's going through severe discipline by God, thank Him. Because what's happening is we're forsaking the way and that's how He draws us back to Him.

Listen, do not go that way. I've got to bring severe discipline. Why? Because without pain we don't move. If we're not going through financial, relational, or spiritual pain, we just think we just love the direction we're going.

Well, God must be blessing me. God must be enjoying this. God doesn't care. Look at this. So He has to bring pain and discipline to turn us back. That's why when I often talk about the direction of our nation, I always say do not confuse God's patience with His approval.

Let me say that again. Do not confuse God's patience with His approval. We're getting away with all kinds of stuff. Well, nothing's happening. The scoffers are saying, oh, where's their God now? Nothing's happening.

Look, we're living like animals basically. But we have to remember there's a judgment of God that is going to fall upon a nation. It's going to fall upon a group of people. All of us will stand before the judgment seat someday and give an account for our lives.

So He's saying there, just be careful. When you are being disciplined, don't become bitter. Become better and break. Because a lot of times when God is disciplining us, and sometimes I will never say if somebody's going through something challenging, they're being disciplined, because then all of us are being disciplined all the time.

But we know through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, He's saying that's not right. You need to change this. You need to work on this. And we can ignore that conviction and that voice of God, that still small voice, become quieter and quieter and quieter until we walk around thinking, that's no big deal.

So invite that discipline from God to redirect us. And then it says, whoever hates this will die. See, there we go. If you love discipline from God, use that to turn back to Him, you will live. Now verse 11.

The New King James calls hell the English Standard Version calls sheol and destruction. Basically, hell and destruction lie open before the Lord. How much more the hearts of the children of man. A scoffer does not like to be reproved.

He will not go the way of the wise. And this parallels. If I don't have a lot of time, that's why I put some notes in there. This parallels exactly Romans 1 .18. One of the most popular verses in the churches today.

You'll rarely hear this verse read because people get upset. But it parallels perfectly. The wrath of God. What? The wrath of God? What about the love of God, Shane? You have to understand the wrath of God to understand the love of God.

You can't understand the love of God without understanding the wrath of God. Because what is love without a polar opposite? So you can only stand love if you understand hatred. It's saying the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of people.

Here's what they do. They suppress the truth. It reminds me of my kids trying to push a big basketball underneath the water in the pool. Right? They push you down. They're suppressing. Look at, look at, look at.

Let go. Bam! It hits them right in the head. They bite their tongue and now they're crying for the next half hour. But that's what it reminds me of. Mankind is suppressing the truth. Look what I'm getting away with.

Look at this. Let me put my foot on it and get it way down there. I'm suppressing the truth. And God says, you are not without excuse, because My invisible attributes are clearly seen. Creation screams Creator.

There is no excuse. No excuse. So anytime you say, what about the guy out in the jungle of Africa who's never heard about Christ? Creation screams Creator. His invisible attributes are clearly seen. God is calling and convicting through the power of the Holy Spirit.

I believe that all men, when they stand before God, there will not be any excuses. Because His truth is revealed in creation. Read Romans 1 when you get home. God makes it plain to them. So what is God's will?

God's will is that you embrace constructive criticism. You embrace the rebuke of God. You embrace the discipline. And if you don't like what I'm saying, as we often say, you need to hear what I'm saying.

I found this little truth to be so true at this church especially. When people don't like what I'm saying, ten times out of ten, it's exactly what they need to hear. Always. Because when you get to the core of it, you're challenging the relationship with God.

This isn't Shane's opinion poll. This isn't my idea. This is just what God's Word says. And that conviction is a good thing. Because usually people get upset first, right? I can't believe he's saying that we're under the condemnation and wrath of God.

You get upset. And then what do you do? You ponder it. Hmm... Could that be? And then sometimes people break and say, Lord, if that's true, show me. I want to turn my life over to You. Or they get harder and bitter and resentful and don't want to have anything to do with the truth.

So enjoy conviction and thank God for conviction. Because conviction, without that, we would never change. We would never change without that. I want to give a side note here on verse 10 that we read.

God's Discipline Is Not Enabling

There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way. Whoever hates reproof will die. And we talked about God using discipline to draw us back. And I made a point here. And I want to clarify it and I want to expound upon it.

God is not an enabler. What is an enabler? Do you guys know? Well, here's the Eidelman definition. One who bails someone out of the consequences of their addictions or their bad decisions. They enable them by helping them stay in the destructive lifestyle.

Many of us know women are going to be starting the series on boundaries. I'm sure you'll touch on this. But God is not an enabler. When He sees us in a destructive lifestyle, He sends words from the pulpit sometimes.

He sends words from other people. Somehow, He wants to get your attention. He'll just shake your life up so you don't know what happened, so you have to turn to Him. He is not an enabler. He's not up in heaven with His hands in His pocket going, oh, I guess I should bail them out again and again and again.

Now be careful because He is our shepherd. He is our strong tower. He is our support. We run to Him for everything. But there's a difference between running to Him with a broken, repentant heart and Him restoring and guiding and supplying and providing, and then Him also using circumstances to draw us back to Him.

Parents understand this. We're good enablers, aren't we? We just keep bailing our kids out. Here's some more money. And they never learn. They're 33 years old and they just keep borrowing from Mom. Enabling, enabling, enabling.

God is not an enabler, and we shouldn't be either. It's tough love, I know. And different situations call for different things. But it wasn't until I remember my mom's here when my mom and dad said, listen, next year we're not paying your bills anymore.

Car insurance, fuel, it's all you. What? How am I going to do that? Welcome to the real world. So God is not an enabler. So be careful there that we don't become one. Verse 13,. A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.

The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly. All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast. In a nutshell, spiritual, emotional, and mental wholeness result from submission to the truth.

That's what he's saying there. If we don't submit to the truth of God's Word, we encounter difficulty spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. Verse 16, Oh gosh, if our nation would just remember this.

Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, just a little with the fear of the Lord, than a great treasure in trouble with it. Better is dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

Basically saying, better is to sit down with a little side salad and be in harmony with your spouse than go sit in famous days and argue all night. Practical application. All we have is this little salad and we don't have much.

Be thankful for that, that there's peace in the home. Do you know how many husbands just love a quiet home? Oh, it's our cave. Just give me quietness. And that's not gonna happen where I'm at. I'm gonna have four little kids now under eight years old.

So I have to get up early in the morning to avoid that constant. But guess what? In 10 years we're gonna wish that that was happening again, aren't we? That's what everybody tells me. So better is just a little.

Gratitude, Faithfulness, and True Success

We have to be so thankful. We should be the most thankful people on the planet. But instead we're not. We want more and we want more and we want more. We're measuring success by the world standard. Pastors are measuring success by how many chairs are full.

Listen, we can have a thousand people and not be faithful to the Word of God. We're succeeding according to man, but not according to God. So you have to be very careful how you measure success. Because a lot of times, we're not gonna be the Brad Pitt and all these Hollywood stars and all the people want to be movie stars and rock stars.

That's a lot of times not even close to God's will. He buries His men and women in the midst of paltry things so they can just learn and submit. That faithfulness. God calls us to be faithful. So if we're just thankful...

Do you know that fear and anxiety will run the other direction when you're thankful? Bitterness, jealousy, envy will run the other way when you're thankful. Marriage issues come to a screeching halt when you're just thankful and loving.

So that's what he's saying here. A cheerful heart, a glad heart. That was verse 13, but back here. Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure. Better is little with the fear of the Lord.

Notice how he didn't say better is little with peace and comfort, but he said better is little with the fear of the Lord. As long as you have the fear of the Lord, you have everything. As long as you're in right relationship with God and you have that fear of God in your heart, you are on solid ground.

Trust me. Next verse. Verse 18. A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. So it begs the question, do you stir up strife? Or do you quiet the conversation? Quiet what's happening?

Bottom line is are you an instigator? He's saying do not be an instigator. God's will is that we be calm people and avoid arguing and debating and upsetting. Listen, let me say that again. God's will is that we become calm people.

We avoid, when possible, arguing. We avoid debating and we avoid upsetting. Yes, this sermon was convicting for me if you're wondering. Like I always say, it steps on my toes before it steps on yours.

We have to watch what we say from our mouth. Especially little kids, we're shaping and molding them. They're so impressionable. Verse 19. The way of the sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.

Any guesses? Here we go again. The idleman paraphrase. A lazy person's life is filled with unnecessary difficulties and pain, but the path of God-fearing men and women is protected and well-maintained.

Amen is right. The way of a sluggard. You know what that is? It's a snail. The way of a foolish, lazy person. The Bible mentions no words. It comes straight out and just calls it what it is. Verse 20.

A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother. Verse 21. Folly is joy to him who lacks sense, but a man of understanding walks straight ahead. Verse 22. I want to spend just a minute on this one if I can, because I think it's going to help some people.

Godly Counsel and the Four Tests of God's Will

Verse 22. Without counsel, plans fail. But with many advisors, they succeed. Verse 23. To make an apt answer is a joy to a man. To make an appropriate answer, to give a good answer, that's a joy to a man.

And a word in season, oh, how good it is. But all this stems from without counsel, plans fail. What's he saying here? Well, here's an excerpt I put in here. Those who counsel us can generally offer guidance and make correct observations, whereas we might be inclined to lean on our emotions.

So be careful. From time to time, you might, or me, will be tempted to find someone to confirm our feelings. We'll ask co-workers, we'll ask friends for advice, until they tell us what we want to hear.

That's not seeking godly counsel. He's saying without genuine counsel, our plans will fail. Now here's where I want to tie that in. And we're talking about God's will. Here's four keys. Biblically, I've thought back over my own life.

I've read a lot of different books on God's will. These are four keys you need to know when it comes to knowing God's will. Are you ready? Number one. Whatever it is. Is it biblical? You might say, well, Shane, of course.

Golly. You didn't have to say that. Yeah, I did. Oh, yeah. Trust me. Because I'll ask people, I don't care what that says, but you don't know my situation. For example, there's couples sometimes we talk to who are living together.

And you know what that usually leads to, right? Fill in the blank. And then they come and ask, is it God's will that we get married? Well, let's back up and start over what we do know to be God's will.

Can we start with that? No, because we're not gonna be able to determine the other until we get this side right. No, we love each other. What's the big deal? We don't care. See, it's biblical. They're not even starting with square one.

So they're going through dating this and they're wondering, there's so much anxiety. Is it God's will? I don't know. Let's go back and fix what's broken first. Is it biblical? And financially, I'll tell people, is it biblical?

I mean, is that right with your money? Is that misleading? Well, I mean, Shane, to make it in business today, we've got to really... Is it biblical? Well, probably not, but it's the only way I can survive out there.

You see how this is often used? Is it biblical? A lot of times too, I'll counsel. I met with a couple a few months back. They don't go here. But it was interesting on the marriage counseling, we're talking about, well, do you have grounds?

Is it biblical? And we're talking and they're like, biblical? Well, we just don't... Irreconcilable differences. We don't get along. We're done. We don't love each other. Is it biblical? See how we miss God's will half the time by just this one question.

So a lot of times you think, oh, of course, that's common sense, but we don't apply it. Be doers of the word and not hearers only. Deceiving yourself. So number one, it starts with obeying what we know to be right.

Then number two, when it comes to God's will, it depends on the area, but you ask, are you gifted for it? Has God gifted you for this certain thing that you're considering? Does it mesh with your character?

With who you are? How God's designed you? Number three, allow God to open and shut the doors. This is huge because when we try to determine God's will, you know what we try to do? Push that door open.

I don't care. Give me a jackhammer. I'm going to open this door. It's not opening. Give me some dynamite. I'm going to open this door. I know God's opening this door. I'm going to open this door. No, no, no.

Make sure He opens those doors, makes it loud and clear. And mainly what I've... I don't want to repeat stories I've already told here, but a lot of times when God opens a door, then you walk through.

You don't force the doors open. I mean, everything from this church. They ask, would you want to use this building? Well, sure. There's an open door. The articles you guys read in the paper, that started four years ago.

They asked me if I would write one article on voting. And they said it was well received. Can you keep sending us articles? Okay, I guess. Sure, I can. The same thing with the radio. Have you ever thought about being radio?

We've got somebody that can put it together. Okay, I get it. See, every time I try to... Now, there's plenty of doors I've tried to force open. I've tried to kick those things open. I've tried to manipulate everything.

It never works out. So when it comes to knowing God's will, this is key. And you want to know why we kick the door open? Because we are in a hurry. Be still and know that I am God. Oh no, I don't like that one.

Those who run upon the Lord, those who wait upon the Lord, they will renew their strength. See, there's power in waiting. Because a lot of times, what God's called you to, He's planting the seed now. It's not something that necessarily is going to happen next week.

I mean, think about when the prophet came to... Samuel came to anoint the next king of Israel. He kept trying to pour the oil over the sons of Jesse. No, no, no, no. Is there anybody else? Well, yeah, I've got this little guy in the back, David.

He's kind of, you know, just a little, you know, kind of high tense and young guy. He said, go get him. And then when he poured the oil on David, it flowed. And God said, that's my man. Did they get a big procession and a parade and a band?

What did David go back and do? Tend to cheap. He just went back and tended cheap. And then he had to fight Saul for years and years and years. So a lot of times, see, God's calling me to do this. Let me run ahead and do it.

He said, no, no, no, no, no. I'm showing you what I've called you to do because now you've got to build the character so when you get there, the weight doesn't crush you. So a lot of times, I saw myself doing this ten years ago, but I would have fell flat on my face nine years ago.

Or up until we started because of all the shaping and character. And still, I don't feel ready or prepared because it's still a process until the day I die. But He'll show you something. Probably with the people doing worship tonight, it's phenomenal.

They probably want that calling on their life. God says, good, I'm going to call you to lead worship someday. But not yet. You've got character development that needs to take place. And that happens in all of us.

So it's a good thing to wait upon the Lord. And that leads me right to my next point. Seek godly counsel. Looking back, all the godly counsel that I sought, when I went against it, it was not good. God, I just don't know what they're talking about.