A Season and a Time — Keith Daniel

I see it's very loud and I'm very grateful because we're all scared, I see you all living, sitting there in great fear as to how loud he has left us. I hear a humming, am I mistaken, no, okay, I'm going to put this in my, oh it is humming, why is it humming brother, we don't know what it is but perhaps it's just something of the treble tone, there you are, very good, so long as it's loud, is it loud, good, I'm looking for fear on your faces but you're just smiling so it can't be loud enough, there you are, thank you.

Can we bow for a moment of prayer please, thank you Lord for this evening that we can gather in the name of Christ and out of love and devotion to Christ, thank you we could sing the praises of our God together and be uplifted by music that is so godly and we bless thee for those who play the piano and these instruments, we bless thee God for the preacher of this fellowship and his wife, his family and for every member and for those who visit here at this time and from what I understand Lord, the past has seen many wonderful times of refreshing in this building and although many have passed on and gone to glory and moved away and have become elderly and oh God we thank thee that there's still an open door here and a pulpit that is ministering truth.

And I thank thee for the privilege that I could come and be part of this just for a moment to get to know these lovely people and I thank thee for every kindness showered on me by them and every encouragement.

So bless us Lord we're not a great crowd but that doesn't matter at all, that means nothing, despise not the day of small things, I often think more can happen in a smaller meeting than often happens in the biggest congregations there are in the world even in this country where nothing happens but grieving God at the way the word is proclaimed and what people gather in their thousands to hear that would never gather to hear such things as we would long to hear.

A Season and a Time for Silence

So we bless thee we can be together under the word of God. We ask thee Lord to bless thy word to the depth of our souls in Jesus the Christ's name. Amen. To everything there is a season. Ecclesiastes 3 verse 1 says to everything there is a season and a time a time to every purpose under heaven verse 7 there is a time to keep silence and a time to speak.

One of the greatest tragedies that could ever happen in any person's life is if they do not swiftly learn that most occasions in most circumstances throughout life are a time to keep silent. I want to repeat that one of the greatest tragedies that could ever happen in any person's life is if they do not swiftly learn that most occasions in most circumstances throughout life are a time to keep silence.

A time to keep silence. He that hath knowledge spareth his words. Prophet 17 verse 20. The Bible speaks of unprofitable talk. Unprofitable talk. Job 15 verse 3. A fool. A fool is full of words. Full of words.

Ecclesiastes 10 verse 14. A fool uttereth all his mind. Proverbs 29 verse 11. Proverbs 29 verse 20 condemns a man that is hasty in his words. Hasty to speak a fool's voice. A fool's voice is known by a multitude of words.

Multitude of words. Ecclesiastes 5 verse 3. The mouth of fools. The mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. Proverbs 15 verse 4 14. And then Proverbs 15 verse 2 says. The mouth of fools pour without foolishness.

The mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. And then the mouth of fools pour without foolishness. Proverbs 15 verse 2. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good.

And an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil. For of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6 verse 45. Those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart Christ said.

And they defile a man 15. Matthew 15 verse 18. 1 Timothy 2 16. Son vain babblings that's worthless talk. Son pain babblings worthless talk. For they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker.

Cancer. Son vain babblings worthless talk. For this they will increase to more ungodliness. Their words will eat as doth a canker spread like cancer. The lips of a fool will swallow up himself. Ecclesiastes 10 verse 12.

A pretty fool shall fall. Proverbs 10 verse 8. Literally a babbling fool shall be ruined. The mouth of the foolish is near destruction. Oh be careful here. Proverbs 10 verse 14. If he's not careful near destruction.

But if he isn't the mouth a fool's mouth is his destruction. In the end a fool's mouth is his destruction. His lips are a snare of his soul. Proverbs 18 verse 7. Who so keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

Proverbs 21 verse 23. Who so keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. God says he that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life keepeth his life. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life.

But he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. Proverbs 13 verse 3. Keep thy tongue from evil. Thy lips from speaking guile. Nonsense worthless. Psalm 34 verse 13. You can. You can set a watch.

Oh Lord before my mouth keep the door of my lips. Someone 141 verse 3. Set a watch. Oh Lord before my mouth keep the door of my lips. You know from a young Christian till today I'm saved nearly 50 years.

I've prayed that prayer thousands of times and every time from my soul never just uttering words. That I don't lose my children's heart now God that I don't lose my wife's respect. Dear God that I don't lose the right to witness ever again.

Dear God if I don't keep quite now that I don't stoop to become what this man is as he's saying dealing with me. Keep. Set a watch. Oh Lord before my mouth keep the doors of my lips. Psalm 141 verse 3.

I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. Summer 17 verse 3. Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise. And he that shutteth his lips is sustained a man of understanding. Proverbs 17 verse 28.

Psalm 39 verse 1 I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle with a bridle. If any man among you seem to be religious and bridle if not his tongue deceiveth his own heart.

This man's religion is vain. It's worthless in God's eyes. And men don't doubt that. James 1 verse 26. If any man among you seem to be religious and bridle if not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this man's religion is very worthless.

Keep my tongue from evil thy lips from speaking guile. Chump that if over 13 in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin. But he that refrains his lips is wise. Proverbs 10 verse 19. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin.

That's a staggering verse. You see when God says in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin. It's the tip of the iceberg. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin is a terrible terrible statement.

The Tongue as a Fire and a Test of Christian Character

So is the tongue among our members that it defileth the whole body. Can that be. So is the tongue among our members that it defileth the whole body and set it on fire. The course of nature it is set on fire of hell.

If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body. If you have control here by the grace of God you have control everywhere you come to God. Do you for forgiveness for this sin.

For that sin fear of it destroying your credibility and testimony. And you asking God oh why don't you come to God for the sin that causes all these sins according to the Bible suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin.

If any man offend not failure in word the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body. Be careful. This is the tip of the iceberg. You fail. You're in failure in every aspect of life.

God says you have no control of the senses the sensualities. What man is he that desirous life and loveth many days that he may see good. Keep thy tongue from evil thy lips from speaking guile. Psalm 34 verse 12 says 1 Peter 3 verse 10.

For he that will love life he that will love life and see good days. Let him refrain his tongue from evil his lips that they speak no guile. Proverbs 4 verse 24. Put away from the afro with mouth. A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth.

God says Proverbs 15 verse 23. A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth. I preached in a town many years ago now and all the churches without exception even the old Catholic man they canceled. They came along to combine.

And I was preaching just quoting God's Word that I'd memorized passages and chapters and chapters on one facet of what God's vital teachings are. And after the meeting all the preachers of the town and a lot of really godly people came over to the home where I was staying up in the high part of that southern Africa where the mountains are very icy cold and the fire was going.

And this big almost a kitchen I suppose I don't know. No everybody's sitting there. But I didn't realize. There was a very famous preacher in the meeting that night just happened to be in the town a very famous preacher.

He was like a household name. Didn't exactly believe what I believed a charismatic type of person and manifestations and gifts of the big thing. And the vital evidence of what they termed the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Well I just quoted scriptures. It proved all that wrong. Sorry this one Corinthians 12 13 14. And then the rest of the scriptures Romans 12. All these passages upon passages all linking them up to prove that the evidence of the fullness of the Spirit that simply means to be controlled by the Spirit as a result of absolute surrender the evidence that God is in control that I'm totally yielded and filled control as a result by the Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit not gifts though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not loved the first gift ever mentioned the first fruit ever mentioned always primarily love.

That is a result of agape love. Not you're struggling but to the degree you're yielded you respond with God's love. Love sufferers long. And it's kind. You can't do that in your own strength. Love your enemies bear it all things believe it or the endure it all the love never fail.

Agape love God's love not human love. You see to the degree you yielded to God. That's how Christianity is that our Christ fulfilled the law through you Christ likeness is 1 Corinthians 13. But I was just putting everything into its priorities even the order of gifts.

And what gifts are and what in the light of other scriptures only what gifts really well for the gospel just been nonetheless here we are now in this building about 50 men woman all the preachers the town and sitting around there making lovely tea or coffee and cake or something.

And this famous preacher that was there that I didn't realize attacked me. Oh I mean with venom he stood there when they introduced me. I didn't realize he was in the meeting. I mean everybody knows him and I can't.

He's so well not because of the following that they have with all emotionalism prosperity and whatever else I don't know but there are. Instead of taking my hand he just started screaming at me. So he screamed veins are sticking out.

And he was so angry with me because everything he stood for in his ministry had collapsed under all these scriptures and he couldn't bear it. He just should this screaming. How dare you. What's wrong with you.

Oh he went on and on. So everybody got up walked and stood around the walls some even walked out on the passage fearful of the way this man just let rip lost control. Of course I didn't preach his doctrine or emphasize what he emphasized.

So I prayed as I always pray for my soul trembling sometimes said of what. So God before my mouth please keep the doors of my lips. You see this is the only religion in the world that you win an argument by doing nothing.

It's the only religion on earth and you win almost every single circumstance against you by keeping quiet. Well I asked God for this and after a long time he began to slow down and try and compose himself a little bit and he just stands there now looking as if you say well what are you gonna say.

What are you gonna do. Everybody was trembling. I quite believe there wasn't anybody in that room it wasn't absolutely fearful of what was the guy. He's gonna stand up and wipe the floor of him. So I just sat there and then I looked at him and he's standing there waiting.

Everybody's waiting tensely. And I I said I read in the newspaper that your wife was sickly and I'm so sorry to hear that. How is she doing. You know he was so shocked that I changed the subject and didn't defend myself that he fell into the seat.

Huh. He'd never ever in his life experienced a Christian that didn't fight back or defend himself. I believe and so did most in that room. He couldn't believe this man didn't say anything to all that he said other than change the subject and be kind love suffer as long as God.

Well after a little while I got up and I said listen you've got to forgive me. But I got to get up early to get back to home the plane and traveling to the airport. And I've got to get her back to bed now and I have things to do showering you.

So please don't think I'm trying to excuse myself prematurely. I really would like to stay but please forgive me. I excuse want to excuse myself. Please. I don't. Don't you go home now. You just you know that man stood in such a way that the whole room stood out of such respect.

And as I walked out every single person's I looked at this utter respect even people touching. Thank you brother. I walked down the passage and joy up in my heart. God's joy. A man of joy by the answer of his lips.

Why it was the joy of the Lord is your strength. It isn't God smiling down at you. It's God in you his joy his grief if you fail you. And his joy if you pass the exam. If you seek the grace and God gives you the grace because he's obliged to give you that grace.

And I went there not proud. But why showed them. What a Christian. Yeah I had nothing of that. I just had joy. God's joy in me. You don't work it up. You don't get joyful about your success in Christianity.

Passing is you know God's joys in you. Just wells up got on my knees and just worship the Lord. A joy man has joy by the answer of his mouth. God says. God says in Proverbs 15 verse 23. When thy lips.

When thy lips speak right things. Proverbs 23 verse 16. How forcible are right words. Job 6 verse 25. A word fitly spoken. Proverbs 25 is 11. Let your speech be always with grace. Colossians 4 verse 6 that you may know how he ought to answer.

The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious. But the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. Ecclesiastes 10 verse 12. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness and the end of his talk is madness.

God says madness. Everybody thinks it too. We've got sensibilities about them or any sense of discernment in the things of God that thou mayest regard discretion and that thy lips may keep knowledge. Proverbs 5 verse 2.

The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable. God says the lips of the righteous know what is acceptable in the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found. Proverbs 10 verse 13. Wisdom is fun.

A woman that feareth the Lord. Proverbs 31 verse 30 openeth her mouth with wisdom. Verse 26. In her tongue is the law of kindness. Someone that fears God God says here you know she's he opened at their mouth with wisdom in her tongue is the law kindness.

But excellent speech becometh not a fool. Proverbs 17 verse 7. Proverbs 59 verse 12 warns us of the sin of the mouth. The sin of the mouth Paul warns us. You see James says in chapter 3 verse 5. The tongue is a little member.

But Paul warns us in Romans 6 verse 19. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. Thou givest thy mouth to Eva.

Proverb. Psalm 50 verse 19. Oh Christian be careful for death and life are in the power of the tongue. God says. Proverbs 18 verse 21. Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment. And a babbler is no better.

Ecclesiastes 10 verse 11. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent. Psalm 58 verse 4. The tongue is an unruly evil full of deadly poison. God says if you have no control here the tongue is an unruly evil full of deadly poison.

James 3 verse 8. A hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor. Proverbs 11 verse 9. Who is thy neighbor. Who's my neighbor. Proverbs 16 verse 27. An ungodly man diggeth up. Evil digs for dirt. God says in his lips is like a burning fire.

Oh the tongue is a fire. God says in James 3 verse 16. A world of iniquity. He that uttereth a slander is a fool. He that uttereth a slander is a fool. Proverbs 10 verse 18. Who so privileged slandereth his neighbor.

Him will I cut off. God says literally destroy. Psalm 101 verse 5. Don't play the fool with God. Now their tongue is as a sharp sword. God says in Psalm 57 verse 4 swords are in their lips. Psalm 59 verse 7.

He that goeth about as a tale bearer revealeth secrets. Proverbs 20 verse 19. A tale bearer revealeth secrets. But he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. Proverbs 11 verse 13. He protects a man rather than destroys him.

When he finds failure a tale bearer reveal its secrets. But he that is of a faithful spirit that means he that in godliness in integrity and godliness the Hebrew because of your fear of God there's integrity that's godly integrity.

You conceal the matter. Love covereth a multitude of sins. You conceal. The words of a tale bearer are as wounds like a knife. They go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Proverbs 18 verse 8. The words of a tale bearer are as wounds like a knife.

They go down into the innermost part of all the pain all the damage all the suffering brought on others through a tale bearer. It's like a knife. His words like wounds. They cause wounds. I stood with a young man many years ago now 20 something years ago now he looked so completely evil that I trembled as I looked at him.

And he stood there looking at me smugly. He knew I was a preacher. There he was with his mohawk hairstyle. He studs these things all over his body. I don't know. So I walked up to him and that surprised him in this factory.

The Destructive Power of Words

I said you need to seek God. Boy you need to seek God now desperately before you do something evil and wicked in this world that will destroy you. Then they called me. I couldn't say another thing. I just walked away those words.

That night he took a knife with a friend took a woman dragged off the streets. Young lady did the most evil things imaginable to her. And then he took this knife and he stabbed 24 times ripping so that there's no one to give evidence against what he did.

Oh you may say that's a cruel illustration. Of course he went to life. You see this lady crawled. She somehow held her. She's famous in our country. There's books about her life. She didn't see. She crawled for two hours holding her tummies a few inches crying.

Don't let me die. Got to the streets. Of course cars were stopped. Police were called the ambulance by America. I mean it's a miracle that she lived. They somehow kept her alive when she could speak. She explained what these men look like.

And of course the police didn't have much difficulty find. I was not. Everybody has these Mohawk airstrikes over there in Africa and he starts in that particular town. The police went straight away questioned him took him and his friend.

And the policeman said in the court case that as they were driving he heard them saying to each other she couldn't have survived. She can't have survived. She can't be alive. It's impossible. Tailbears tempted murder.

You don't have to take a knife to kill someone. Oh no. You might lose your testimony doing that. Oh you just have to say one sentence sister that's all Satan needs. I've seen men in your country and other countries of the world some of them famous preachers who were destroyed by one sentence one sentence.

And then when they were destroyed those people one of the principles where I was in the theological gym they came years later after that man was destroyed totally as a human. His family threw him out his wife the church dishonored him excommunicated.

And then it came out. Those boys came back years later unable to live with their conscience and said it wasn't the truth. It was a lie. We lie. He that hateth his brother is a murderer. God says you don't have to take a knife because hatred can lead anywhere.

Be careful. Words of a tale bearer or his wounds like a knife. They go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Oh it's attempted murders. How could she survive. So these people. How possibly could this person still be surviving with a with credibility.

And what else can I do to destroy him. There's wickedness. You're a murderer. God says with your lips when God said it's an unruly evil full of deadly poison. God doesn't play the fool with words. This is deadly poison.

Like a serpent. You know what you're doing. You don't have to take a knife. You can be more cruel and make that death and destroy a person more evilly and more cruelly than if you took a knife and hit her 24 times.

Be careful what you do with your lips if it destroys someone else if it's to the intent of destroying someone else. You know those men who took up stones to stone to death. A woman caught in adultery.

Jesus had staggering words to them but not one of them expected. He let him who is without sin among you cast the first stone. Now that's not just a record of some incidents that's to us. This is a set workbook in the school of God.

There's nothing else you've got. And you will face exams. Even when you want to destroy someone else that you think you have credibility to do one by one. Those men put down their stones that which they'd taken up that could have killed her.

They just walked away in silence. There was something else that Jesus did before they walked. You know he stooped down and he wrote on the sand with his finger. Now I've heard sermons speculating what Christ wrote.

I suppose you've thought about what could he have written. I think those men really didn't know what he read. I believe it wasn't just for the sake of him. They've thought what's he writing. I'd believe.

Now what do we do brother. I see you sitting there. No one can be sure what the Lord wrote. But it must have been significant. And my heart oftentimes thinks it's probably this. And I've never heard anybody say that from the pulpit.

Some men sins are open beforehand. No like hers found out. And they face judgment now going before to judgment. And others they follow after this the day judgment is coming but it's coming 1 Timothy 524.

And that is why Jesus warned us all in Matthew 7 verse 1. Judge not that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged. And with what measure ye meet it shall be measured to you again.

Oh God lied. You say that sacrilege. No it's sacrilege to doubt anything in this book. Brother sister friend every idle word that men shall utter they shall give account of on the day of judgment. Those men stones would have destroyed her.

Your words can destroy people. Every idle word that men shall utter they shall give account of in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified. And by thy words thou shall be destroyed.

God says by thy words you think by thy filthy thoughts or by thy filthy deeds. No by thy words thou shall be destroyed. God says staggering verses. But now we need to be very careful and prayerful as to what to do.

What to do when people do attack me. To try and destroy me. That's happened to me so many times. Oh oh always for one reason what I preached. And oh yes many godly people across the world said because of their jealousy that they don't get the pulpits or the openings of the followings.

So we need to be so careful and prayerful as to what we must do when people actually try to destroy us cruelly and unjustly. All that hate me all that hate me whisper together against me against me. Do they desire my hurt.

David cried Psalm 41 verse 7. Come and let us smite him with the tongue. They knew because the devil told him that's all you need. Give me your tongue. Come and let us smite him. Literally. Destroy him with the tongue.

Jeremiah 18 verse 18. But beloved this is always a time to seek God to keep silence. 99 sir of anything that comes against you unjustly and cruelly. Right. It's a time to keep silence. The 1 that you may ever be required to say something.

You will seek God for grace with wisdom that every single person especially those trying to condemn you will be staggered and stunned to silence. But trust me it's a time to keep silence. Strewn across the pages of the sacred book you will find that there is the message of the cross.

But there's also the example of the cross. Now we might miss that Old Testament and new. If you look at the context of what God's saying there's always the message of the cross strewn throughout the Old Testament.

Everything. No just under 80 was 80. Just under 70 of the Bible of the New Testament. Is the Old Testament word. Perfect. Only this side of Calvary but strewn throughout the pages of this book you will find the message of the cross in the Old Testament and the new the message of the cross.

But there is the example of the cross always attached. The example of the cross is I 53 verse 7. He was oppressed and he was afflicted. Yet he opened not his mouth. He's brought as a lamb to the slaughter and the sheep before her series is dumb.

So he openeth not his mouth. 1 Peter 2 21. Leaving us an example. Leaving us an example that he should follow his steps. Who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth. When he was reviled reviled not again.

When he suffered he threatened not but committed himself to him. That judges righteously. When men would destroy you be careful. Seek God for grace to keep silence. Leave the fighting to God. I did when I didn't.

I will be eternally ashamed and sorry that I didn't and am when I left it to God. Oh my the powers of hell trembled. I knew that leave the fighting and the judging to God. You don't know that man's background.

You don't know what made him what he is or her. Don't fight back. I stood to the man screaming at me in public because of what I had preached in this town. I'd only quoted the Bible. I hadn't quoted one word.

Not even the prayer. Wasn't scripture. Just memorizing good. And he went wild. He went he went insane in anger and he was screaming and I cried to God Oh set a watch upon my mouth. Keep the door my lips.

Now God I lose the right to preach in this town. If I give him what he's giving me or he fell down dead. I didn't know that was going to happen. Why don't you know what in the way with him is a terrifying warning.

You don't know if you'll ever have another opportunity to pass the exam in God's eyes and men's eyes in the school of God. If people attack. You don't know if this is the last moment you can pass the exam to this man or fail.

I remember in one town three preachers tried to destroy me and to keep me out of that town forever. When that town turned to God and I went to my face. I didn't go there and argue with him or defend myself while I was on my face weeping.

All three dropped dead in 30 minutes. I didn't want that. I aged I aged that God did that. I said no God. I don't think I can preach again if this is going to happen. But I did learn something. I learned why God said love your enemies bless them.

That curse you do good to them that hate you pray for them. Which is you see they're dealing with God. They're fighting God not you. If it's God's Word that angered them. If it's the things you do for God.

Be careful. You learn to get on your knees in front of people trying to destroy you because they hate the Word of God or offended by it and don't want it and reject its teaching. And you come defending.

You learn to get on your knees and beg me. No not for me but for you. Stop please stop. Be careful. Be silent. You don't want God to do these things. But oh be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46 visit.

The word here is silence literally silence. Stop now. I haven't lost control. I'll deal with this. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue. Job 5 s 21. Thou shalt keep him see. Thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

Psalm 31 verse 20 promises thou at my hiding place. Oh what a lovely thing. Psalm 83 verse. In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion. In the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me. You know these circumstances drove me so close to God that as I look back now I'm grateful.

Not what happened to certain people. But I would never have known a relationship with God to the degree I do if it hadn't been for these attacks to destroy me these unjust lies cruelties. I drew and found a hiding place in God through those things.

Nothing else the attacks against you. For being uncompromising and faithful to this book it will come. He became my hiding place. Oh we sing hide me. Oh my Savior hide till the storm of life is part. I've learned to be there because this life is a storm brother heaven's coming in this world.

He shall have tribulation. It's not heaven here God told you. But you need to seek to find God as your hiding place. Thou art my hiding place not a broom that I go to when I travel 50 miles back from work.

Psalm 71 verse 3. Be thou my strong habitation where unto I may continually resort. Not a room but God for thou art my rock my fortress. I love that. Oh that's the truth. In the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge until these calamities be over part.