Proverbs 6 (Pt 2)

Proverbs 6, Wisdom, and the Need to Read God’s Words Carefully

Would you take your Bibles and turn to the sixth chapter of Proverbs, Proverbs 6. If you were here last week or you remember or heard last week's message, I had said to you that if I had a title, Chapter 6, it would be, might sound like a new Netflix series because I said it would be titled Promises, Sluggards, Worthless, and Thieves.

And again, I think that's what is laid out in this chapter. And again, nothing new under the sun. And even as the writer says, what has been shall always be. So what I'd like to do tonight, and if you remember, again, we broke this chapter in half.

I dealt with the first 11 verses last week and now tonight to finish the remainder of the chapter. But if you would, let's just read the chapter in its entirety, and then we'll focus on verse 12 through verse 35.

My son, if you become surety for your friend, if you are shaking hands in a pledge for a stranger, you are snared by the words of your own mouth. You are taken by the words of your own mouth. So do this, my son, and deliver yourself, for you have come into the hand of your friend.

Go and humble yourself, plead with your friend, give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Go to the aunt, you sluggard, and consider her ways, and be wise, which having no captain, overseer, or ruler, provides her supplies in summer, and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you slumber, old sluggard?

When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep, and so shall your poverty come on you like a robber, and your need like an armed man. A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth.

He winks with his eyes, he shuffles with his feet, he points with his fingers. Perversity is in his heart, he devises evil continually, he sows discord. Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly, suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.

These six things the Lord hates, yea, seven are an abomination to him. A proud look, lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.

My son, keep your father's command, do not forsake the law of your mother, abide them continually on your heart, tie them around your neck, when you roam they will lead you, when you sleep they will keep you, when you awake they will speak to you.

The commandment is a lamp and the law is a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life to keep you from the evil woman from the flattering tongue of a seductress. Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids, for by means of a harlot a man is reduced to a crust of bread, and an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.

Can a man take fire to his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be seared? So is he who goes into his neighbor's wife, whoever touches her shall not be innocent.

People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving, yet when he is found he must restore sevenfold. He may have to give up all the substance of his house, whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding.

He who does so destroys his own soul, wounds and dishonors he will get, and his reproach will not be wiped away for jealousy is a husband's fury. Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance, he will accept no recompense, nor will he be appeased, though you give many gifts.

The Danger of Diluting God’s Word and Explaining Sin Away

Let's just ask God's blessing. Father again now we come before you in Jesus name, we we come before your word and we ask you Lord now to bring truth to our hearts, our minds, and our lives. For God without you we can do nothing.

Help us to realize that and help us to realize that you through our Lord Jesus Christ and through your word have given us wisdom and understanding on how we are to live and conduct ourselves even as was prayed in this short life that we have.

For we are truly like the grass that is here today and tomorrow is gone. So bless us Lord only as you can in Christ's name, amen. So tonight again and I remind you I am not going to deal with those verses that specifically talk about adultery as brother Keith had in in chapter five, spent three messages on that and it's going to come up again in the seventh chapter and continually through the book of Proverbs.

So I'm going to avoid those verses but I do think there's enough to keep us thinking tonight as far as the last two points that I made in the titling of the message and so we'll begin with the the worthless.

But let me just say this before we start and I think this is important for us to think about. There is such a movement, a desire on the part of so many to dilute God's word and what I mean by that it is in particular we seek men, women, children even in the churches but certainly out in in the wider world.

There is this this desire to dilute and to remove the sting of God's word. We seek to have the words with different meanings than the meanings that God gives and so as we go through this tonight I want us to think about that.

I want us to try to focus our minds on the very words that God uses because those are the words that count regardless of what men might think and what men might say is acceptable in a social environment.

Brothers and sisters I assure you God's word is the most acceptable word in social, in a social environment. But again as we go through this think about it and think about how God terms both the worthless and as we work through this and then as we'll close with some discussions around verse 30 dealing with a thief but I think that's important and I say that especially in light of of today where again we all know about that great tragedy in Texas and how horrible it is and and yet as I have been listening to to the pundits and the news people and the opinionists and all these others it's almost man for man that the the reason behind this all is health issues mental health issues and and I don't know I don't have a version where God says that things are only the result of mental health issues that there is the issues of the heart and those issues are the very issues that cause men women all to do what they do it's not just I mean how much more are we going to drug up our society with with opioids and downers and uppers and somewhere's in the middles and and try to control and say that that's the answer when that's not the answer so again as we look at these words tonight it's important for us to see and it's important for us to speak in a way that we don't just join in with the world and make it sound as if um if we can only use nicer words if we can only put things in a in a in a better atmosphere if we can only solve health issues if we can only educate if we can only do this on and on and on and yet when we come to the word of God and we come to these verses tonight God is very clear about how he considers and how he judges based on his definitions not ours.

So um I think that's important for us. Okay having said that look at verse just start we'll just walk through some of these verses and some I'll just make points but some will look at in in verse 12 it says a worthless person and a wicked man.

A worthless person a wicked man walks with a perverse mouth. You see that's that's my whole point. That's what I just said. This is the definition that God gives and it's interesting to me that there as I understand there's no distinction between a worthless man and a wicked man.

They both speak with a perverse mouth. Now it's not the same word that word worthless really is the word that that was used many times to to uh show forth the son of Belial. If you remember that there was those those that were of the wicked one and that's again a term we would associate with Belial would be the evil one.

But that that word worthless really means that they are of no profit and they're actually uh sons of Belial. And so it's a different word from from wicked but the point is from God's standpoint a worthless man and a wicked man is the very same person.

Again we have problems with that in our day where we try to separate and we try to to uh put in buckets and compartments at what point someone is just well he's just worthless and and he's wicked in in God's mind is there that greater distinction.

I say there isn't. Because they both walk with a perverse mouth and and and again I want us to think about it in the sense that this is not um it's not an issue it's a way of life. A worthless person his whole life is worthless.

Now again I'm not trying to say he doesn't work or this that or the other what I'm trying to say before God this worthless person this wicked person who speaks with a perverse mouth is of no use in relationship to God.

And that's really. And again remember the chapter six is not disconnected from any chapter that went before because it continually talks about relationships right. Whether they be vertical in a relationship with the Lord or horizontal relationship with other men.

And so you'll see as we walk through this that in this uh detail of this worthless and wicked person that it has a great effect even out in horizontal relationships. Again you could take it from the standpoint of this great tragedy one man's sin in in in many ways have decimated all those lives and all those families.

Again because sin is sin is in many ways an evil seed or an evil poison that spreads its roots and its tentacles out. And so again that's why I believe in God sets it forth to us in this very way that a worthless man a wicked man he walks with a perverse mouth.

And again it's not an isolated action and I'll show it to you. Look at it's right there right. A wicked a worthless person a wicked man he walks with a perverse mouth and look what he does. He winks with his eye he shuffles with his feet points with his finger.

Perversity is in his heart. He devises evil continually devises evil continually he sows discord. Well if he sows discord where does that discord go. It it goes outward. Right. It it it permeates everything it it's it's it.

Sin is like a cancer it spreads it affects others. But this is a continual characteristic. He devises evil continually he sows discord. And if you and I were just to think about that it's it's really the the way of his life.

Remember what the prophet said he said um can he can the Ethiopian change his skin. Can the leopard change his spot. So how can you who are accustomed to evil do good. And when you begin to think about that and again that's why I say in our day we we we want to not say that people are worthless.

We definitely don't want to say too often that people are wicked unless we do they do extreme things. But is that the way God views it. Is that the way the holy one looks upon it. We have to ask ourselves these questions because again we are um we live in a day and it's not any different than the than than any other day there's ever been and nor do I believe it's any other day that will yet be because men will continually seek to to dethrone God's word thereby dethrone God or seek to do that.

And yet God's word is forever settled in heaven. And so when God says someone is worthless and when God says someone is wicked then they are worthless and wicked. It's interesting again and I don't want to hop on that.

And there's some other points I want to make. But um as I listen to these people and all these people talk about the real answer of mental health issues and yet no one ever defines what that means it.

It's just like this big bucket everything is mental health. And if we could solve that but no one ever tells what they really mean by mental health. And then they start breaking it out into social issues.

Well it's education it's housing it's opportunity it's blah blah blah blah blah. You think we'll ever hear anybody come out during this tragedy and say that it was a result of sin and evil. Or we tried to just um oh we maybe we'll just blame the guns.

So as we think about this and as we think about this character of this person he you just see it and it kind of oozes out of everything that he does or she does again speaking of men generically um and not only that it affects listen and I've been thinking about this what we are in our soul will definitely come out in our life.

Won't it. Isn't it interesting how. Um when you're emotionally and I'll use that term emotionally when you're emotionally upset in your inner being does it not affect you physically. When you're uh pressed when you're uh if you will press down or or even many other times overwhelmed it affects us physically.

So as you look at this this worthless person and this wicked man it if it it seeps out and and look at the things it does it affects his eyes. It affects his feet. It affects he points with his finger he it affects the the things that he does and that he continually seeks to spread his worthlessness and his wickedness and he sows discord.

Interesting that we try to uh in our day detach issues of the heart from issues in life. And again because we're unwilling to honor God and say that a wicked man is a wicked man again unless we are in the the uh Adolf Hitler unless you make it to that level you're not really wicked.

You're just you got mental health issues. That man who shot those kids he was a wicked man. You ever meet somebody like this who winks with his eyes and you know what I'm talking about right. And and he points with his fingers and he shuffles with his.

He's slick. He's slick. And the reason why he's slick is because what it says in verse 14 he's continually devising evil. He's continually seeking his own gain at any and all of his cost. And and it's not always that noticeable.

But yet I say to you you watch somebody long enough and you're going to see what's in their heart because it's going to spill out in their life. Now I'm not dismissing because we all have so many sinful tendencies that still need to be cleansed.

But if you watch the course of someone's life over even a short period of time you begin to see the characteristics and you begin to see whether they are a righteous person not self-righteous not righteous because of anything that they've done but they have the righteousness of Christ.

And you can begin to see a worthless and a wicked person. And he sows discord. And again I say he he's almost like a farmer spreading seed. And and all he wants to do is see his his seed prosper again at anyone else's expense.

And so he devises this continually. He uses he uses great subtlety. In Proverbs chapter 10 it says. He who winks with the eye causes trouble. Tell me you're not careful when somebody does one of those I know and he got one good eye to size like a flounder.

But um you don't want to talk about. When somebody gives you that right they'll say something and they'll say it in a mixed crowd. And then they'll give you the wink like we got this right. Well those are those are uh of signs of what's going on in people's hearts.

Proverbs 16 it says. An ungodly man digs up evil. It's on his lips like a burning fire. A perverse man sows strife. And a whisperer separates the best of friends. A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good.

He winks his eye to devise perverse things. He pursues. He purses his lips and brings about evil again. Brothers and sisters we are to be distinct. We ought not to be the ones that are winking with our eyes and pointing with our fingers.

We are not to be the ones that are are continually devising how we can come out on top while everybody else comes out on the bottom. Look at verse 15. Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly. Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.

What a dead end. What a dead end. In proverbs 29. One he that being often reproved and hardens his neck shall suddenly be destroyed. And that without remedy the end of this this worthless person the end of the wicked man.

And perhaps that's one of the reasons why we don't want to call people wicked and worthless as God defines it. Because there's an end to it and nobody wants to face that end. We just continually want what Israel have all wanted the prophets to do.

Just speak to us smooth things. Sing to us sweet songs. It's exactly what they told Jeremiah and others. Just prophesy unto us good things sweet things. Things that will not disturb our conscience. Things that will allow us to cover up our evil and our evil activity in sowing discord.

The Lord Hates Pride, Lies, Innocent Bloodshed, and Discord

So look at the next couple of verses. Verses 16 through 19. And and don't think of these as at least in my understanding. Don't think of him as detached from what he has just said. So in other words he's a worthless person.

A wicked man walks with a perverse mouth. He winks with his eyes. He shuffles with his feet. He points with his fingers. Perversity is in his heart. He devises evil continually. He sows discord. Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly.

Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy. And and now he gives even further understanding by saying that these six things the Lord hates. And if you look at them and compare them they're almost identical.

So so don't detach what he has just said from these verses. These six things the Lord hates. Yea seven are an abomination to him. A proud look. A lying tongue hands that shed innocent blood. A heart that devises wicked plans.

Even as verse 14 he devises evil continually. A false witness who speaks lies. And one who sows discord among brethren. Same way he said it up further where this evil person who devises evil too he shows discord.

So this is how God views it. And God hates it. We don't like that. We want to know what God loves. We want God to be a God of love. We want God to be a merciful God. And thank God he is a merciful God and gracious and forgiving.

And and and we want God just to be considerate of our mental health issues. God says he hates it abomination to him. You know what that word. That you know what abomination means. It's disgusting. It's disturbing.

Tell me which one of us were not disturbed when we saw that news of all those kids being massacred. It disturbed us. Right. It disrupted our souls. God views the worthless and the wicked man in that way it's disgusting and distasteful.

And the reason for it is because God is of a pure-eyed. And to behold he cannot look on iniquity with any sort of approval. There's no pleasure derived from it. Men might divide derive pleasure from their sin but not God.

Even as he told the children of his earth through Isaiah I hate your sacrifices. They are a burden to me. I mean no more vain oblations and sacrifices. My soul hates it my friends. God hates sin. And so as we look at these things and we consider these things verse 17 a proud look.

Perhaps that's the root of it all. Right. Perhaps that's the root of of all sin. Was that not what took place in the garden Eve. You should be like God. You could be like God. Who's God to tell you what you can and can't do.

Proud look. Is that not. Why. If you would agree me and Isaiah and Ezekiel where it describes the the covering cherubim who was there in the beginning who many make allusion to the devil when he fell.

And what was his. What was the statement that was made that that cherubim said I will ascend to the throne of God. I will be God. His pride was lifted had lifted him up and God cast them down. And so a proud look was was interesting if you look at uh in verse 17 where it says a proud look in a lying tongue.

And then you look at verse 19 it says a false witness who speaks lies. And as I thought about this um I think he's talking about two different kinds of liars. He the one who speaks uh in verse 17 a lying tongue is to me someone who withholds truth.

Right. For whatever for a whole gamut of reasons. And in verse 19 a false witness he's one who speaks falsehoods. They're both a uh rebellious act against the commandment right. Let's not bear false witness against your name.

And again these are the characteristics of this person. Hands that shed innocent blood. Well that certainly fits what we have just been discussing. But it's not just with bullets and guns. Is it. It's the abuses that this world dishes out in in gigantic proportions because they think and maybe even some have the power as they think to do these very things.

Again I am not trying to um cause us to be overwhelmed with sorrow. But I want us to be overwhelmed by truth. We need not only to know the truth we need to speak the truth. Which one of us are going to have a conversation with whoever we have a conversation.

And the conversation can come up. And people will be gathered around in a group in some sort of setting. And and some people will be talking about this recent most recent event. Not it's going to be the last one but this most recent event.

And some will say well it's mental health. And some will say well he just had personal issues. Which one of us are going to say no he was a worthless and wicked man. And if we do that we know the reaction.

Don't we hands that shed innocent blood. A heart that devises wicked plans. Feet that are swift in running to evil not just evil. Running to evil. Running with energy running with desire running with purpose.

Let me add this to our thoughts. Isn't it interesting how the world has even taken this area of lying. And we've kind of diluted it. Right. Because now we have we have classifications for lies. Don't we.

Well there's the the white lie. Right. And i'm i don't know who invented that. Probably somebody lied. There's the white lie. And then there's the big lie. Well here's god's definition. All liars go to hell.

Oh no god can't be right. Oh yes he is. Well if that be true to all lies go to hell. Then we're all going to go to hell. Yeah unless we repent right. Lying tongue bad heart. And even brother matt brought it up even with being founded on the rock.

Those that are founded on a rock are founded on a rock. And they're going to live a life that is based on the rock. And those that build a house on the sand are going to live their life based on the sand.

And that sand is ultimately going to come out from underneath them. And they're going to fall. And great is their fall. He designs destruction. And i thought about that where it says that he he uh a heart that devises wicked plans.

Just think about this. Has it not been that case. From the beginning when cain killed abraham men have devised wicked plans. If you go through church history there are countless accounts of how men devised to seek to destroy god's people thinking that if they could destroy god's people they could destroy.

God fed them to lions boiled them in hot oil crucified them fed them to beasts. Even within the confines of christianity one of the greatest persecutors of god's people was the roman catholic church. For such a long time did not men by wicked hands kill the lord of glory.

Do we not read through the gospels all their plots all their plans all their schemes all their false witnesses all their lies all their desire because of the arrogance of their own hearts until they thought that they had rid themselves of jesus praise god.

You can't get rid of jesus. You cannot dethrone the lord of glory. But it doesn't mean men will not continually do it. Where it says his heart devises to do evil. You know i looked up the root word because i wanted to see what devise really means it.

It means to to engrave to cut in to to almost tattoo themselves with this desire. And they're not happy until they carry it out again. I'm just trying to portray what god says. You might not think that i'm doing it in a way that's uh acceptable.

Well then you need to come and show me where i'm wrong from the word of god not from what you think not from what i think. And again that's another issue. Isn't it we. We define terms in this world based on what we think with no regard of what god thinks.

And then we get the audacity in our pride in our arrogance to think that god has to conform to us rather than us conform to him. In verse 19 is to me one of one of the most terrible words was terrible statements in all the bible.

And what i mean is the second half of verse 19 says. A false witness speaks lies. And it says one who sows discord among brethren. I don't know about you. I've been i've been a christian 45 years. I've been a minister 30 years.

And i would honestly say from the very beginning one of the scariest things that i ever considered was doing harm to god's people being the cause of damaging those for whom christ died. We live in a day in many ways where where churches are full of people who don't care about sowing discord matter of fact they enjoy sowing discord being the devil's advocate.

What a ridiculous statement. Psalm 133. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. That's what god desires. That that that men and women that they would dwell in unity particularly his people.

Christ died for the church not for this church nor that church nor this one or that one for the church the true church. That's a whole nother discussion how you define church. So let me put it this way.

Christ died for his people. And we better be very careful how we treat god's people again. My friends these are these are these are heavy words tonight and i and i'm just going to run right through until we get down to verse 30 because i i just want to read it this way.

It has to do mainly with adultery. But listen my son keep you. Here's the opposite. Keep your father's commands. Don't forsake the law of your mother. Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck when look when you roam verse 22.

They'll lead you when you sleep. They will keep you when you wake they will speak with you. For the commandment is a lamp and the law is light. And reproofs are instructions of the way of life to keep you from the evil woman.

My whole point in this is there is a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is the way of what death. And there is a way that that we ought to walk and his blessings in the way that we ought to walk.

And it doesn't mean we're not going to have trials and tribulations. Doesn't mean we're not going to be uh pressed down by worthless and wicked people and schemes of men and evil and all these other things doesn't mean we're going to live in the clouds 24 sevens.

What it means is that god will keep us safe. He will shadow us with his wings such glorious truths to live by. Let me just we only have a minute left maybe two minutes. I want you to take. I want to take up the second point because i just want to mention this as i said it was promises sluggards worthless and thieves.

Thieves, Restitution, and the Temptation to Justify Sin

I want you to read verse 30 and 31 with me. People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's starving. Yet when he is found he must restore sevenfold. He may have to give up all the substance of his house.

Now let me say this concerning this. I do not believe that solomon is saying that in and of itself to teach on stealing and thievery. I'm not saying he doesn't instruct us. What i am saying is that he uses i believe he uses these verses to contrast what he has just talked about with adultery and and sin and what he will continually say as far as vengeance.

That verse 30 and verse 31 need to be understood in context. Again there is a great truth within these verses but they are not to be detached and removed from from what comes before and what comes after.

And by the way that's one of the best ways to interpret right scripture. You interpret scripture in in its context in its setting in its historical way. You need to see it as it's cushioned. God didn't make a mistake.

But i want us to just just a thought or two about this. Um because i don't believe that solomon is condoning stealing. Do you. Well he says this. He says uh people don't despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's hungry.

I don't believe he's condoning stealing because then he would be breaking god's word. I don't believe he's just being pragmatic and saying well you know the ends justify the means. If the guy is really hungry i mean come on he needs to eat.

And yet i wonder how many people have used this verse to justify uh smashing grab in a jewelry store stealing a something from a drug store or stealing food. Well you know i was hungry. I mean god wants the guy doesn't.

God doesn't care whether i steal if i'm hungry. Does god care. I say most assuredly he does. For you know another group that's in hell today. Thieves we cannot be those who just justify ourselves because of the situation.

God's word is god's word. Whether the situation is good bad or indifferent it's not thus says the lord except when or except here or except there. Now think about it. Which one of us would not be empathetic perhaps even sympathetic.

If a man was seeking to steal bread to feed his starving children. Which one of us in our own lives would be the ones that want to cast the first stone. Does that mean that we should not stand for the truth.

Still i think it was charles spurgeon who said you give me two. If i have two choices one evil or another evil. I choose none. People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's starving.

Look at verse 31. Yet yet when he is found he must restore sevenfold. You know there was all the legislature in the old testament wasn't there about thieves and stealing. And and sometimes the restoration was was this amount.

And sometimes the restoration was that amount. And sometimes if you did it ignorantly you still had to pay back. And if you if you did it purposely you had to pay even more. There was there was there was uh measures.

But there was always to be repentance and restoration. Because here's the thing the law has no mercy in it. The law is is either black or it's white. Now that doesn't mean that that we don't find ourselves many times not understanding things.

But the law in and of itself. Look you run a red light. You're wrong. Can't be. Well i you know everybody else did it can't be. I was in a rush. Can't be. I'm sorry i i didn't realize it can't be. Anything doesn't mean.

Does it mean. You'll always get a ticket. No. Does it mean. If you try to be nice to the cop he might let you off. Well he might. You're still guilty if you steal with. If we steal we're guilty. And then you can think about what stealing really is.

And that's a whole other discussion. But certainly as i say to you i wouldn't want to be the one to cast the first stone about someone who truly steals because they're in great need. But look at it even takes us to extreme.

It says in verse 31. He may have he he may have to give up all the substance of his house. Again law is black or is white. Here's what i thought about. I thought about the lord jesus christ in the wilderness.

I thought about the temptation of the evil one. If you are the son of god command the souls to be turned into bread. Remember he was hungry. I don't know about you. I go four hours without food and i'm hungry 40 days 40 nights.

And it says he was hungry. Who's at the extremity of his life. From a human standpoint what did jesus say. Well just this once i'm just gonna make one rock one loaf of bread. Just a little bit. What did jesus do.

He used the very word of god man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of. So as you think about this as we think about this whole idea of thieving and isn't that.

Isn't it interesting as we we close. Isn't it interesting how this this whole social whatever it is that we're going through that we seek to justify people for stealing because they have needs or they're upset or they're trying to make their point or they're trying to do this or they're trying to do that.

And yet you go into third world countries where they worship all manner of evil and all matter of false gods. And if you steal they got a simple answer for that. Right. They just cut your hand off. I'll guarantee it is less thieves in those countries or there's less people on a keyboard.

I mean we need to think about this. But nevertheless i i do think he he sets this forth in light of of what he has said before and after. But it is a point worth making. And and you and i have to let me close it by this saying this we always need to choose.

And we need to choose. We need to make that decision. Not not. I'm not saying that it's all up to us. And god has you know god's can only do so much. And it's all up to us. I'm not saying but we have to make a decision.

Am i going to follow and live according to god's word. Or am i going to seek to dilute it uh embellish it twist it uh rearrange it. May it not be so amongst us. Maybe maybe be those who um no matter what no turning back no turning back.

We're going to press on. We're going to climb up the rough side of the mountain. We're going to make it. And we're going to make it because we desire to glorify god. May that be our heart's desire. Let's pray father thank you for who you are.