Phil Beach Jr. emphasizes the importance of truth in relationships, particularly between husbands and wives, highlighting the distinct sins that can arise in both genders: manipulation in women and pride in men. He encourages couples to communicate openly, acknowledging their faults and seeking forgiveness, as this fosters unity and harmony in the home. The sermon stresses the necessity of filling our hearts and minds with truth to combat the lies that can lead to destructive behaviors. Beach reminds the congregation that true freedom comes from embracing God's truth and that our thoughts ultimately shape our actions and destinies. He concludes with a call to seek God's guidance in overcoming pride and manipulation, urging everyone to 'buy the truth and sell it not.'

Thank God for his presence this morning and his faithfulness in ministering to us. I do want to say that if you did not get a bulletin, please do. We have an important announcement in it. Please read it. They're in the back there. In particular, we're going to be having an abstinence seminar over the Hamburger's House on the 28th. And we want to encourage you to read the announcement, and in particular, if you know of anyone who you feel would benefit from it. I just highly recommend that if you can come, to come. If you have younger children, pray about finding a babysitter and come, because this will help you to see where the youth are today, how they're thinking, and I just feel it will be very beneficial. So, make sure you get this and put it on your refrigerator and hang it up there and call your friends and get them to come. And there's numbers on there for information and directions, okay? Praise the Lord. The Lord is so very faithful to minister to us and to be specific, isn't he? The specific ministry of the Lord is so important, and we sense him doing that today, don't we, very specific, very wonderful to sense the Lord dealing with our pride. And let me just say for a few moments, I'm probably only going to be able to share very briefly, but Colette very truthfully shared the sin of a woman. And indeed, that's what the scriptures teach. The sin of a woman is the powers of manipulation. I'm the father of five daughters and two sons. And I have seen this inherently within a woman. And it's not a scathing thing. It's not a criticizing thing. And I appreciate the freedom that the Lord gave my wife to share, and that's true. But now, let me say for a few moments the sin of a man. And man, you listen very carefully because as a woman is inclined to manipulate and try and get her way with her husband and other men, a man is guilty of abusing his place of authority by being insensitive and by being arbitrary. If the sin of a woman is manipulation, the sin of a man is the pride of being unwilling to balance his authority, to balance his place of headship in the home with having a listening ear to his wife and to anyone else who might speak into his life. The sin of a man is not being willing to humble himself and say, hey, sweetheart, you're right, I was wrong, I was wrong. Men, that will lead you on a path of destruction. Every young couple that I've counseled that wanted to get married, I've told them, particularly the guys I've said, remember this sentence, it's the most important sentence you'll ever learn as a married man. Sweetheart, I'm sorry, forgive me. It goes a long way, guys. So remember that. Yes, women, you need to pray that you don't manipulate and try and get what you want. That is something that the Lord has to deal with all women about, sooner or later, that she doesn't use her seducing powers to get her way, or as Colette said, to make your husband your personal servant. He's not your personal servant. He's the Lord's servant, you see, and all women should give the honor to their husband, that is, do him, that acknowledges him as the Lord's servant, and every woman should acknowledge and encourage her husband to seek the Lord, to stand in the gap, to pray fervently, to be the man, to be the leader, and to give him the freedom to do that. And every man needs to pray that when he discovers this freedom, that he walks very, very tenderly, and very softly, and in a very sensitive way, and takes this authority, and uses it as an opportunity to serve, and not be arbitrary. If anyone has the right to be arbitrary, it's Christ, but yet he came and walked in our midst as a servant, and it goes to show you what he did with his authority and power. He served the church, and that's what husbands are to do, love and serve their wives and their family. And so, these are depths of pride that lurk within us that the Lord is after this morning. He's after this this morning to put in order, and as we allow him to work in our lives, we're going to discover depths of blessing, and depths of beauty, and depths of peace, and depths of unity, and harmony in our homes, and in our families that we've not known as we let God work very deeply in our lives, and in our hearts. And we don't need to be afraid. We don't need to be afraid. We don't need to fear because we're not under the law or under condemnation. We're under grace. We can be exposed before God and naked and be unashamed. We're unashamed because when we're exposed, when we're vulnerable, it doesn't result in God rejecting us. It results in our acknowledging that in our nakedness and in our exposure, Christ then becomes our righteousness. Christ becomes our covering. Christ becomes that which we lack. And see, it's a no-lose situation. But do you know what a no-win situation is? To name the name of the Lord, but to resist the truth in your heart. That's a no-win situation. See? And so God wants us to be free, not to be afraid of the truth in our hearts. Okay? Don't be afraid of truth in your hearts. Don't be afraid. And so just remember these words this morning, and let God deal with you, and let God minister, and oh, what beautiful freedom. I want to read something this morning. This is actually something I read to the high school students that I speak to, but I feel it's appropriate this morning. You'll hear this and much more if you come to that seminar in two weeks. Here is something to consider this morning. Be careful, some of you have probably heard it, of your thoughts. For your thoughts become your words. Be careful of your words, for your words become your deeds. Be careful of your deeds, for your deeds become your habits. Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character. And be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny. And so if we look at this statement, we find that destiny is rooted in thoughts. I want to ask you if you would, to turn your Bibles to the book of Proverbs, and listen carefully. God is giving us some thoughts this morning, isn't he? And we would be careful to heed what his thoughts are, and what the thoughts are that he's giving us. Proverbs chapter 23, listen to this. Proverbs chapter 23, verse number 7. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. As he thinketh in his heart, so is he. Oh beloved, this morning may I speak for a few moments, and admonish you in the love of Jesus Christ. Listen carefully. Be careful of what you think about anything, because what you think about anything is ultimately going to be the basis upon which you will act. Yes, it's true. It's true. As a man thinks, so is he. What was that, Proverbs what? Proverbs 23, 7a. I want to encourage you to memorize that scripture. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Now, I want to just bring your attention to verse number 23, of Proverbs 23. Buy the truth and sell it not. Proverbs 23, 7, and then Proverbs 23, 23a. Buy the truth and sell it not. As a man thinks, so is he. Buy the truth and sell it not. Brothers and sisters, listen. If you do not think in your heart and in your mind what is true, then that will ultimately result in an action that is wrong. And that is why the Bible says in Proverbs 23, 23a, buy the truth and sell it not. What are you thinking? What are you putting into your mind, into your heart, into the depths of your being? Be careful of your thoughts, as we just read, for your thoughts become your words. What does the scripture say? Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. Out of the abundance of the heart. Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words. Be careful of what's in your heart, because what's in your heart will come out. And once it comes out, then your words become your deeds. You see? And then your deeds become, and then that becomes, and that becomes, and ultimately, it becomes your destiny. It is so important that we, as the year 2000 church, we would pray that God would give us a passion to buy the truth and sell it not. Jesus himself said in Revelation chapter 3, we know the verse, we know the scripture, we've read it. Talking to the Laodicean church, verse 17, Because thou sayest, I am rich and in increased with goods and have need of nothing. And knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire. So Jesus is telling us to buy of him gold tried in the fire. It's the same spirit that Proverbs is speaking to us in Proverbs 23, 23a. Buy the truth and sell it not. Invest everything that you are, everything that your mind is, everything that your heart is, every grasping power that you have, invest it in the truth. Invest it in truth, beloved. Be seekers of truth. Be lovers of truth. There is a great warfare going on today and it's over this issue of truth. Satan wants to get a lie in your mind and in your heart. Because if he can get a lie in your heart and in your mind, then he can control your actions. And if he can control your actions, then what? Your actions end up becoming your conduct and your character. And ultimately your actions will lead you right to the end of where you're going to end up. Don't take this issue of truth lightly. This issue of what's in your heart, what's in your mind. We need to pray that God will fill our hearts and minds with truth. We need to be diligent in being before the Lord and being before the Scriptures and asking God to fill our minds with truth and fill our hearts with truth. Because if you let the world that you live in and the society that you live in decide for you what is true and what is false, you're going to begin to think things that are not true. And those things that you think are going to begin to affect your actions. Listen, I've spoken to hundreds of teenagers thus far. And this subject of being sexually active before marriage is the result, or they're engaging in this, is the result of them saying unanimously, those who believe in it, I don't think it's wrong. So what is the act precipitated by? As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. The reason why they're doing it is because they don't think it's wrong. This is why one of the greatest victories the enemy ever secured is to remove prayer and to remove the Ten Commandments out of the school. Because that represents what is right. Oh sure, it doesn't change the heart. Only the grace of God can change it. But at least it acts as a restraint. What do you think? What do you think? Let's consider what Paul said. Philippians 4, as we close because we're running out of time. Verse 8, Philippians 4, Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things. Is it a coincidence the Holy Spirit is leading this man to tell the church to make sure they think on those things that are worthy of being fault upon? No, it's no coincidence at all. Because the Holy Spirit knew that Proverbs 23, 7 says, As a man thinketh, so is he. The Holy Spirit knew the Proverbs says, Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Let me tell you something, Jesus Christ came to change the way man thinks about everything. He came to change the way we think about ourselves. He came to change the way we think about God. He came to change the way we think about our wives and our children. He came to change to think about the way we feel about money. He came to change the way we think about every issue of life. Christ came to change us and to bring us into conformity to how God thinks about it. Jesus was the greatest revolutionist that ever lived. He changes everything. And Satan's master plan, Satan's master plan, the one word, you don't have to turn to it, Genesis 3, Now the serpent was more subtle. That's a Hebrew word that means cunningly crafty, a master of deceit. That's what the word means, cunning, crafty, having a PhD in deceit. What is the whole basis of his deception? What is all of his deception and craftiness and subtlety intended to do? Here's what it's intended to do. It's intended for you and I to sell the truth and exchange it for a lie. Everything that Satan is doing in this world today is intended to cause a man to think in his mind and believe in his heart what is not true. Because in doing so, he can control their actions and their destiny. And Jesus came in order to change us. Jesus said, I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. Jesus will affect what you think. He'll affect what you believe in. And that will ultimately affect your actions. This is where the warfare is. Paul's concern in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 was what? Sorry, it wasn't chapter 11, 2 Corinthians. Verse 3, 2 Corinthians 11, But I fear less by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety. Listen, so your minds, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Jesus Christ. What are you putting in your minds? What are you putting in your heart? Why do you think Satan is trying to control the media? Why do you think he's trying to control the television? Why do you think he's trying to control advertising? Why do you think he's trying to control what a man sees and what a man listens to? Why? Why do you think? You think it's coincidental? No. He knows that ultimately what a man thinks and what a man believes is going to affect his actions and destiny. That's why he's controlling it. And he's doing a fine job and he's got most of the church believing lies. And so the Holy Spirit would cry out to us this morning in closing. And we had a perfect example of God dealing with our pride. We better readjust our thoughts and our beliefs about pride and line them up to what God gave us this morning. Because that's what's going to set us free. See, he's trying to change the way we think. We don't have deep beliefs about pride or we would be much more fervent with the Lord in delivering us from our pride. It's true. If we saw how dreadful pride was and how it was the source of so much trouble in the heart of God, we would probably decree a fast and pray and seek God until pride was shaken out of our homes. But we don't do it. Why? Because it's not an issue that we're really that preoccupied with. You see? Psalm 119, Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart comes first. Then mind. Then soul. Then strength. It all starts in the heart. It all starts in the mind. Oh, may God cleanse our minds and our hearts from that which is not truth so that we can buy the truth and sell it not. In closing, I want to read a statement. Listen closely. As God leads, we'll continue this because this is something that is going to be characteristic of the last day church. They're gonna forsake what is not true. And they're gonna love the truth. Listen. We sell the truth when we exchange the contents of our heart and mind from truth to seeds of lies. We sell the truth when we exchange the contents of our heart and mind from truth to seeds of lies. May God search us and cleanse us and get us in our hearts believing what is true. Get us in our minds believing what is true. And through the power of the redeeming, life-giving Spirit of God, we'll find freedom. For you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. Buy the truth and sell it not. This morning, beloved. Let's just bow our hearts for a moment. Father, how thankful we are for your presence this morning. And we thank you, Lord, for releasing your heart, enabling us to see our pride, dealing with us, Lord, in depths. We thank you, Lord, for pointing out to us, Lord, the sin of a woman, the inclination of a woman, Lord, to manipulate. We pray for every lady here, Lord, that you would, by the power of grace and the power of your precious Holy Spirit, deal with this, Lord, so that every lady here could be free from the seducing, manipulatory actions that could occur, Lord. Lord, we thank you for men. We thank you for revealing our sin, Lord, the sin of pride, the sin of being arbitrary and not wanting to humble ourselves and submit to correction. And, Lord, we pray you'll deliver us from being insensitive and abusing our authority and using it to be selfish rather than a servant. And, Lord, help us to buy the truth. Wash our minds from the lies and our hearts from the lies. And by the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ, fill us with what is true, that we might be free. We pray in Jesus' mighty name. Hallelujah.