In this sermon, the speaker discusses the challenges faced by Moses when he was sent by God to deliver the Israelites from the grip of Pharaoh. Despite coming with a message of freedom, Moses faced opposition and criticism from the very people he was meant to bless. The speaker emphasizes the importance of not being discouraged by the negative voices that may come against us when we are following God's calling. The sermon also highlights the need for rest and relaxation in our lives, as being wound up too tight can lead to unnecessary stress and tension.

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However, for all other forms of reproduction or electronic transmission, existing copyright laws apply. Morning, Times Square Church. If you would turn to Matthew Chapter 5 in the New Testament. The Holy Spirit has had me on some unusual passages of Scripture lately. And I'm trusting that as he gives me the ability to unfold this, that there will be an advance of the kingdom of God in our hearts. I am completely delivered from the thought that plagues, I think, many preachers sometimes that the whole kingdom has got to be built in one sermon. No, I believe it's line by line, little by little. The Scripture bears witness to that brick by brick. God builds his character, builds his wall around about his saints. And the focus that the Holy Spirit has given me as a pastor here at Times Square Church is that every time we open this book, that what you're about to hear would not be just a grand truth that excites you but doesn't become part of you, but a truth that you can actually, by God's grace and by the power of the Holy Spirit, incorporate into that ever-changing nature that God gives you and I through the power of the Holy Spirit. That you can absolutely leave from Times Square Church every time you come here and say, I'm not the same as when I came in. I believe that should be the absolute mandate and cry of everyone who preaches the Word of God, that you would be changed, that I would be changed by what we're hearing, that there'd be a constant revelation of even the simplest truths and the power that are in those truths to set us free. Father, I thank you, God, for calling me. I thank you, Lord, that you have never, ever called me to stand alone. Lord, I have stood in your strength and you have never failed me. And God, I'm thanking you that you are causing me to preach in a manner that is unusual. And I thank you that you'll give me the intelligence to speak clearly and that your Word may accomplish its intended mark in the hearts and lives of those that you have gathered to hear from you. I know this comes from your hand and from your heart. I know there are purposes beyond what we can see or even understand. Today I hide behind the cross. And God, I trust that all of my life and intelligence and strength comes from your hand. Help me to speak simply. Help me to speak your heart and your mind and give us the grace to hear. Lord, give us the grace to hear that your kingdom may come, that your will might be done here in us on earth as it is in heaven. Father, I thank you for this from the very depths of my heart. Let your church be blessed with strength and might in the inner man through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. And we thank you for it. I thank you for it from the depths of my heart. In Jesus' name. Matthew chapter 5, one verse of scripture, Matthew 5, 5. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Now, before even speaking, I really must confess that this was, I think, probably one of the verses of scripture that gave me one of the most unfavorable impressions when I first came to Christ. First of all, when I signed up, I signed up for the kingdom of heaven. I was no longer interested in the earth. And I found that hard to understand. Why would anybody want to inherit the earth? First of all, the earth, for many of us, caused us nothing but trouble and anguish and sorrow. And produced in us a cry that said, Oh God, take me out of this place and help me. And now you say that, for the meek, that they shall inherit this place that they don't want to be in in the first place. My heart's crying. Now, this is just in the infancy of understanding when I first came to Christ. And I know that many of you probably share this. You read that verse of scripture and say, well, it's interesting. I'm not interested. And you pass over that verse. It becomes something that we just read all sometimes for years of our Christian experience and don't really have any understanding of what it's all about. We look at it. We say the earth. Who wants it? I signed up for heaven. I'm going to heaven. If anybody else wants the earth, it's theirs. You can have it. It's all yours. I don't want it. And then we look at meekness and we think, is it really desirable? I know my personal impression of meekness, of course, because when we get saved, we bring into the kingdom of God our personal definitions of words. It may not be quite the same. And the King James Bible is the way we have learned it in society. And my concept of meekness is the type of person who's always apologizing to everybody for things that they never did wrong in the first place, such as a man standing there saying, I'm sorry. If I had not been standing here, you wouldn't have stepped on my shoes or spilled your coffee on my suit. And they go through life like that. And you have to understand for a young police officer, this is not very attractive versus scripture. To go through life as I saw meekness and ending up to inherit the earth. I remember thinking at one time when I was first saved. Well, they they seem to live face down in the dust anyway, so they may as well inherit it for the rest of eternity. And so I passed over that verse and really didn't even want to go there for many, many years. But then later on, when we begin to study the Bible, you get to Matthew chapter 11. And in Matthew chapter 11, the equation begins to be changed. Because we find Jesus giving us an incredible invitation. Now, in Matthew chapter 11, verse 28, has a wonderful passage of scripture that we quite often quote in evangelism. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek. Blessed are the meek, remember, for they shall inherit the earth. Now Christ is identifying himself as meek. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Now he says, take my yoke upon you and learn of me. The context of that is to know or bring something about Christ into our personal experience. In other words, Jesus is saying, I want you to begin to walk the way I'm walking. And I want you to learn something about me. And taking this characteristic that you're going to learn about me and making it part of your personal experience, you're going to find rest for your soul. Now, the word rest in the Greek text means the relaxing or letting down of cords which have been strained or drawn tight. It's like an instrument that is too highly tuned, for example. It makes a sound, but it's making a high-pitched sound. Now, many here can relate to that. You know what it's like to be wound up too tight. All somebody has to do is say boo, and you're holding on to the chandelier because you're walking around and you're wound up really tight. Many people live like that. That's their very character. And he said, I want you to learn about this aspect of meekness that's in me. And as you learn about it, as it becomes part of your character, those cords in you that keep you wound up tight are going to begin to be relaxed. And he says, and you're going to find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. And the word easy is Christos in the Greek, and it means my yoke furnishes everything that you need to do and to be, everything I've called you to be. My yoke is easy. If you will learn of me, if you will learn about these things of me, if you will ask the Holy Spirit to make these a reality in your life, you will find that you are furnished with everything you need to be all that I've called you to be. Now, I see two inferences in this passage of Scripture. First of all, Jesus is saying, because I am meek, this rest and provision is available to you. It's because of my meekness that this is open to you. So it's really important to understand what meekness really is. And secondly, knowing that our ultimate invitation on earth, as it is as Christians, is to be like Christ. And it's as if he's saying, learn this, bring it into your experience, and here you will find the rest and supply that you need for your journey. Now, the Bible tells us that when we're talking about meekness, the Bible tells us in Numbers chapter 12 and verse 3, that Moses was very meek, and he was above all the men which were upon the face of the earth. In other words, God needed a deliverer to go in and to release his people from a place of captivity. I'm going to be speaking very slowly today, because I want you to understand this. This is an incredibly profound truth, which I believe in many instances can change your life and influence as a Christian. God said, I've heard the cry of a people in bondage. I'm going to find a man, I'm going to select a man. Now, we know that Moses had been born for this purpose. But he said, I'm going to a man, and this man, the Bible defines as meek above every man who is on the face of the earth. And it's this type of man, God said, I'm going to use to bring great deliverance to the people of Israel. That's an incredible thing. Now, we often associate meekness with weakness. But that's not the case. Moses was not a weak man by any stretch of the imagination. The Bible tells us that even before God called him, that Moses had shown the courage to make difficult choices in his life. Hebrews 11, 24 and 25 tells us that by faith Moses, when it was come to years, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. In other words, he declined privilege and position that were his by his adoptive parentage as it is. He declined it. And he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. I fully believe it takes great strength to make these choices. It takes great strength to turn away from what is wrong and turn to what inwardly you know is right. He turned away from all of the comfort and wealth and power that this world could have offered him. And he chose rather to suffer with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin. We see Moses again later, much, much later in the Old Testament after the children of Israel had sinned against God by making a golden calf. He came down from the mountain and drew as it is a spiritually definitive line and said, who is on the Lord's side? And called the people to make a choice. Either you're going to follow this ridiculous golden calf religion or you're going to follow the living God of the universe. Now, that doesn't that doesn't sound like weakness. He was a man who was unafraid of the multitudes. He was unimpressed, unmoved by the hundreds sometimes that even gathered against him and challenged his spiritual authority that God had placed upon him. I think of the rebellion under the sons of Korah when 250 showed up with their censors saying, we are just as anointed as you are. I see Moses unmoved. He's not a weak man. As a matter of fact, he's an extremely strong man. With this character of meekness so deeply embedded in him that God can use him to bring deliverance to multitudes. I see Moses standing after drawing that line and commanding the Levites to go into the camp and begin to slay those that were responsible for leading astray the people of God. A day of bloodshed among the people of the Lord as they camped around that mountain after they had sinned against God. This is not the leadership of a weak man. This is the leadership of a man who's far beyond that. There's a quality in him that has destined him to lead God's people into freedom. Now throughout Moses adult life and ministry, we find them continuously opposed and spoken against by the very people that God had determined to bless through him. And folks, this is one of the cups of leadership. If you are going to be used of God, as a matter of fact, Jesus said, woe to you if the world speaks well of you. If you are a child of God and you are being used of God and you are standing up as it is to break the bondages of this generation or any other generation, and the world that are living in sin and apart from God and are living in bondage are speaking well of you, something is wrong. Something is wrong in your character. Something is wrong. If those who are ungodly look at you and have nothing but nice things to say about you, something is definitely wrong. If you are going to be used of God to bring people out of captivity, now this begins in your home. It's not always on a national scale. I'm talking your home, your neighborhood, your community, your office, your job, where you work, your family members, the people you associate with. One of the cups of a righteous ministry is to be continuously spoken against by the very people that God determined to bless through your life. Moses in Exodus 5.21, he came with a message of freedom. They had been crying out to God. He came and said, God sent me. And God by His power is going to release you from the grip of Pharaoh and bring you into a place of promise. You know the beginning of that story when he went in and there was a display of the power of God and Pharaoh hardened his heart and said, you're only wanting to go out and worship because you're idle. And he said, we're going to increase your workload and we're going to decrease your supply and take up all that extra idle time that you have. And so Moses came back after this initial, what seemed to be like a setback. And the people looked at Moses and said, you have made us, you have made us a horde in the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants. And you have put a sword in their hands to slay us. And so we see right from the beginning, there's this voice that is coming against his motive. There's a voice that's coming against the very ministry that God has entrusted to him to bring them into freedom. Exodus 14, 11, after the marvelous victory, after the plagues all came upon Egypt. God's word came to pass. It was true. The people were set free and they headed out and ended up encamped in front of a sea in a place of impossibility. When they turned and saw Pharaoh's chariots pursuing them, they turned immediately to Moses and said, you have taken us away to die in the wilderness. Chapter 15 of Exodus, verse 24. God made a way through the Red Sea and they passed through. Even the young and old, everyone passed through. And then Pharaoh's chariots attempting to follow them. The waters again came into their original place and they were all drowned. They sang, they had perhaps one of the most incredible worship services that they'd had in 400 years because they had been in bondage. I'm sure the worship services weren't all that great for 400 years. And this, Moses sang, the people sang, Miriam took a tambourine and she sang. And they were talking about, we sing that song here. The horses and the chariots have been drowned in the sea. I'll sing to the Lord. He's triumphed gloriously. And it was after this incredible time of worship that they just ventured a short distance and came to a pool of bitter water. And in chapter 15, verse 24, the people murmured against Moses saying, what shall we drink? In other words, one more time, they're saying, Moses, you brought us out here and all you're giving us is poison water. Bitter water. Isn't this just wonderful? What an incredible deliverance. Now, they're walking in the miraculous. But constantly, constantly speaking against the very vessel that God had sent to bring them into freedom. Chapter 16, verse 3. After another distance into the wilderness, they looked at Moses and said, you have brought us out here to kill us with hunger. That's why you brought us here to kill us. Challenging him, challenging his motives, challenging his integrity. Chapter 17, verse 3. Of course, you know that every time they accused him, God intervened and fed them and gave them drink and gave them deliverance. Chapter 17, verse 3. At a time of thirst again, they looked at Moses and said, you have brought us all out here to die of thirst. Now, in Numbers chapter 12, even his own brother and sister spoke against him. Miriam and Aaron. Moses took a wife, an Ethiopian woman, and they disapproved. The Bible doesn't tell us why they disapproved of it. But the Bible tells us that the issue they found with Moses had something else underlying it. Because when you go to the next verse, they said, we hear from God just as much as he does. You see, that was really the issue. It's very hard as a leader sometimes when you get accused and the issue is never the issue. And it's true. They were really wanting the leadership. And his own brother and sister spoke against him. And they disproved of his wife and they challenged the spiritual authority once again that God had given him. And here we see the constant meekness of this man Moses. He refuses to defend himself and he cries out to God for those whose speech have brought them into their own judgment. God called them. God began to chastise them and talked about Moses as being a man that I speak to face to face as a friend. And then Moses began to realize that the judgment of God was coming upon. I don't know to this day why at that particular time the judgment of God didn't come upon Aaron, other than the fact that he was anointed to be the priest as it is to the people. But Miriam turned into a leper right before their eyes. The natural human tendency would, I suppose, be to say, well, good, you got what you deserve. You stood up against God and now you're getting the just reward as it is for your sin. But Moses now, we're beginning to see what is the root of this meekness as it is that's in him. He never defends himself. You'll never find him defending himself. Every time he's accused, he just simply goes to God and he leaves it with the Lord. And Moses, the scripture says, cried to the Lord saying, heal her now, O God, I beseech thee. Imagine, his own brother and sister have just accused him and he stands back with a totally different spirit. And he says, God, please heal her. Remember the scripture said to the Lord, if her father had but spit in her face, she'd not be excluded from the camp for seven days. God said, we'll put her outside the camp for seven days and after that I will heal her. Moses was displaying the same spirit that was upon Christ, the Son of God, when he was on the cross and people were walking up and down in front of him, wagging their heads and throwing all kinds of accusation against him, against his reason for coming, against the boast as it is he had made of his father, the ministry that God had given to him. And in the midst of all of this, Jesus cries out, Father, forgive them for they don't know what they do. The apostle Peter said in 1 Peter 2, verse 23, that when he was reviled, he reviled not again, speaking of Christ, and when he suffered, he threatened not, but he committed himself unto him that judges righteously. In Numbers 14 and 16, Moses twice stood between those who were again accusing him and God, and the God who desired to destroy them all. Numbers 14, the spies came with an evil report, and all the people murmured now again against Moses and said, we're going to make us captains and we're going to go back into Egypt again. God came and said to Moses, I will smite them all with pestilence and I will disinherit them, and I will make of you a greater nation and a mightier one than they are. And Moses stood between the wrath of God and the people who deserved his judgment. And Moses stood up and said, oh God, what will the nation say about you? If you do this thing, what will they say in Egypt about you? What will all the other nations who have heard of your fame say about you? When you destroy your own people, they'll just say you're not able to bring them in. And Moses stood in the gap, even though the people were honestly deserving of the judgment of God. You see, this is the meekness of Jesus Christ, beloved. We are deserving constantly of the judgment of God for the things that we say and the things that we do. The way we respond, the way we act, the words that come out of our mouth, even as the saints of God, even as Christians. The things that we do, were there not an intercessor between us and God the Father, we would be in dire trouble. It's only because there's an intercessor that stands at the throne and speaks our name, and God the Father receives us as righteous through Him, that we are able to stand. He said, come and learn of me. I am meek. You speak against me, but still I intercede for you. You dishonor me days without end, but still I intercede for you. You forget me days without number, but still I intercede for you. You accuse me of not being there when you go through the water and go through the fire, but still I intercede for you. I stand before the throne of my Father, and I confess your name, and I save you from the wrath of a holy God. Thanks be to God for the meekness of Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God that He doesn't take into account the number of times we accuse Him even in our prayer life, the number of times we bow our heads and accuse God Almighty of being unfaithful to us, and yet still He confesses us before the throne of God. In number 16, 250 men of renown stood before the tabernacle with their senses in their hand, esteeming themselves to be holier than they are. God came to Moses and said, get up from among this congregation. Moses, Aaron, get out of there. God said, I'm going to consume them in a moment. And the Lord, one more time, Moses stood between the deserving judgment of God and sinful man. You see, a meek man is not without power, but his power is to move God's hand towards and not against those who deserve God's judgment. A meek man has power. Number 16, 48, the Bible says Aaron stood between the dead and the living and the plague was stayed. A plague went out from God and would have consumed the whole camp. God said, get out of the way. His wrath was kindled against this spiritual arrogance that was displaying itself against the knowledge of God. And Moses said to Aaron, a plague has gone out from the Lord. He said, quick, run to the altar, get hot coals, put them in your censer, and stand between the dead and the living and stop the plague. And that's exactly what he did. One commentator I read said the meek may suffer, but divine blessing constantly follows them in this life and on this earth. The Hendrickson commentary, I think, says it the best of all. The author says there is no truer sense of the meek inheriting the earth than having their prayer divinely answered. And here's the prayer of the meek. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. He said there's no truer sense of the meek inheriting the earth. You see, in the beginning, the earth was intended to be a place where fruit, where creation as it is, would yield fruit after its own kind and its seed would be in itself. This was God's design. You'll find it in Genesis 1, verses 10 to 12, that there should be every tree should be able to yield fruit and it should have a seed within itself that would allow itself to reproduce itself. And you see that that was, of course, lost when mankind sinned against God. Go to Jeremiah chapter 17, if you will, please, with me. Jeremiah chapter 17. Now, beginning at verse 5. Thus saith the Lord, Cursed be the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the Lord. In other words, the person who ceases trusting in God in all things, the truly meek man or woman trusts in God in every circumstance. Trusts in God that all things work together for good because I love God and I know that I am called according to His purpose. Even things that appear to be evil, still God will turn them around and work them for good. He shall be like the heath in the desert, the man who departs from this trust, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land not inhabited. Now remember, God's design was that every tree should bear fruit. There should be a seed of life. Isaiah, the prophet, speaks about a generation that is, in his day, that was going to backslide away from God. But he said, Yet a tenth shall still be among them, whose seed is in them. And they will be like oaks planted by a river of water, and they will bear fruit that can be eaten. And the seed will be the holy seed. Now that holy seed, the reference is the life of Christ will be in them. Even in a backslidden generation, there will be a people who inherited what God intended the earth to be in the first place. A fruit bearing place. Now that's a physical illustration of a spiritual principle. God said, I didn't design you to wander this earth like those who have been cut off because of sin. I designed you to have a holy seed within you. That holy seed is Christ. It is the life of Christ. And that holy seed will cause you to bear life everywhere you go. That holy seed will produce fruit, even in the midst of difficult times and drought, that can be eaten by all those around. That holy seed is the seed of Christ, and it will carry you, and it will feed and nurture those who are living in darkness all around you. Those who are meek will inherit this place of fruitfulness in God. The one who departs from God, Jeremiah 17, 6, says, Shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness in a salt land not inhabited. But blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is. He shall be as a tree planted by the waters and that spreads out its roots by the river, and shall not see when heat comes. God said, If you trust in me, you will not be affected by your circumstances. You will understand that all of these things that come your way are given to you aloud for a purpose. You will not be moved by it. You will not be affected by it. Her leaf shall be green. You shall not be careful in the year of drought, and neither shall cease from yielding fruit. God said, You will be fruitful, and even in times of drought, even in times of famine, my presence and power will be on you, and everything that I intended the earth to be from the beginning of time will be evident in you. Even though the earth is under the curse of sin, you will not be. My life will be in you. You will have the power to bear fruit, and you will have the power to reproduce after your kind. It is through you that people will come into freedom. Verse 13, he says, O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters. Now that particular verse, written in the earth, means they will be recorded as having lived in the wilderness. They will be recorded as listed among those who have dwelt in a perishing place. All they that depart from thee, the Lord says, shall be written in the earth. They shall be listed among those who perished in the wilderness. Just as the children of Israel did because of the unbelief in their hearts, and the inability within them to control their mouths. Now beloved, go back to Numbers chapter 20 please, if you will with me. Numbers chapter 20. Now only one thing above all can stop the kingdom of God from flowing through a heart of meekness to fallen men. Only one thing can stop it. And we're going to see it now. Now then came, Numbers chapter 20, then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zion in the first month. And the people abode in Kadesh, and Miriam died there and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation, and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people chided with Moses and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord. And why have you brought this congregation of the Lord into this wilderness that we and our cattle should die there? And wherefore, verse 5, have you made us to come up out of Egypt to bring us into this evil place? It is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates, and neither is there any water to drink. And, beloved, I want to tell you something. No matter how naturally meek you and I may be, you know, Moses was the meekest man on the earth in his generation. I say that without a strength that is greater than our own, every one of us has a boiling point. Everyone here today, you have a boiling point. I have a boiling point, unless somebody greater than myself is able to give me the power that I need. And when we reach the boiling point, unless change comes, we're disqualified from leading our family, from leading our people that we work with, from leading our city, our community, our nation, into the place of God's rest and His promise. Miriam had died. It's a time of grieving. A time of difficulty. I think maybe just that time of life when everything just seems to be piling on you, one thing after another. And then finally, you would think at the time of personal bereavement that the people would hold back. And it just seems that, you see, the devil uses every unsurrendered heart that he can get a hold of. Unsurrendered hearts. Remember Paul said, our war is not against flesh and blood. We're not fighting against people. We're fighting against powers and principalities, spiritual wickedness in high places. And of course, the devil will use every unsurrendered heart to Christ. And he will use those hearts to speak words to wound you if you are attempting to live righteously for God. And it seems at this particular point that they bring back every accusation it ever made. If you read verses 2 to 5, it's almost right from Exodus right to Numbers 20, all compiled into one. There's just a barrage of accusations being thrown against this man Moses. And perhaps it was at a very difficult time. I don't know that for sure. I'm only drawing an inference because he just lost his sister. And perhaps it's a very difficult time. And now all around him are these voices. Now they can be people speaking or it can be just voices. You know, the devil speaks with voices. Coming and accusing and accusing about motives and accusing about where you're going and what you've done and what kind of deliverance you've brought and how your ministry is banned. And there's all of these voices now are coming against him. And finally, he hits the boiling point. And he's had enough. And God says, go and just take the rod and speak to the rock and I'll give water to the people. But Moses had had enough. And he stood up before the congregation and he took the rod. Scripture tells us that he struck the rock and turned and said, you rebels, must we fetch you water out of this rock? And he just had enough. And the Bible says in Psalm 106, verses 32 and 33, that it went ill with Moses. They provoked his spirit so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips. Oh, beloved, over the years I have seen pastors lose their ministries. Oh, they stand in the pulpit, but they've lost their ministry. They've allowed evil speaking to get into their spirit and accusations that have come against them from different voices. And they begin now to respond to those voices. They're no longer hearing from God. They're now ministering out of their own spirit. And because of it, they can't lead anybody into victory anymore. They're disqualified from bringing God's people into the place of promise. I want you to hear this, because it's so important. If you have no control over your own spirit, the Bible says you're like a city that's broken down and without walls. If you have no control over your spirit, you can't lead your husband or wife into the kingdom of God. If you have no control over your spirit, you can't lead your children into the kingdom of God and the blessings of God. By God's grace alone, He has to give us the power to rise up above all the voices and to understand there's a higher plan and a higher calling given to us. Blessed are the meek, they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are those who will not defend themselves. Blessed are those who will not respond in like kind. Blessed are those who will entrust their life and their ministry, their past, their future into the hands of God. Blessed are those who, in spite of all opposition, retain a heart of saying, God, I want to bring your people into a place of promise. I want to see your heritage free. Not necessarily that we deserve it. But God, it's to deserve your heart that none should perish. It's your heart to see humankind saved, sanctified and set free from all the powers of evil. God, because it's your heart, that's why we stand. Psalm 140 verse 11, David said, Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth. Now, Moses didn't lose his eternal reward. You know, he went to heaven. Later on, the New Testament tells us he stood with Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration, speaking to Jesus about his coming death in Jerusalem. He didn't lose his eternal reward. But, beloved, the loss of meekness cost him the last place of fruitfulness on this earth, which God would have done through him. It appears that both his life and his influence were shortened because he had lost the meekness of God. Incredible when you think of it. God said, because of this, you've misrepresented me, Moses. And because of this, you can't take the people in. The inference that I read in that is that his life would have been lengthened. His ministry would have been more powerful. And he lost out at the end. I think of the people that can't take their children in because they can't control their tongue. I think of the pastors that can't take their flocks in. Because Sunday after Sunday, I visited a church once in Louisville, Texas. And a pastor got up and spoke on love. And he was probably one of the most angry men I've ever seen. It was comical. He's preaching on love and he's obviously very angry. You see, he's responding to criticism that he's received from the body. And he's lashing back from his pulpit, speaking on love. But he himself is not in the land of promise. He himself is not walking in love. And it was so strange to hear this man preach this message. And you begin to realize this man can't take his people into the life of Christ because he's not there himself. He's not called up to God to give him the power to rise above it. Beloved, this is a practical implication because it means that if you are responding in like kind to your children, you can't lead them in. Your influence is cut off. If your children come home and you're just yelling at them and pointing the finger and angry and telling them to be holy, it's so comical, it can't lead anyone into the kingdom of God. Someone else will have to. God will be faithful if you pray, but someone else will have to take them in because your ministry and influence is gone. The Bible tells wives who have an unbelieving husband to be quiet because a meek spirit will win them even without a word. It's incredible. God says, if you will just obey me in this, I will come and I will do the work that you can't do through your words. There's no possibility you can change a man, but God says, I can if you will just obey me in this. Meekness, the best definition I've ever heard is power with restraint. It's having the ability, but you don't, because you know greater harm can come than good. It's not defending yourself, it's entrusting yourself to God. It's rising above and preaching over every circumstance that will ever come your way. It's not standing Sunday after Sunday as I've known preachers that have done that and constantly just addressing what they're hearing in the congregation. That's insanity. It doesn't build the kingdom of God. It's hearing from the throne of heaven and speaking what God speaks, irrespective of what the feedback is. It's coming down as it is, as Moses did from the mountain of God and saying, this is what the Lord is speaking. I think of people who are well intentioned, but God can't use you. The moment you face an accusation in your neighborhood, if you were to head out to evangelize, you will just respond right back in like kind. It's a person you start witnessing and they say, oh, you're an idiot. So you're an idiot yourself. And people do that. Well, God's not going to use you. He's not going to use you. You have to be above that. Make this as power with restraint. It's when you can tear somebody to pieces and you don't. I know Brother Dave can say this and Pastor Patrick and Pastor Neil. I've had people walk up to me and say absolutely idiotic things. And I have the knowledge to rip them to shreds. But there's a higher calling. You see, the higher calling is to bring that person. Paul said the servant of the Lord must not strive, but in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves, if for adventure God would give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, who are taken captive by the devil at his will. It's not using the Bible to tear somebody apart. It's holding back and saying, God, what has to be said to bring this person into freedom? That's meekness. Now, 1 Corinthians 10, if you'll turn there with me. I'll be closing very shortly. 1 Corinthians 10. Verse 11. The Bible says that all these things. Now, of course, it's talking about the murmuring and the complaining and the testing of God that was done by the children of Israel. But I do believe that you can throw the example of Moses at the end in with that. Because he says all these things happen to them, for examples, and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come. That's verse 11, 1 Corinthians 10. Wherefore, let him that thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall. There is no temptation taking you, but such as is common to man. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but with the temptation or the testing will also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it. Now, I know there are people here today and say, Oh, God, I'm hearing what's being said, but I am being pushed to my limit. I'm in a job where people are ridiculing me every day because of my stand for Jesus Christ. And I am at the boiling point now. I'm at the point of standing up and lashing out at them and telling them all the wrong things that they're doing and getting even. I'm at the point of walking into the boss's office and exposing the whole works of them for the corruption in their practices. There are people living for Christ in their families and you have a family member or even more in some cases that are constantly calling you a hypocrite. Every wrong little thing you do, you're a hypocrite. Oh, you're the saint. You're the one who goes to Times Square Church on Sunday morning. Yeah, look at you. Look what you just said. Look what you just did. You're always walking just like Moses did. You can't turn to the left or to the right and there's always an accuser there, even in your own home. And you're reaching the boiling point. But if the devil can get you there, the warning that God's given me today is you can't lead your family into the blessings of God. They will go, but not through you. You can't lead them in. If you allow your spirit to be provoked and you begin to unadvisedly speak with your lips. You see, meekness is the greatest of strength. It is not weakness at all. It is the greatest of strength. That's why Christ said, learn this about me and bring it into your character. And in doing so, you will find rest for your soul. Bible says in Hebrews 12, 3, Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be weary and faint in your minds. Consider Jesus, who endured this constant contradiction. Always trying to catch him in his speech. Always accusing him of some wrong deed or some wrong motive. Going to sinners and they call him a wine-bibber and a friend of thieves. All of these things that Christ did. Accused, accused, accused, accused, accused. Remember, he said, the servant is not above his Lord. If they call the master of the house, Beelzebub, how much more they of his household. You are not above God. If you are living righteously, there are going to be unsurrendered hearts that will test you and try you and accuse you. The enemy will use them and some will be just curious to find out what you are really made of. The scripture says, Consider him. Consider him. Look upon him. Consider Jesus Christ. Because without him, we will never have the victory. The scriptures are not telling us to follow him in our own strength, because we can't do it. None of us have the strength. We don't have the power. But he went all the way to the cross. And on the last words on his lips, near the end of his life, our Father, forgive them. They don't know what they are doing. Consider him, the Bible says. Consider that he won the victory. Consider that he spoiled powers and principalities open. Consider that he gives gifts to men. Consider that by the power of the Holy Ghost, he will enable us to rise above our circumstances. And be true ambassadors of Jesus Christ in our generation. Consider him. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. What I once thought was an obscure blessing, that was undesirable, I now see today as one of the most desirable blessings in my life. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. God said, if this characteristic is in you, I will give you the souls of men. I will give you the souls of men all over. I will give you the souls of your family. I will give you the souls everywhere I send you. I will open the earth to you as it is. It shall become yours. Hallelujah. One more time, Matthew 11, 28. Jesus said, come to me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden. I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. And you shall find rest for your soul. Remember the word rest was to unwind the strings, to put slack into the cords. For my yoke is easy. Jesus said, what I call you to do is not hard. But the source of your strength has to be in me. You'll never do it in yourself. But if I am the source of your strength, in the midst of a really crooked generation, you will stand and you will shine as lights to this world. You'll be Christ-like in the sense that nothing can be said can move you. If it does move you, it moves you to the prayer closet to say, Jesus, is any of this true? But beyond that, it doesn't move you. Because your sense of what you are and what you're doing is not just living to survive. You are living that the will of God for fallen men might be accomplished. And the will of God is that all should be saved. And none should come short of the glory of God. The word to Jesus, the word of Jesus for you today is, let me unwind your strings. Many people here in this sanctuary, you can't even... Folks, let's be realistic. You can't even come in here and find that somebody else is in your seat without... You're like a guitar that is wound up to breaking point all the time. And Jesus said, come and learn of me and bring what you learned into your experience and let me unwind those strings. Let me give you peace. You will find rest for your soul. And you will find in me everything that you need for the journey. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Father, thank you. God, thank you for your word. Your word is indeed a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. Your word is truth that unlocks every prison door and sets every captive free. Your word gives us hope and gives us strength. Your word cleanses us and purifies our... sanctifies our heart and our mind. God, thank you for what you've spoken today. I'm asking that you give every man, woman, young person who needs to respond the ability and the humility to do so. I thank you in Jesus' name. Now, remember those that have responded today here in the education annex that meekness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. It's not something that we have to work up. It's something that if we allow God to do it, he will do it. We acknowledge our need. And he said, I will come and I will be your strength and your source of supply in this area. And for those that are coming to confess that lack of meekness and understanding how important it is to be meek because we are the people, those that determined to let God be that strength of meekness in us. I'm saying this inclusively for the whole church. You are the one that God will use to bring your family in, your work associates, your neighborhood. But that fruit has to be in you. And then the earth as it is, the fruit of the earth, which is really the souls of men now in this time we're living in will be yours. God said, I will give you life, such life that people will be able to eat as it is from you. I mean, I'm speaking typically. You understand, as be able to go to a tree and there'll be fruit on it. And even if they accuse the tree, the fruit still remains for them to eat. And it's so important to know that. You'll not escape accusation if you're going to live righteously. You have to determine that in your heart now. But say, God, there's something higher than my will or way or reputation. It's that your people, that people come to the knowledge of Christ. Let's pray together. Lord Jesus. I come to confess today that I need meekness. I've not been in my speech the way I should be. I see what happened to Moses. And I understand that this too should be my judgment. But I live at a time of grace. And your word says that if I confess my sin, you will cleanse me of all this unrighteousness. Jesus. I ask you now to send the Holy Spirit and give me the power to be gracious in my speech. That my words and my responses be always seasoned with salt. They would preserve, protect and create a thirst for God in everyone I speak to. Make me a person that is able by the power of the Holy Spirit to bring others into the promised places of God. I thank you that your kingdom has come today in me. And your will will be done in me as it is in heaven. I thank you God from the depths of my heart for changing me in this area of my life. And for this I give you all the praise and I give you all the glory in Jesus' mighty name. Now thank you. Thank you. Hallelujah. This is the conclusion of the message.