Let's take our Bibles this morning.
I plan to preach this morning out of the book of Proverbs,
but I want you to turn to the book of Acts, chapter 20. I'd like to continue our study
in Proverbs, and my plan this morning is to preach this first
service out of the book of Proverbs, chapter 13. I'm going to preach
in verses 1 to 3, and then the second service I want to preach,
verses 4 to 6. So the two messages this morning
will be out of the book of Proverbs. But I want you to turn with me
to the book of Acts, Acts chapter 20. And I'd like to read, beginning
in verse 22, Acts 20, beginning in verse 22. The Apostle says, And now, behold,
I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things
that shall befall me there, save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth
in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide in me,
or wait upon me. None of these things move me,
neither can I my life dear unto myself. that I might finish my
course with joy in the ministry which I have received of the
Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now,
behold, I know that ye all among whom I have gone preaching the
kingdom of God shall see my face no more. Wherefore, I take you
to record this day that I am pure of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare
unto you all the counsel of God. Let's pray together. Our Father, how good it is to
be able to call upon your holy name. And Lord, with a heart
that has been made sensitive, made alive. to be able to thank
you and praise you. Oh, how good it is to just savor
the mercy of God in the reading of the Holy Scriptures. Lord,
would you bless this service today. Bless our hearts. Cause us to behold Christ and
to rest in Him for Christ's sake. I've entitled this message, All
the Counsel of God. I want you to take your Bibles
now, turn back to Proverbs, chapter 13. Just hold it right there
and we'll begin looking at them in a minute. But thinking back
on that scripture that we just read, Paul said, I'm not shunned
preach, to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Now, I know that there are some
secret things concerning God's counsel. The secret things belong
to God. But those things are revealed.
And that's what I want to talk about. Some things that are revealed
concerning counsel of God. Paul said, I'm free from the
blood of all men. Oh, the responsibility that a
preacher has to preach the truth, to tell men, tell women the truth
of what God Almighty has to say, and to declare unto them the
whole counsel And when he comes right down
to it, you'll ask yourself this, and you know this answer. What
is the whole counsel of God? It's the gospel of God's grace.
It's the message of God's sovereign grace in the purposing, in the
redeeming, in the keeping, in the saving of His elect. That's
the whole counsel of God. Now you know it's the whole counsel
of God because Paul said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of
God, it's the power of God I'm salvaging. The gospel. When we hear the gospel preached,
the very fiber of that message is going to declare man's total
depravity. the very fiber of the message,
none good, no not one. God forbid that I ever step out
of this pulpit and one say, you know, I just don't think that
I heard that man was totally You know, it just seemed as though
to me that when he preached, it seemed as though to me that
he was saying that man can do something to merit his salvation
before God. God forbid that when I stand
and declare the gospel, that man is given any credit whatsoever
in his salvation. of that gospel, you're going
to hear of God's electing grace. God had, the Apostle said from
the beginning, chosen you to salvation through sanctification
of the Spirit by the Spirit of God setting you apart, setting
you apart for God, setting you apart for His glory, setting
you apart for His mercy, His compassion. the very fiber of
the message is going to be wreaking with. Let me say that. You'll
distinctively hear, God is a God of election. He does what He
does on purpose. Nothing concerning luck isn't comforting to know that
what God has purposed to do, He He's going to save his people. When you hear the gospel, the
whole counsel of God, you're going to hear particular redemption. When the Lord Jesus Christ said,
I lay down my life for the sheep, did he not do what he said he
was going to do? He came to seek and to save that
which was lost. All that the Father giveth me,
oh, I love this word, shall, shall come to me. And him that
cometh to me, I will in no wise. You have a heart this morning,
didn't you? I need him. I need him. I need thee every
hour. Oh, gracious Lord, have mercy
on me. I have nothing to offer. I just have become so disappointed
in myself. I need mercy. Lord, would you
have mercy on me? We've got his word on this. I
will in no wise test you. Lord, that's so comforting. When
the gospel is preached, the whole counsel of God, when the gospel
is preached, irresistible grace. You're going to hear that. Thy
people shall be willing in the day of thy power. Believers,
the obvious images of the mercy of God, some folks in here this
morning, But I'm convinced God has shown mercy to you. And you
come to Christ. And you come to Christ. He that
cometh. That's progressive. That's present. He that cometh to me. You're coming right now. In your
heart. We thank you. Lord it is so good
to come to you. Lord, it's so good to be able
to, in my heart, call on You. It's so good to be able to thank
You. It's so good to be able to need
You. Lord, it's so good to love You. Lord, I thank You that You
drew me to the place this morning. You gave me heart. I want to
be here. I want to hear. I want to listen. When the whole
Council of God is preached, you're going to hear that God Almighty
Keeps his people by power. Preservation of the saints. I
know this. I know I can't keep myself. I've
disappointed myself so much. I'm not talking about in the
past. I mean I just did. I just did. Just disappointed myself. Thinking
to myself, not just what I should have done. What I did. Not just what I obviously committed
in my heart, but what I should have done that I didn't do. Sins of commission and omission
kept by the power of God. Kept for Christ's sake. Kept
for His honor. Kept according to God's purpose.
Kept by my sin being put away by blood. Paul said, I've not shunned to
preach unto you the whole counsel of God. When I leave, step out of this
pulpit, I'm already so guilty of just wondering, was I playing? Did they understand what I said?
Did I set forth that which was honoring to Him? And oh how I
think again of the grace of God. The forgiveness of sin. Thankful. Thankful. A gospel that gives
no credit to anything that man does to establish or to preserve
his own salvation. That's the gospel of God's grace. That's the whole counsel of God. That's all we've got. That's
all we need. God's grace from Himself and
to Himself in the salvation and redemption of His elect. Nothing according to man's power.
Any merit or effort on man's part is going to make grace to
not be grace. Listen to this scripture, Paul
said in Romans 11 and 6, and if by grace, Now, remember this, when we talk
about the grace of God, it's Christ. Christ is the grace of
God. Now, you take it by grace, you
just take that word and just put Christ, right? And if by
Christ, it is no more of works. Otherwise, grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it's
no more grace. Otherwise, work is no more work. Here's what he said. Grace is
by Christ. Unmerited favor in Christ. Grace means not of works. Works means you did something.
Either grace means grace, or grace doesn't mean grace. Works. Means something that you did,
something that you accepted, something that you performed.
Something. It's not of works. Why? Because I'm going to boast in
it. And think they don't, but they do. They do. Or they may
not openly say something to you, but in their heart they did.
I'm a Christian because I. Whatever comes after that. Well, when the Holy Spirit is
pleased to call a sinner out of darkness, spiritual darkness,
it's not merely an outward reform in that sinner's life. It's not just a new influence
that is placed within the old nature. Nothing is done to the
old nature in salvation. Nothing changes. That which is flesh, is flesh.
That which is flesh, is flesh. What it is, there's a brand new
creation given. You're born again. There's now two natures in a
believer. There's a new heart. There's
a new spirit. Paul said in Ephesians 4 24 that
you put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness
and true holiness. That new nature that we've looked
at scriptures that says it does not sin. It doesn't sin. Now you know the way I know that
is because God's word says it so. Because I'm going to be real
honest with you. When I look and I try to see
that nature that doesn't sin. Let me tell you the one I see.
The one that does. That's what I see. But I know
this. I know that I can believe God.
He's given me a heart. I know He's given me a love for
Him. I love Him. God's people know that they love
Him. We love Him because He first loved them. You think right now, the gospel
that we hear, the gospel that exalts Christ and honors Christ,
do you love that gospel? I know, I know, I know that there's
some here that do. I know that. I know that. I know
that there's a love for Christ. And I know that you struggle
every morning, every evening, every day. You struggle. when this new creation actually
takes place as a new understanding within that center concerning
God's compassion, you see what you never saw before. Now there
was a time when you, and it doesn't matter if you grew up in this
church or you came out of false religion like so many of us did,
there was a time when you sat under this gospel, but you still
didn't see them. You knew and could give evidence
of the difference between Arminianism and Calvinism. You could argue
the point, but you had no love for her. You were proud because you went
to Katie Baptist Church and others didn't. They're lost, we're not. We have
Brother Scott here as our preacher, y'all know. But somewhere along
the line, when it pleased God, Paul said, who separated me from
my mother's womb, stopped you on your road to Damascus. Wherever you were, wherever you
were going, you were going to be serving God, and God stopped
you and showed you what you are. And now, these many years, he's
been pleased to teach you something. And the more he teaches you,
the more you realize, oh, how little I know. Now, Proverbs 13. Let's look at verses 1 to 3 and
consider the marvel of God's grace and mercy in the revelation
his purpose within his people. Let's just look for just a minute
at the effect of what the whole counsel of God declares itself. Here's the first thing I know. God Almighty is merciful and
gracious. heareth his father's instruction,
but a scorner heareth not rebuke. A wise son heareth his father's
chastisement. That's what that word means.
For whom the Lord loveth, he chastens him, teaches him. I told you about my kids. Disobedient, I've never spanked
them for a mistake, that was a mistake. I know, I know. I mean, you know, I can start
picking up on rebellion pretty quickly. Say it too much in myself. And for disobedience, for rebellion,
I'm going to have to chase them, not because I hated them, because
I loved them. The scripture sets forth Here's
the mercy of God's grace. Paul said, I'm not shunned to
declare the whole gospel of God, counsel of God, gospel of grace. Here's the evidence. Here's the
mercy of God evidence. A wise son will hear it. He'll hear it. He stopped for just a minute
and realized, I hear this man. I hear. I hear with understanding. I hear with joy. Being dead in
trespasses and sins of the sinner, he can't hear. He don't want
to hear. He's dead. Spiritually dead to
the voice of the Lord. The poor almighty God gave you
ears to hear. And here's how you hear it. Corporately,
we have an ear right here. A new heart, a new ear, a new
mouth, a new eye is from a new heart. That's how you hear it. You hear from a new heart. To
hear the Father's instruction is to hear the voice of the Savior.
These are not my words. I'm reading you something out
of God's Word. I didn't make this up. I need
to hear exactly what's being said this morning. A wise son,
one made wise unto salvation, heareth his father's instruction.
You hear the gospel of God's grace. You perceive it in that
new manner, new heart, regenerated center. You hear the rebuke. of the Lord Jesus Christ. And
you know that his correction is bound up in his love for you. Let me read something for you
out of Habakkuk 3.2. Here, Habakkuk said, O Lord,
I heard thy speech, and I was afraid. Lord, revive thy work
in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years, make
known in wrath, remember mercy. Lord, I heard thy speech, and
I was afraid. I read that just a few minutes
ago, and I thought, afraid. I had to go back to see what
it said. Here's what it is. Lord, I was
in awe of your Word. I was in reverence. Just to stop right now, and to
realize this is God's Word. Lord, help me. I don't want to
be frivolous. I don't want to be just flipping,
thinking about, you know, what time he's going to quit in here. I mean, surely his time's almost
up. I mean, Lord, I heard your speech. I was afraid. In awe
and respect and reverence. Faith coming by hearing. In the heart. I know that I've got it here.
But I'm telling you, God's going to have to give me new ears before
I'm over here. Hearing by the word of God. This
is the only thing that I hear. It's the only thing I need. Tell
me once again what the Lord has done for me. What mercy that
he would not leave us to our sins. What mercy that He would
rebuke us, chasten us in mercy, compassion. Here's the second
thing I know. The satisfaction of His grace. I've not shunned and declared
unto you the whole counsel of God's grace, mercy, counsel of
God. Listen to the satisfaction. Here's
the effect. It satisfies God's people. It
satisfies God's people. Verse 2 says, A man shall eat
good by the fruit of his mouth, but the soul of the transgressors
shall eat vines. Obviously, the truth that is
recorded in Proverbs 12, verse 14, as his is what 12, 14 says,
A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth.
The recompense of a man's hand shall be rendered unto him. A
man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth." I
know for a fact that God's people, regenerated sinners, are blessed
by the Spirit of God's blessing of God's Word to them. I know that. Proverbs 10.21 says,
the lips of the righteous feed many. I know, I know that we
sit here and we read God's Word. And we're blessed by it. We're
blessed by the hearing of God's Word. I'm blessed by it. I need
to hear exactly what this book, what this Word has to say. The one speaking as well as the ones here. Proverbs 15.23 says, A man hath
joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season. That word due is his. A word
spoken in his season, how good it is. My heart rejoices over
what I hear, what I say. If it's consistent with God's
Word, if Christ is honored, if Almighty God is exalted, I feast
on that. But going back to the source
of it, let's go to the source of it. The satisfaction that
is had through the by-believer is realized when he understands
that the source of him eating good is by the fruit of his mouth. A man shall eat good by the fruit
of his mouth. Christ's. He's the shepherd. He's the one that we hear. My sheep hear my voice. Actually, just the word his there
is in italics. A man shall eat good by the fruit
of mouth, the word, the word, a man shall eat good. Blessed are those that hunger
and thirst after righteousness, they shall feed him. But the soul of the transgressors
shall eat violence. The unfaithful rebel that attempts
to hide herself from God, The one that loves violence, violence,
cruelty, wrong, injustice, that's what it is. The soul of the transgressors
shall eat of cruelty. They're going to eat of wrong.
They're going to eat of injustice. They're going to eat violence.
They're going to have the fruit of their desire. Listen to Proverbs 18, 7. A fool's
mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his
soul. A man or woman left to themselves
speaks things in their heart, and out of their heart their
mouth is going to speak. They're going to speak disrespectfully
of God's Word. They're going to speak irreverently.
You know what he's saying? This is what I want. This is
what I want. I want to be revenged against
him. Proverbs 18.21 says, Death and life are in the power of
the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Oh, that God would give me a
heart, keep me, preserve me, to eat of his word, to desire. And then lastly, in his first
message, the restraint of God's grace. That last verse that we
just looked at spoke for the personal benefit of the wrong,
as evidenced by the tongue. And this verse, the next one,
continues with that thought that deals with the effect of grace,
a tongue that's guarded. Verse 3, he that keepeth his
mouth keepeth his life, but he that openeth wide his lips shall
have destruction. The psalmist says, Psalm 141.3,
set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips. You know, we all speak unwisely.
Have you ever said something, and I think about what Brother
Henry said one time, he said, before you speak, he said, number
one, is it true? Number two, is it kind? Number three, is it necessary?
Man, that sums them all up, doesn't it? If you ever, I know you have,
Have you ever said something and then as soon as you said
it, you thought, why did I say that? That wasn't necessary. I'd have just been so much better
off if I'd have just, just keep my mouth shut. And I'm telling
you, it's just, you know what it is? It's just this pride. I want you to know something
that I know. My feelings have been offended,
but a mouth governed and tamed is a mouth that vows to the good
providence of God, and a mouth that evidences that I'm trusting
Him. Oh, God, set a watch before my
mouth. Keep the doors of my lips. to just, when necessary, be quiet. Just be quiet. He that keepeth
his mouth keepeth his life. He that openeth wide his lips
shall have destruction. Oh, how often has an unguarded
tongue given place to the devil. How thankful I am for grace,
mercy, forgiveness. How much time do we spend? Can you see right here? Can you
see the evidence of forgiveness of sin? Lord, pardon me. Oh, I'm so sorry. Pardon me. Pardon me. James says for Winston, come with Indian strife. There
is confusion in every evil work, but the wisdom that is from above
is pure, peaceful, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy
and good fruits, without partiality, without wrangling, without hypocrisy. The fruit of righteousness is
sown in peace of them that make peace. He that keepeth his mouth
keepeth his life. He keeps himself from a multitude
of trouble and heartache and misery. But he that openeth wide
his lips shall have destruction. Those that love to speak in defiance
before Almighty God and his people. One that loves to stir up and
be violent, who loves it. I see enough of that in myself.
But I don't love it. I see it, I see it, I see it
in action, but I don't love it. Matthew 12, I'm closing with
this. Matthew chapter 12, verse 35
and 37. A good man hath a good treasure
of his heart. bringing forth good things, an
evil man out of the evil treasure bringing forth evil things. But
I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they
should give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy
words shalt thou be justified, by thy words shalt thou be condemned. Oh, how every idle word, useless,
vain, given evidence, of that old nature
that's still there. A good man out of a good treasurer's
heart brings forth good things. Evil man out of an evil treasurer,
evil things. I say every either word that
men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of
judgment. Can you imagine standing before God and not having one
to answer for you? Those words, Father, that were
spoken concerning my people, and unto the blind. A count was
given, a count was given, but without a substitute. Can you
imagine standing before God and having to give a count of every
idle word that you ever spoke? Oh, the blessing of declaring
the whole counsel of God. and hearing of God's mercy, God's
grace. Thank you Lord that you won't
hold me accountable. Thank you Lord that you will
not charge me. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not charge me in pure iniquity. May the Lord bless
these words to our heart for Christ's sake.