Let's take our Bibles and turn
now to Proverbs chapter 11. Proverbs chapter 11. I'd like to consider verses 23,
I'm sorry, 28 to 30, Proverbs 11, 28, 30. He that trusteth in his riches
shall fall, but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. He
that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind, and the
fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. The fruit of the
righteous is a tree of life. He that wineth souls is wise. Going through this blessed book,
we are ever mindful of our Lord's words to His disciples when they
ask Him, Why do you preach in parables? Because it is given
unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, and to
them it is not given. Just stop and think for just
a minute. If we understand anything, I think about what Brother Jeff
just said concerning election. Someone asked Maurice Montgomery
one time, do you have to believe in election to be saved? He said,
I don't see in scriptures where you've got to believe in election
to be saved. But he said, I will tell you this. He said, those
that believe Christ, when they hear election, they'll believe
it. I don't know how much the thief on the cross knew, but
I do know this. He knew the God of election.
That's what Jeff says. That was good. Proverbs 3, 5 says, is trust
in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not upon thine own understanding. Obviously, from that Scripture,
Trusting in the Lord is to not lean to your own understanding.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart sincerely. That's what it means.
All your heart sincerely. I read a Scripture like that
and I think about what I just said just a moment ago about
the struggles of this life. Trust in the Lord with all your
heart in sincerity. Be honest with Him. He knows
our frame. He knows. He knows that we're
dust. He knows the trials. He knows. Trust Him. hiding place wherein a man is
secure. Trust in the Lord with all of
your heart. Do you know it's going to take
a work of God's grace for me to be able to do that? I know
that. I realize just standing right
here the frailty somewhat of a man's flesh. Just standing
here. I'm thinking this is by the grace
of God that I'm even standing here. This is where, for a believer, his desires are truly found,
trusting in the Lord. Because I know that based on
what we just started reading a minute ago, he that trusteth
in his riches shall fall. He that has confidence in..."
Now, let me tell you this. Let me just say something right
here so we'll understand. Riches, right there, in that
verse of Scripture. Riches. Obviously, you know it's
going to have to have something to do with material stuff. Money and stuff. But it entails
everything and the obtaining of it, too. Everything. All areas of life. Riches. Everything in this world that
is not according to the riches and glory of Christ Jesus. The riches of this world. Fame. Money. Whatever we can have. Riches. Don't just get money. Money, I understand. Listen,
I do know that we operate with money. And I know that sometimes
money increases. I know that. The Lord says, if
riches increase, set not your heart on it. The love of it,
the desire of it, the pursuit after it, and everything else. I know that. But also, When we
talk about he that trusteth in his riches shall fall, spiritual
so-called riches, so-called spiritual riches, and I'll tell you this,
that right there is the very heart of the unregenerate's hope. That's the heart, the riches,
the spiritual riches, what he thinks is spiritually rich. Oh, I've done this and I've done
that. I've laid up for myself treasures in heaven. I've done
all of these things. If he doesn't say them outwardly,
he says them inwardly. Spiritual, self-righteous, so-called
riches that men, the Scripture says in the book of Haggai, puts
them into a bag. It's just holes. Holy bag. Just a bag that's just filled
with nothing. I thought I had something in
there. He that trusteth in His riches. You see that? What you
think is profitable. And I'm going to tell you something.
There's not one man, one woman born in Adam that doesn't come
forth thinking that way. How profitable do you really
think that that fig leaf was? We've covered ourselves before
God. You see what I'm saying? That's riches. When it comes to the riches of
this world, the pursuit of it, physical, spiritual, those things
that men seek after, thinking that they've accomplished, the
gold and silver, physical or spiritual, whatever, whichever
way you want to look at it. Let me ask you something. Did what you do, did what you're
able to produce, did what you're able to accomplish, Did your walking down the aisle
or did your praying through or did your baptism die for you? Is that what shed its blood and
put away your guilt? Now, you think about that. Well,
I exercised my free will. Is that what died and put away
your guilt? Now, we're talking about that which absolutely puts
away sin. This world's riches, however
you want to look at it, has never been faithful to one that has
ever trusted in Him. Man, everything that I have ever
been able to do for myself was so filled with pride and arrogance.
The Scripture says in Matthew 16, 26, what is a man profited? If he gains the whole world and
loses his soul, what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? What does it mean to trust in
your riches? I read that. He that trusteth
in his riches shall fall. Well, in my mind, this is the
way I think. You'll notice a lot of times
what I'm doing is I'm just trying to set forth something that went
through my mind when I read that. He that trusteth in his riches.
What does that mean? What does it mean, trust in riches? I believe somewhat it means to
join myself, to join yourself, to join ourselves in heart and
to trust for security, physical, spiritual, Anyway, the Scripture
says trust in the Lord. But for me to trust for my physical
well-being or my spiritual well-being, for me to be able to trust in
something that I can accomplish, I did it. To trust in riches, to trust
anything that human senses can see or produce or maintain. That's what it is. It's a revelation
of God's grace that salvation is all of grace. That's a miracle
that God reveals that. That a man, a woman, can behold
by faith the glorious Lord Jesus Christ and to realize without
Him, I am nothing. I have nothing. I can do nothing.
Without Him, and that does not mean between Him and myself. It means without Him, I can do
nothing. Trusting in riches. Letting that which takes a priority. where the priority is, trusting
in that. I want you to turn to Matthew
6. I want you to look at something here. Matthew 6. Matthew 6, verse 19. Matthew 6, verse 19. Lay not up for yourselves treasures
upon earth. where moth and rust doth corrupt,
where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure
is, there will your heart be also. Look at verse 24. No man can serve two masters,
for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he
will hold to the one and despise the other, you cannot serve God
and man. You cannot adhere with an interest, a total, leaning,
trusting interest to two masters. You can't. Scripture sets forth, you cannot. Worldliness. And when I say worldliness,
remember this, I am talking about everything whether it's physical
that I can see or that which is invisible born in my old heart,
that old nature of sin that tells me I can when the Scripture says
I can. Worldliness. That's what I'm
talking about. I'm talking about that which
is totally Disrespectful before God Almighty and does not give
God the glory, does not look to Him, does not wait on Him.
Worldliness. Worldliness is one of the greatest
dangers that we face. It's a cleverly devised snare. You know, it seems innocent.
to pay close attention to business or to family needs. But when
that care is done at the expense of obedience and worship in God, supporting the work, faithful,
sensitive to the needs of God's people, the honor of the Lord
Jesus Christ, danger. Danger. Danger. There's no more evidence of an
unconverted state than to have the things of this world uppermost
in our aim, our love, and our desire. Well, I would, you know,
I would, but, you know, my family, I've got kids, I've got this,
I've got that. That's a cleverly devised snare. Worldliness. We could go and read. I would
encourage you to read that sixth chapter of Matthew. That's when
the Lord was saying, Consider the lilies. They don't spin. They don't toil. Your Heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not much better than
they? You know, we are so prone. And
I'm telling you, I'm talking about all of us. He that trusts in riches shall fall. Because I'll tell you this, a
man's soul is going to endure forever, but those riches are
not. The only thing that's going to endure, God Almighty said,
is His Word. He that trusts in riches shall
fall. But the righteous shall flourish
as a branch. The righteous. He that trusts
in his riches shall fall, but the righteous shall flourish
as a branch. I want you to turn to Psalm 91. Look at this. Psalm 91. The righteous shall flourish
as a branch. The man that's trusting in his
riches, what he can do, what he can produce, what he can obtain,
what he can keep, He's going to fall. Psalm 91, 9 to 12, Because
thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most high
thy habitation, there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall
any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels
charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear
thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a
stone. Now, let me ask you something.
Who was that talking about? You know. the Lord Jesus. That
was talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. You know how I know that?
Because there was a place over in the New Testament where Satan
even quoted it. Satan quoted it. Quoted the Word
of God. And said, well, you just jump
off this pinnacle. You know it's written, He's not going to let
you dash your foot against a stone. He's not going to let that happen
to you. He's going to keep you. Okay, now what does that say?
That tells me that the one that Almighty God has promised, He's
not going to fall. If I'm grafted in Him, I'm not
going to fall either. My security is in Him. He is divine. We are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I
in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. For without me, severed
from me, you can do nothing." Well, back in Proverbs, here's
what that verse 28 said. He that trusted in his riches,
in his ability, in his life, he that trusted himself, he's
going to fall. But the righteous, those made
righteous by the grace of God, the imputed righteousness of
Christ. They're going to flourish as a branch. Why? Because they're
trusting in Christ who is divine. He that trusts in His richest,
fall. The righteous, they're going to flourish as
a branch. He said, I'm divine. You're the branch. Those that
trust in Him. Look at verse 29. He that troubleth
his own house shall inherit the wind." A man's house in this passage
of Scripture right here means his whole interest. That's what it means, his whole
interest. Let me give you a couple of verses of Scripture. You'll
understand what I'm saying. Proverbs 7, 1, Wisdom hath builded
her house. Now you know who wisdom is there.
That's the Lord Jesus Christ. Wisdom hath built her house. Who is the house? It's the church. That's the bride. Who built the
house? Well, the Scripture says, except
the Lord built the house. They that labor, labor in vain.
We're going to build us a church here. We're going to have some
programs here. We're going to get some things
going. We're going to have Pack a Pew. We're going to have Fifth
Sunday Singing. We're going to get us a choir. No. This is what we're going
to do by the grace of God. We're going to preach the gospel. Think of the mercy of God. I've
said this so many times. Think of the mercy of God. that
50-something years ago raised up a man, a devil man of heart,
to preach the gospel and not deviate from it. And God blessed
it. And some of you are by the grace
of God the recipients of God's grace under the ministry of a
faithful preacher. He has built his house. Wisdom has built her house. How
about concerning false religion? Proverbs 7.27, her house is the
way to hell, going down to the chamber of death. So house here
means the total interest of. This Scripture right here says,
He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind. To trouble, to keep it in constant
agitation. So looking back, and what we're
doing is we're looking at Scriptures as Scripture goes to Scripture
goes to Scripture. Verse 28 said, He that trusteth
in his riches shall fall. Verse 29 is saying, Because a
man without Christ, a man that is trusting in that
which is fleeting and failing, the riches, the worldliness,
of this age, he that's trusting in physical or spiritual false
riches. He's doing nothing but causing
turmoil and trouble for his total interest. It's just nothing but
trouble. Just turn over. I'll show you
there. Proverbs 15, 27. Just turn over a couple of pages. 1527, he that is greedy of gain troubleth
his own house. He that hateth gifts shall live. I will be there, Lord, in one
of these days. Gifts there means bribes. That which tempts to steal the
affection of devotion away from Christ. He that hates gifts,
hates bribes. You think about what Satan said
to our Lord. I'll give you all. I'll give
you all. This is all mine. It wasn't his. Liar. He that hates bribes, that which
was steel, those fiery darts. He that hates them. And only
by the grace of God does a man hate them. He that troubleth his own house
by trusting in the riches of this world, physical, spiritual,
and pursuing after whatever it take, in his mind, he lies hard,
deceitful. You need to do so and so. If
you don't do this, you're not going to make it. You ain't going
to pay your bills. You're not going to get to heaven.
You're going to be. He that troubleth his own house
And you know what? Every man born in Adam is not
troubling anybody when he comes right down to it but himself. Every man is going to answer
for his own deeds. The books are going to be open.
Every man is going to give account for his own works. That's what
the Scripture says. I'm not going to stand before God for you and
you for me. He that troubleth his own house
shall inherit the wind. He's just going to inherit Nothing. An empty thing. That's what it
is. And the fool, the one trusting in his riches, the one troubling
his own house, shall be servant to the wise of heart. Wow. Now, that's an amazing passage
of Scripture right here. You know, while the fool thinks
that he's going to prosper in his own efforts and merit, The
bottom line is, he's serving God's purpose to the good of
God's elect. Now you say, how can you prove
that? Romans 8.28 says this, all things,
all things. You mean even the rebellion of
this world is going to prove to be to the good of God's elect?
All things work together. for good to them that love God,
to them who are of the called according to His purpose. You
say, well, how is it going to be working to my good? Well, let me say this. I would
not be so foolish to stand here and tell you that I understand
the depth of it. But let me tell you one thing
that comes to my mind right now. You're going to realize that
by the grace of God, I am what I am. that Almighty God didn't
leave me in rebellion, that God Almighty didn't leave me to myself
to trust in my own riches, that God Almighty didn't leave me
to myself to live and grovel in my own self-righteousness
and think that I had established a righteousness before God. I think about in the alternative. Let me just turn to Exodus 12.
Exodus 12. It says the fool should be a
servant to the wise of heart. I know this. Here again, I can't
explain all this, but I do know. Let me just read this. Exodus
12. Let me read Exodus 12, 35, 36. The children of Israel did
according to the word of Moses. And they borrowed of the Egyptians
jewels and silver and jewels of gold and raiment. And the
Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians so
that they lent unto them such things as they required, and
they spoiled the Egyptians. The Egyptians let them go, and
they loaded them up. They gave them and said, here,
take it. You want this, you want that.
Here, take it all. Just get out of here. Just take
it. And God Almighty prospered His people through those Egyptians.
Now, we just read that. Now, I know that this whole world
the whole economy of this world. Do you know what I know is going
on? Almighty God is calling out His people. And He is taking
care of His people. And He has raised up countries,
nations. He has raised up a city right
here, Fairmont, West Virginia. He has raised up a city right
here. He has maintained this city because
God Almighty has got some people in this community. How is He
doing all this? I don't know. But I can tell
you that I am not so foolish as to think that all of this
world is not being used for the good of God's people and the
glory of Almighty God. I know it is. All things work together for
God. He works all things after the
counsel of his own will. He raises up authorities and
he puts down, he takes up this nation, he puts this one down
and he moves this and he does this, all for his own glory. And men just run around here
and they're just having business and they'll just fire that thing
up and mar and they'll just, we're just, we're doing great.
We're just doing great. to do it just exactly what God
Almighty purposed for you to do. The fool shall be a servant to
the wise of heart. Those made wise unto salvation. And then lastly, verse 30, the
fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth
souls is wise. Now here's the piece. Here is the peace that is found
for every child of God. The fruit or the offspring of
the righteous, he who is righteous, the Lord
Jesus. The offspring of the righteous,
of Christ Himself, the offspring of the righteous is a tree of
life. Verse 28 says, The righteous
shall flourish as a branch. The righteous, those made righteous
by Christ. Here it says the fruit of the
righteous, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The fruit, the offspring
of the righteous. Just as a branch joined to the
vine, the objects of God's mercy are going to bloom and grow,
regenerated by the grace of God. He just joined to Him spiritually,
miraculously, God Almighty joins a man to Christ, regenerates
him by grace, and here it says, the fruit of the righteous is
a tree of life. The fruit, the offspring, is
a tree of life. Is that passage saying that I'm
the tree of life? In Him I am. You remember this passage right
here? Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness
in the day of judgment because as He is, so are we in this world. God Almighty looks at him and
sees him and all in him. Is he a tree of life? He's a tree of life. Are we joined
to Him? Yes, we are. Are we the fruit
of the righteous? Are we the offspring of Him? Are we made what we are by the
grace of God? That's what Paul said, I am what
I am by the grace of God. What did the Lord say at the
Lord Jesus Christ's baptism? This is my beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased." What will be said in that day
unto all found in Christ, well done, by good and faithful servant. Paul said, I have kept the faith. I have fought a good fight. I
finished my course. How could he say that outside
of being joined to Christ? No way. No way. No believer ever
takes that honor to himself. The Lord said, I know the Lord
said to the woman with the issue of blood, your faith, the object
of your faith, your faith, the one to whom you look, your faith
given from above to believe. But I'll tell you this, it was
the object of her faith. Your faith has made you whole. Heirs of God. That's what Brother
Jeff just read. Heirs of God. Joint heirs with
Christ. Joined with Him in indescribable,
unchangeable union. Inheritance. Incorruptible. The bride robed in Christ, in
His righteousness. Jacob, remember that when Jacob
walked in to see his daddy? Mama covered him with those skins
and he smelled just like Esau. There was a picture right there.
Esau, that verse, there was Esau. Jacob walked in there and he
said, you Esau? Yes, I am. He said, you smell
just like him. Oh, I'm telling you. robed in
the glorious righteousness of our Lord. As He is, so are we. He that
winneth souls is wise." You know, it's such a disrespectful
thing. I came up in false religion.
And we used to have like a little Little tally. Probably should
have kept a little book, you know, how many souls I won this
week. I led 14 people to Christ this
week. I'm a soul winner. Bible-packing
soul winner. Got them down the Roman road.
That's what I thought. I had my plan. I had my Bible
marked. Turned over to Romans 3.23. You know, you played that game. You believe it. Oh yeah, you
don't think God lies. No, no, no, no, no. Well, pray
this prayer. Lead them to Christ. I know that without a doubt,
I know that the Lord uses instruments, means. I know we talked about
that just a while ago. I know that God is pleased to
use means. But let me tell you this. He
that is wise, When so's, there is but one that
is wise in himself." Winning there means taking. The Scripture clearly sets forth,
men are born not by blood, not by the will of flesh, not by
the will of man, not born into inheritance in Christ. I can't
desire. you into Christ, not by the will
of man, not by the will of the flesh. You don't have a free
will to do anything you want. You're dead in bondage and sin.
I am, too, as being born in Adam. And I could desire, I desire,
I want God to save my kids and grandkids, my family. I do. I want the Lord to save.
I do. I would desire. But I'm going
to tell you whose will is going to be done. the wise one. He that is wise wins souls. He alone rescues his own from
trusting in their own riches and from troubling their own
house. He alone wins or takes his own. He takes them, first of all,
lovingly. Jeremiah 31.3, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting
love. Secondly, He takes them powerfully. No man can come to
Me except the Father which has sent Me. Draw him. That word, draw, means with power,
made willing in the day of His power. And thirdly, He takes
them forever. My sheep hear My voice, and I
know them, and they follow Me, and I give unto them eternal
life. and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. He that trusteth
in his riches shall fall, but the righteous shall flourish
as a branch. He that troubleth his own house
shall inherit the wind, and the fool shall be servant to the
wise of heart. The fruit of the righteous is
the tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise. May the Lord add His blessing
to the preaching and the hearing of His gospel for Christ's sake. Amen.