Thank you, ladies. Beautiful. And I want to add my thanks first
unto our Lord. for allowing us the blessing
to be able to meet together and to assemble as God's people. I thank God for you. Thank God
for your pastor. I thank the Lord that he sent
a man that according to his good pleasure, that's what he said,
I'll give you pastors according to my heart and they'll teach
you. And I thank God for your pastor. I'm going to ask you
to take your Bibles with me now. And turn with me to the book
of Proverbs. Proverbs. Proverbs chapter 16. Proverbs 16. I'd like to look at one verse of
scripture. Verse 7. Proverbs 16, 7. When a man's ways please the Lord. He maketh even
his enemies to be at peace with him. Now, you know, this scripture,
when you first read this, seems to appear. It doesn't, but it seems to appear
to be a contradiction. with verses such as 2 Timothy
3.12, Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall
suffer persecution. John 15.20, The Lord said, Remember
the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than
his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they
will also persecute you. If they've kept my saying, they
shall keep yours also. But though the scriptures set
forth the certainty of this world's resentment and hatred of God's
people because of his electing grace. And that's the issue.
That's the issue. Listen to John 15, 19. If you
were of the world, the world would love his own. But because
you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the
world, therefore the world hateth you. Because God Almighty is sovereign. Because God has chosen to show
mercy and compassion to whomsoever he will. Because God has from
the beginning, everlastingly, love the people and set his affection
on a people. The scripture says the world
hates them. But this scripture sets forth
a glorious truth, a passage we read in Proverbs. When a man's
ways please the Lord, maketh even his enemies, those that
are hostile, what that word means, to be at peace with him. When
a man's course of life is woed, his action, when he pleases the
Lord, when the Lord is pleased because obedience has been rendered,
because of a debt has been paid when a man is accepted of God,
when he's pardoned, when a man is continually obedient. Boy, here's a high order right
here, Clay. continually makes that man's
enemies those that hate him, those that are in a spirit of
animosity and adversity to be at peace with him, to dwell in
peace, amends have been made. Now, you know, those of you that
believe know There's only one way that there's going to be
any peace. There's only one way that a man's
ways please the Lord. And that's my first question.
I've got three questions. What way does a man please God? What way does a man please God?
When a man's ways please the Lord. Well I know, I know that
there's pleasure. I know that there's pleasure.
I know there is. I want to know how it is. That's
what I want to know. Secondly, I want to know who
is a man's enemies. When a man's ways please the
Lord, he maketh even his enemies. I want to know who his enemies
are. And thirdly, how is it that the man whose ways always please
the Lord, How is it that he's at peace with them? Now you think
about that scripture. When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh, he that is the Lord,
maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Now do you
know who wrote this? Well Solomon penned it. Solomon
pinned it. Spirit of God wrote it. Spirit
of God spoke it. Spirit of God moved upon Solomon
to write this down. So who said this? God said it.
So it's true. No doubt about it, it's true.
How is it so? I pray God bless this message
to our hearts. Here's my first question. What
way does a man Please God. When a man's ways, please God. Well, I'm going to go ahead and
settle your mind right now while you're sitting here thinking.
I wonder what he's going to say. Well, first thing I'm going to
say is this. I know that a man in himself, of himself, by himself,
I know that a man born in Adam I know that all that have been
born into this world through the loins of our fallen father
from the garden. I know this, that he has never
pleased God. No man, no woman born in Adam
of himself has ever pleased God. Greg from the crown of his head all the way down to the sole
of his foot. putrefying source. Titus 3.5 says this, if you want
to know what man is in himself and what man can do, not by works
of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy
he saved us by the washing of regeneration The renewing of
the Holy Ghost. So I know this. I've never pleased God. And you
haven't either. But obviously there is a way
concerning a man. Pleasing God. You know there's only been one
man that's ever pleased God. At the baptism of my Lord, on the Mount of Transfiguration,
a voice was heard from heaven, and this is what it says, this
is my beloved Son, and whom I'm well pleased. You hear him, you
hear him. There's one man that's pleased
God, the God-man mediator. the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word
Himself, the Word made flesh that dwelt among us. Oh, that man, that glorious man,
that God man, that man pleased God. He said, I do always only
those things that please Him. I want to know Him. That man, what Almighty God has
been pleased to do from before the foundation of the world, He has chosen a people and put
them in that man. Chosen us in Him. That man, the God-man, the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Messiah, he has been given a people. They are his bride. They are
his beloved people. They've been everlastingly betrothed. He said, I betrothed you unto
myself. That marriage union And I'm telling
you, this is so far over our heads to be able to perceive
how these things can so, but we believe Him. We believe Him. How do we believe Him? Well, Hebrews 11, 6 says this,
but without faith, faith is a gift. Faith is a grace given from above. Without faith, It is impossible
to please Him. For he that cometh to God must
believe that He is. That He is what? He is who He
says He is. And that He is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek Him. Hold your place. Just turn to
Matthew 17, 5. Matthew 17, 5. I want you to see that. I just
quoted it, but I want you to look at it. The scripture says, Matthew 17,
5, Why he yet spake, Behold a bright cloud overshadowed
them, behold a voice out of the cloud. Now can you just think,
now these men were truly there, they were with the Lord. This
cloud was really there. And out of the cloud which said,
this is my beloved son, in whom I'm well pleased, hear ye him. This is what I want
to do this morning. I want to hear what God has to
say. Faith, without faith, is not highly improbable. It's impossible without faith
to please Him. Tell me about faith. Tell me
about faith. Tell me what's your evidence
of faith? Holds a place. Turn to Hebrews
11. Hebrews chapter 11. Now I'm telling
you, there's a miracle of God's grace that takes place. Whenever
the Lord of Glory moves upon a people, there's not a man or
a woman in this congregation this morning that's worth shooting.
Ain't none of us worth shooting. We're all dug out of the pit
of sin and depravity, and every believer's gonna admit it. I don't know the depth of me,
Bruce, but I can tell you what I know ain't good. But listen to what God Almighty
has done for a people and gives them faith, faith. Hebrews chapter 11. I just want to read a few of these,
starting in verse 5. By faith, Enoch. was translated that he
should not see death and was not found because God had translated
him for before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God. He pleased
God. Look at verse 7. By faith Noah
being warned of God of things not seen as yet What did he do? He moved with fear. He moved with respect. Scripture said it had never rained
before. And God told him to build an ark. And what did he do? He prepared
an ark to the saving of his house by which he condemned the world
and became heir of righteousness which is by faith. Look at verse
8, by faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place
which he should after receive for an inheritance, what did
he do? He obeyed. He obeyed. And he went out. Not knowing whether he went.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange
country dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac, Jacob, the heirs
with him of the same promise. He looked for a city which hath
foundations. Builder and maker is God. You know what God's people do?
You know what they're doing right now? They're looking for a city, a
heavenly city, a heavenly Jerusalem, whose builder and maker is God. Why? They believe God. They believe
Him. That's a miracle that a man believes
God that he's never seen. I hear people talk about how
the Lord spoke to them and they heard. You know, I've never heard
the Lord with this ear. Never heard Him. But I'm going
to tell you something. The Lord said, My sheep hear
my voice. You that believe. You know what
you're doing right here? You heard the Lord speak. What
did the Lord say? Look at verse 11. This is what
the Lord said. This is what the Lord said. The
Lord said, through faith also Sarah herself received strength
to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past
age because she judged him faithful who had promised. Verse 13, these all died in faith
not having received the promises but having seen them afar off
and were persuaded of them and embraced them and confess that
there were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. That's what you're
doing. You didn't believe. That's what you're doing right
now. You've seen these promises are far off. And you know what? You believe them. You believe
them. Someone say, do you truly believe this? Yes, I do. Verse 14, for they that say such
things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if
they had been mindful of that country from which they came
out, they might have had opportunity to have returned, but now they
desire a better country. That is, and heavenly. Wherefore, God
is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for
them a city. How does a man or woman please
God? They believe him. They believe him. They don't
look to themselves as having any merit. They're like that old thief that
we talked about the night before last. That one was dying, told
the other one, he said, don't you fear God. We're getting exactly
what we deserve. We're getting exactly what we
deserve. But this man, This man has done
nothing amiss. Lord, would you have mercy on this
sinner? Lord, would you remember me? The scripture declares, Romans
4, 5, but to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that
justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. You need to tell me that a man's
ways can please God? God grants him faith to believe
Him. Let me tell you what that man,
how that man will see himself. Turn over to Philippians. Philippians
3. Philippians 3 verse 1. Philippians 3, 1-3, Philippians
3, Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord, not yourself. To write the same
things to you, to me indeed, is not grievous for you, but
for you it's safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil
workers, beware of the concision, for we are the circumcision.
We worship God in spirit, we rejoice in Christ Jesus and have
no confidence in the flesh. Almighty God's been pleased to
save his people and to reveal it to them. And to give them
faith, to believe it. And they'll acknowledge it. They'll
acknowledge it. Psalm 69. Psalm 69. Verse 29 to 32. Psalm 69. Verse
29. But I'm poor. and sorrowful, let thy salvation,
O God, set me up on high. I will praise the name of God
with a song, will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also
shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath
horns and hooves. The humble shall see this and
be glad, and your heart shall live that seek God. Oh, when a man's ways Please
the Lord. When that man by faith looks
to Christ, looks to Him for mercy with no confidence in his flesh,
the scripture says, he maketh, he maketh, he maketh, he continually
makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. This is the
second thing I want to know. are a man's enemies. Who are
they? Well, I know this. This world,
this world is our enemy because we're not of it. John
17, 16. They are not of the world. The Lord said, even as I'm not
of the world. Believers have another spirit in regenerating grace. God Almighty
removes a heart of stone. He removes a heart that formerly
had dominion. And the Lord said, I'm going
to remove a heart of stone. And I'm going to give you a new
heart, a new spirit. I'm going to write my law in
your heart. And I'm going to be your God.
And you're going to be my people. And I'm telling you, I can truthfully
say, Almighty God does something for His people. And He gives
them a new attitude. Gives them a new spirit. A new
heart. They're born from above. They didn't have anything to
do with their first birth, and they don't have anything to do
with their second birth either. You must be born again. What did
you do the first time? Nothing. What did you do the second time,
you that know him? Nothing. For by grace, for grace have
you saved, and listen to this next word just in case we forget
them, and that not of yourselves. It's the gift of God, not of works. Why? Because we boast in it. We boast
in it. God's people Possessed by the
grace of God, a new heart, a new attitude, a new love, a new conduct,
and a new walk that is not in agreement with this world and
this world's religion. I know the world. I'll tell you
another thing's my enemy. My flesh. My flesh. Romans 7, 18. Romans 7, 18. We would do well to read Romans
7 often and behold the evidence of the
Spirit of God's revelation of what we are because we still
got two men in us. Romans 7, 18. Paul said, I know that in me,
that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. For to will is present with me,
but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would, I
do not. But the evil which I would not,
that I do. Now if I do that I would not,
it's no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find
then a law that when I would do good, evil is present with
me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man.
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my
mind. And I'm telling you, you know
we only war with those that we're heads up with, warring against
the law of my mind, bringing me into captivity to the law
of sin, which is in my members. Oh, wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? Just a few days ago, our precious
brother, Brother D., If you never had the opportunity to meet him,
he was a dear, precious friend and brother. You know what God
did? He separated him from the body
of this death. Who shall separate me from the
body of this death? The Lord will. This flesh is my enemy. Outside of Christ,
there's nothing that we can think or say or do that's pleasing
to God. God's people are accepted in
the beloved. Thirdly, Satan is my enemy. He's the one that we're exhorted,
admonished to be sober and vigilant, concerning because our adversary
The devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he
may devour. Death, hell, grave, these are
our enemies. But all these enemies are so
because of one thing, sin. Sin. Sin is my enemy. Romans 5, 12, wherefore as by
one man sin entered into the world and death by sin. And so death passed upon all
men for that all have sinned. Sin, that which is absolutely
opposite from righteousness, holiness, obedience to God, the
very negative of all that's holy and just and good. Describing
it, I don't even know what it is. I read the definition. It's
a transgression of the law. I can enter in somewhat to the
depth of that, but not really. But whatever it is, I can tell
you this. Our Lord was made that. He was
made sin. I never, I never, I never, Clay,
can get to a point where I can say this without, even right
now, just thinking in my heart, Lord, please help me right here.
I want to be absolutely respectful. I know I've told many of you
this, but old brother Scott, Man, I can still see him. In
my mind, I'm telling you where I was sitting. I'm sitting at
my desk, and Scott's sitting right here in the rocking chair
that we got him so he could sit over here and be comfortable.
And I was there for, he was there for seven years while I was there. In this passage of scripture,
2 Corinthians 5, 21, for he had made him, to be as in italics,
he had made him sin. And I was talking to Brother
Scott, and I said, Brother Scott, I said, I just, when I think
of that buddy, he wasn't being mean, but he was just being to
the point, Fred. That finger was right there.
And he said, Martin, I know that you want to be respectful. I
know that. We talk about the Lord being
made sin. And we're talking about Him laying
down His life and being made sin. And when you think this
through, and you think, when He hung on that cross, He was
made sin. And upon that cross is the holy,
harmless Lamb of God, God Almighty. And hanging on that cross As
the substitute of his people, he was made sin. And Almighty God forsook him. My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me? You know what the psalmist says?
For thou art holy. You're holy. I'm a just God. And where sin was found, the
law demanded justice. My friend, old Scott, told me,
he said, I understand your desire to be respectful, but don't you
ever try to sidestep. Don't you ever tiptoe through
the tulips. Don't you ever try to walk on
thin ice when it comes to what our Lord did in the redemption
of his people. Don't you ever, ever do it. He said, if he wasn't made what
I am, if he wasn't made sin, if he wasn't made what Scott
Richardson is, and Marvin Stoner played, if he wasn't made what
we are, and answered before God on our behalf for what we really
are, because I'm telling you, God is just and he's going to
deal with me. If he dealt with me in the beloved
Son, in whom he's well pleased, in his sacrifice for me, for
me, I'm going to stand before God.
If he answered for me, if he answered for me, Ed, God's pleased with me in him. God's going to deal with me.
Lord, deal with me in a substitute. Alright, here's my last question. How is it that a man's enemies
are now at peace with him? Really, I just answered it. Turn
with me to Colossians 1. Colossians chapter 1. Colossians 1. I'm going to read a few verses.
Verse 12, I'm following. Colossians 1, verse 12, giving
thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet, fit to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, who hath
delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated
us into the kingdom of his dear Son. in whom we have redemption
through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, who is the image of
the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. For by him
were all things created that are in heaven, that are in earth,
visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions
or principalities or powers. All things were created by him
and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things
consist. And he is the head of the body,
the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased
the Father, that in him should all fullness dwell, and having
made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile
all things unto himself. By him, I say, whether it be
things in earth or things in heaven and you that were sometime
alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now
hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to
present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight,
if you continue in the faith. And by the grace of God, you
will, if he calls you, grounded, settled, and be not moved away
from the hope of the gospel, which you've heard, which was
preached to every creature which is under heaven, whereof I, Paul,
am made a minister. When a man's ways please the
Lord, he, that is the Lord, maketh even his enemies to be at peace
with him. You know, I thought about that.
I thought, maketh even his enemies to be at peace. How's that? I was thinking, I was thinking
back pictures that I have seen At the end of World War II, on the battleship Missouri, there
was a signing of a peace treaty. The United States and the nation
of Japan, Japan had been defeated. What happened is A nation, by the grace of God,
mightier than the nation of Japan, had overwhelmed them and defeated
them. And now there was a surrender,
a surrender, and a peace treaty was signed. The scripture declares, my last
verse, 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Corinthians 15, there was a peace treaty. What it was, a nation that was
at war with another nation had been defeated. Been defeated,
that's what happened. And there was no more ability
for that country that was defeated to do any more harm to this country. They were defeated. That's where
the peace was wrought. Wasn't it they all got together
and loved each other? I doubt that very seriously.
Right now, we've still got enemies. There's flesh, there's world,
Satan. But you know what? My enemies
are defeated. 1 Corinthians 15, verses 56 to
58. The sting of death is sin, and
the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, my beloved
brethren, be you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work
of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in
vain in the Lord. I pray God bless this to our
hearts. Amen.