Thank you, Brother Walter. It is absolutely such an honor,
a privilege to be able to be here with you. I totally agree
with what Brother Walter has just said. We fellowship with
each other. We need each other's fellowship.
And I thank God that He has permitted me to be here with you. I look so forward to being able
to spend some time through tomorrow morning before we have to go
back. I look forward to what these men will preach that I'll
be able to hear and that the Lord might be pleased to bless
through Sunday as these men preach Christ. I'm gonna ask you to
take your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Proverbs. Proverbs
chapter 15. Proverbs 15. I'd like to read
verses 28 through 33. Proverbs 15. 28. The scripture declares, the heart
of the righteous studieth to answer, but the mouth of the
wicked poureth out evil things. The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. The light of the
eyes rejoiceth the heart, and a good report maketh the bones
fat. The ear that heareth the reproof
of life abideth among the wise. He that refuseth instruction
despiseth his own soul, but he that heareth reproof getteth
understanding. The fear of the Lord is the instruction
of wisdom, and before honor is humility. This evening I'd like for us
to consider for a few minutes, and this is just a part, where
we would find the characteristics of a believer. God's people are
described all through the scripture, but in these few verses right
here, I've entitled this message, Five Marks of a Believer. five marks from Proverbs 15,
of a regenerated sinner. The scripture says in 2 Corinthians
5.17, therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold
all things are become new. Now I know this, I know that
all of God's people, all of God's elect, all of His chosen, have
eternally been in the Lord Jesus Christ. They've always been there. Chosen from before the foundation
of the world. But this scripture I just read
in 2 Corinthians, if any man be in Christ, it's talking about
those who have been powerfully, effectually called out of darkness
God Almighty has revealed Himself to them. Called them out of the
bondage of Satan's sin. Those who have a new nature.
Those that God Almighty has placed within them a new principle of
grace. Those that God's taught old things
for those, if any man be in Christ, Regenerated by the grace of God.
Old things, old loves, old self-righteous thoughts of my own worth passed
away. Now that old man is still there.
But I'm telling you, he's been dethroned. Sin shall no more
have dominion over you. It's there. It's there. And a
believer knows it. Behold, the scripture says, all
things are become new. Now this regenerated sinner,
this new creature, he walks and he thinks from a new heart, from
one that God Almighty has given a love for Christ, one now that
is willing in the day of God's power. You know, I know people
here, grace preachers, And they said, you guys don't believe
in whosoever will. Oh, I beg your pardon. Yeah,
we do. We just declare that man by nature won't. That's what
we're saying. God's going to have to give a
man a new heart. But now from this passage here in Proverbs
chapter 15, I want us to look for just a minute at five characteristics
of this new creature. This new man, this one called
out of darkness, five marks that weren't there before God called
him out of darkness. Here's the first mark from this
passage of Scripture right here. The new creature, the believer,
he's concerned about what God has to say. Look at verse 28. of the righteous studieth to
answer. Studieth what? Well, he's going
to study God's Word. He wants to hear what God has
to say. He's like those Bereans, you
know? They receive the Word gladly,
and then what do they do? They search the Scriptures daily.
to see if those things were so. These men that will be preaching
right here, I love them, know them. They get up and they say
something. But you know what, Mike? I want
to know that that came out of God's Word. I want to know. They study it. The heart of the
righteous, the new man, he studieth to answer. He studies to respond. That's what it says. To answer,
to respond. He studies, he muses, he meditates
on what does God have to say. But then he studies to answer
what? Yeah. 1 Peter 3.15 says this, but sanctify the Lord God in
your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man
that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness
and fear. Now, you know this, everybody
that's standing in a pulpit is not preaching the same thing. Now there's some people that's
standing in pulpits, especially on Wednesday nights, you know,
Sunday, And they're proclaiming something. But if everybody is
not proclaiming the same thing, then here's the bottom line.
Somebody is not telling the truth, Caleb. Somebody is lying. Somebody is lying to men about
God. The righteous. Here's a mark
of a new man. The heart of the righteous studyeth
to answer, to respond. When you're asked, what makes you think you're right?
That's a good question, isn't it? What makes you think you're
right? I had a friend of mine years ago that told me, he said
he was talking to his nephew one day. His nephew said, you
know, you say that this is the way things are, and that preacher
says, That's the way that things are. You say he's wrong, he says
you're wrong. He said, now how do I know the
difference? And I thought he gave a good
answer. He said, but for the grace of God, you won't. He said, you'll find something
that sounds good to you, but for the grace of God, something
that you like, something that makes you feel good, and you'll
settle down right there and you'll die right there. The heart, that
new heart of the righteous studieth. He muses, he meditates to answer,
to respond. What makes you think? I'll tell
you what, I'll tell you. From God's Word, here's what
I can truthfully say. I'm a sinner. God Almighty has
taught me that I am in myself incapable I know that. The Scripture says all have sinned
and come short of the glory of God. The Word of God says that
I study to answer. It is not by works of righteousness
that we've done, but according to His mercy. I know this though. I know that God has been pleased
to show mercy. Moses asked the Lord, show me
your glory. I love reading this passage of
scripture. He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I'll
have mercy. I'll have compassion on whom
I'll have compassion. So you know what I know? So then
it is not of him that will it. or him that run it, but of God
that showeth mercy. I know that. I know that. According to God's mercy, the
Lord Jesus Christ, according to these scriptures, laid down
His life for the sheep. That's what the Scripture says.
He laid down His life for the sheep. Well, I've always heard
that He died for everybody. The heart of the righteous studyeth
to answer, what does God have to say? He laid down His life
for the sheep. He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life. Oh, may I be found calling like
that thief. When you enter into your kingdom,
would you remember me? Lord, would you have mercy on
me? I know this, according to Jonah 2, 9, salvations of the
Lord. I know that I was ruined in the
fall. God Almighty has taught me that.
I'm incapable. If I find any mercy, it's going
to be because He chose to show mercy to me, compassion to me.
I know according to the Word of the Lord that He redeemed
His people, that the righteous were redeemed by grace. And I
know this, if I'm His, God Almighty is going to call me. Do I have
any hope whatsoever being found in that lot? Lord, I believe
You. I believe You. Lord, have mercy
on me. The heart of the righteous studieth
to answer, but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things."
I'll just make one statement about that. Having no heart for
Christ, having no heart for the Lord Jesus Christ, getting all
the honor and all the glory and all the praise, having no heart
for that, the wicked desiring to have glory and honor to themselves
because I was the one, they say, that chose him. The scripture
declares, and I'll just give you the literal, where it says,
the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things. Do you know
what the word means? Belches. That's just repulsive,
isn't it? Not half as repulsive as what
they're saying. Belches out a foul odor. You know, you just almost enter
into that, can't you? Here's the second thing. Here's
the second mark. A new creature, a believer, communes
with the Lord. He prays. Verse 29. The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. The Lord is not
far in presence. He's omnipresent. But he's far
from hearing the wicked, regarding the wicked. Isaiah 1.15 says
concerning the wicked, And when ye spread forth your hands, I
will hide mine eyes from you. Yea, when ye make many prayers,
I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.
But, verse 29 says, He heareth the prayer of the righteous. Two men went into the temple
to pray one day. One of them was a Pharisee and
one of them was a publican. And that Pharisee stood up. He began to always, this always
really intrigued me, how the scripture sets forth. And he
prayed thus with himself. I thank Thee that I'm not like
these other men are. I'm not even like that publican
right there. And that publican would not even
look up to heaven, smote upon his breast and said, God, be
merciful to me, a sinner. One of those men went down to
his house justifying. One of them didn't. The scripture
sets forth that the Lord heareth the prayer of the righteous. Psalm 145, 18, the Lord is nigh
unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him
in truth, in Christ, I'm the way, I'm the truth, that call
upon Him in truth. Lord, we pray in public prayer. We approach the Father. Father,
we come before you this evening in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ. For His sake, for His honor. God's people pray. I turn to Matthew 6. Just look
at this. Matthew chapter 6. I want you
to look at this. Matthew 6, verse 5, 6, and 7. Matthew 6, 5, 6, and 7. Here
our Lord is teaching. He says, And when thou prayest,
thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray, standing
in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that
they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have
their reward. But thou, when thou prayest. Do you notice, he said first
time now, this time right here, when you pray. Not if you pray. God's people pray. They have
a heart to commune with the Lord. They pray. When thou prayest,
enter into thy closet. When thou hast shut thy door,
pray to the Father, to thy Father, which is in secret. Thy Father,
which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. But when
you pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think
that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Remember
Saul of Tarsus. I mean, you just let Saul, you
know, read, you know, declare what he thought all of his credentials
were. Self-righteous Pharisees, he
was born in the right family, circumcised on the right day.
Oh, concerning the law, he was blameless, blameless. Boy, that's a pretty high, tall
order, isn't it? Concerning the law. But when
Almighty God called him out of darkness, I wonder how many prayers,
Paul, he prayed, how many prayers had prayed. God called him out
of darkness, blinded him, had some men lead him into Damascus.
Almighty God spoke. One of his people, Ananias, rise
and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire
in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For behold,
now he prayeth." Believers, they pray. They have a heart to commune
with God, with their Lord. The righteous rejoice in Christ. Look at verse 30 back in Proverbs
15. The light of the eyes rejoiceth
the heart, and a good report maketh the bones fat. The light. I love this. The chandelier. The light, the
chandelier, the brightness of the eyes of that new man, that
new creature rejoices, cheers, makes glad the heart and a good
report. Lord, who has believed our report?
This report of the glorious gospel of God's free grace. Tell me
one more time how the Lord put away my guilt. Tell me one more
time. I've thought about that so many
times. I said one time, it may have
been in Kingsport that I remember saying it. Let me ask you this,
you that know him, if you knew that tonight's the night you're
leaving, God's going to call you home, what do you want to
hear? You tell me one more time, I've
heard it before, but you tell me one more time how God was
pleased to show mercy to me. Tell me one more time how God
is just and justifies a sinner. Tell me one more time how He's
shown mercy to me. Tell me one more time how He
remembers His people, that today they're going to be with Him
in paradise. Tell me one more. The heart, I'm sorry, the light
of the eyes rejoices the heart. And a good report makes the bones,
God's people, I'll show you that, makes them fat, makes the bones
fat, that means satisfied. Satisfied. Brother Scott told
me one time, he said, Somebody asked him, he said, they said,
you think Christ is enough? He said, if he's all you got,
he said he's enough. Makes the bones fat, satisfied. Christ is the light. Let me show you that. Turn with
me to Luke 2. Luke 2. There was a... There was a believer, name was
Simeon. Luke chapter 2, verse 29. They brought the Lord Jesus,
the baby, into that temple, and that saint, Simeon, holding the
Lord, and he said, Lord, now let us thou Thy servant depart
in peace according to Thy word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,
which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people alike,
to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel."
The Lord, David said, Psalm 27 1, is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Seeing Him with the eyes of faith,
that new man, that new creature rejoices in the Lord. He rejoices in Christ. He put away my guilt. Rode me
in His righteousness. Reconciled me back to God. 1 Corinthians 5.16 says, Rejoice
evermore. Believer, God has shown you mercy. You that know Him, rejoice. Many are the afflictions of the
righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth
all of his bones, not one of them is broken. That's who's
rejoicing right here. The light of the eyes rejoiceth
the heart, a good report maketh the bones. Those bones that not
one of them's broken. That's his people. They rejoice. Here's the fourth thing. Proverbs
15, verses 31 and 32. Here's my point. The new creature
is thankful for God's correction. He's thankful. The ear that heareth the reproof
of life, abideth among the wise. He that refuseth instruction,
despiseth his own soul. But he that heareth reproof,
getteth understanding. Or a margin right there, the
getteth right there, possesses a heart. He that heareth, he
that obeys, reproof, has a heart of understanding. My son Gabe
told me one time, and Gabe, many of you know him
now, and I thank God for him. The Lord called him out of darkness
and called him to preach. Man, when he was growing up,
I mean to tell you, Larry, you ask him, I'm not telling you
anything he won't tell you. I mean, I tore him up daily,
daily. He was 18 years old and he told
me, he said, Dad, the best thing you ever did for me is whip me.
I said, well, Gabe, I thank God you'd say that. But it was a,
you know. The ear that heareth the reproof
of life, abideth among the wise. He that heareth reproof, geteth,
has understanding. Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth What did David say, Psalm 119,
71? It is good for me that I've been afflicted, that I might
learn thy statutes. It's good that Almighty God does
not leave me to myself. It's good. It's good. I need
that. You need that. And Almighty God
is pleased to deliver One of His own, out of the error of
their own way, He, in regenerating grace, calls them and reproves
them. Reproves them of sin, teaches
them what they are. Of righteousness, that number
one, they don't have any in themselves, and that Christ is all their
righteousness. And of judgment, that God Almighty
has put away. His wrath toward sin in the person
of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them that be in Christ Jesus. It's good that I've been afflicted.
I need everything that he sends my way. I need that. And then
lastly, the believer is one that is taught of God and desires
to be taught of God. Verse 33, the fear of the Lord
is the instruction of wisdom and before honor is humility. I must be taught to respect Him. I must be taught that. A believer
respects Him and he needs to be taught to respect Him. The
fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom. Scripture says, Proverbs
1.7, the fear of the Lord is the beginning. The word beginning
means the principal part. The fear of the Lord, respect
of God, is the principal part of knowledge.
Where is your God, David? God's in the heavens. O Nebuchadnezzar, he doeth as
he will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of
the earth. And you know what? No man stays his hand. Isaiah 53, 13 says, And all thy
children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the
peace of thy children. Almighty God is going to teach
His people. He's going to teach them of Himself.
Five marks of a believer that wasn't there before. They respect
God. They call on Him. They're thankful
for God's correction. Lord, teach us this evening for
Christ's sake. Amen.