While you're turning there after
the service, if some men could go back in the back and Kelly,
I guess, will give them direction as to what you want done where
they're going to have a shower Saturday, I think, and if some
men could put up some tables and chairs, that would be helpful. Exodus chapter 18. I've entitled
this message. For Necessary qualifications. For necessary. Qualifications,
I think you see why I entitled it. That is, we read this verse
of Scripture in verse 21. Moreover. Exodus 1821 Moreover. Thou shalt provide out of all
the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and place
such over them to be rulers of thousands and rulers of hundreds,
rulers of fifties and rulers of teens. Now we see those four
qualifications mentioned in that passage of Scripture. They must
be able men. Men who fear God. Men of truth. And men who hate
covetousness. Now let's look at what led to
this. Look up in verse 13. Of Exodus chapter 18, and it
came to pass on the morrow. That Moses set to judge the people. And the people stood by Moses
from the morning unto the evening all day long, nonstop. He was hearing cases of judgment
and conflict and so on. Verse 14, and when Moses father-in-law
saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that
thou doest to the people? Why sittest thou thyself alone
and all the people stand by thee from morning unto evening? You
see, Moses, you shouldn't be doing this all alone. You need
to delegate some of this is what he's saying. His father-in-law,
he says, delegate. Verse 15, Moses answered him
and Moses said unto his father-in-law, because the people come unto
me to inquire of God. When they have a matter, they
come to me and I judge between one and another, and I do make
them know the statutes of God and His laws. Now, up to this
point, I don't suppose Moses considered it a hardship. He
said, this is what I do. Verse 17, And Moses' father-in-law
said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou
wilt surely wear away both thou and this people that is with
thee, for this thing is too heavy for thee. Thou art not able to
perform it thyself alone. It's too heavy for you. Now,
this is. Not God speaking, but Moses father-in-law speaking. Now. I don't know whether this
is, in fact, good advice. I'm not real sure, because if
you look at his father-in-law, turn over to Numbers chapter.
10. It seems to me that maybe his
father-in-law really wasn't a believer. Now, what he says makes sense.
But when he says this is too heavy for you now, if God gives
you a grace to do something, it's not too heavy, is it? Can
God enable you to do anything? Numbers chapter 10 now and Moses,
verse twenty nine, and Moses said unto Hodab, that's the same
man, Jethro, his father-in-law, the son of Raguel, the Midianite,
Moses' father-in-law. Now he's speaking to him again
at this time. He says, we're journeying unto
the place which the Lord said, I'll give it to you. Come thou
with us and we'll do thee good for the Lord has spoken good
concerning Israel. And his father-in-law said unto
him, I will not go, but I will depart to my own land and to
my own kindred. That doesn't sound too good to
me. I'm not real sure. Maybe it was good advice. It
sounds good on the surface. Maybe it was good. I'm not real
sure. But at any rate, this is what his father-in-law told him
to do. He says it in verse 19, Harken
now unto my voice, and I'll give thee counsel, I'll give thee
advice, and God shall be with thee. Be thou for the people
to Godward, that thou mayest bring their causes unto God,
and thou shalt teach them ordinance laws, and shalt show them the
way wherein they must walk, and the work they must do. Moreover,
thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as
fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and place such
over them to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, and rulers
of fifties, and rulers of tens." Now, like I said, this advice
sounds good upon the surface. Whether it really was good advice,
I'm not sure. Because if you look in Numbers
11, it says regarding Moses, it's God said, I'm going to take
Moses started complaining about all his responsibilities to the
Lord. And he said, I'm going to take the spirit that's on
you and I'm going to place it on the other 70 also. In other words, it's not more. It's just taking the same thing
Moses had and spreading it out. So I'm not really sure if it's
good advice, but I'm sure of this. If it wasn't, it was still
a part of God's plan. It was still a part of God's
purpose. He orders all things and God brought good out of it
for the children of Israel. And he says delegate. Delegate
verse 22. We're going to come back to this
in a minute. And let them judge the people
at all seasons, and it shall be that every great matter they
shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge,
so shall it be easier for yourself, and they shall bear the burden
with thee. If thou shalt do this thing,
and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure,
and all this people shall also go to their place in peace. So
Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did
all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out
of all of Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers
of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers
of tens, and they judged the people in all seasons, the hard
causes, They brought him to Moses, but every small matter they judged
themselves. And Moses let his father-in-law depart. And he
went his way unto his own land. Four necessary qualifications. Now, like I said, whether this
was good advice, I'm not sure, but I am sure of this. What he
said here is good. This is what is required. How
would you like to have a president Who is one who could be described
like this? Be a good president, wouldn't
he? How would you like to have a chief of police who can be
described like this? How would you like to have a
general over the army that would be described like this? How would
you like to have the CEO of some kind of company that could be
described like this? An able man. One who feared God. What a commendation. One of truth. One who hated covetousness. Now, anybody who is put in a
position of responsibility, what a what a desirable thing this
is, these four qualifications. But in Numbers 11, we read where
Moses appointed 70 men, 70 men. Now, that number is significant.
How many people did the Lord send out to go before him to
preach the gospel? 70 men. 70 has something to do with ministry. So when I look at this passage
of scripture, this describes what a true preacher must be. Or he has no business being a
preacher. These four qualifications. But even more importantly, this
describes what a believer is. Every believer, without exception,
This describes them, these four qualifications. They've been
made able by the grace of God. They're people who fear God. Oh, how they fear Him. They're people who love the truth.
They're men and women of truth. And they're men and women who
hate covetousness. That would describe every believer. Now, let's look at it. from both
of those angles. First, let's look at it from
the angle of a true preacher, a true pastor. He has these four
qualifications, and if he does not possess these four qualifications,
he certainly has no business being a pastor. He must be able.
He must fear God. He must be a man of truth. And
he must hate covetousness. Now, isn't that what you want
in your pastor? Every believer has the right
to expect that out of their pastor. This is what a true pastor is. First, he's an able man. If he
doesn't have some God-given ability to be a pastor, God never called
him to be a pastor. Look in 2 Corinthians chapter
2. I want to look at several scriptures to Emphasize this. Let's begin reading in verse
17. Of Second Corinthians, Chapter two, the last verse of Second
Corinthians, Chapter two. For we are not as many which
corrupt the word of God, but as a sincerity. But as of God,
in the sight of God, speak we in Christ. Do we begin again
to commend ourselves? Or need we, as some others, epistles
of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? Do
we need letters to say, yeah, this guy's OK? Do we need papers
with degrees on them saying, yes, he's qualified to preach?
You are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read
of all men for as much as you are manifestly declared to be
the epistle of Christ ministered by us. written not with ink,
but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone,
but in fleshy tables of the heart. And such trust have we through
Christ to Godward, not that we are sufficient of ourselves to
think of anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God,
who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament. Not of
the letter, but of the Spirit, for the letter killeth, but the
Spirit giveth life." Able ministers of the New Testament. Now, anybody
that God has called to preach is an able minister of the New
Testament. God has made him to be that. He went to a seminary where no
man was the teacher. God is the one who's taught him,
and he's an able minister of the New Testament. certainly
knows the gospel. He has a clear understanding
of the gospel. I remember in preacher's class
that Brother Mahan had nationally. He had a saying, and I've always
liked this saying. The thing saying, Bob, you were
there, you'll remember this. Tulip or terminate. Tulip or
terminate. He's saying if somebody doesn't
believe sovereign grace, obviously God never called him to preach.
If they don't already believe this, God hasn't taught you anything
if you don't believe this. You have no business preaching.
So a true preacher certainly understands and believes the
gospel of God's grace, and he's able to communicate the gospel.
If he can't communicate it, he wasn't called to preach. An able
minister of the New Testament can communicate the gospel. Now
that doesn't mean he can make anybody understand, only God
can make somebody understand. I can be as plain as day, I can
be the best speaker in the world, and that won't help anybody believe
unless God is pleased to make it known to them. But a true
preacher can certainly communicate the gospel, and if someone can't
communicate it, that's what preaching is, it's communication. It's
where I say something, you understand what I'm saying? It really is
that simple. I say something, you understand
it. That's communication. A true preacher is able to communicate
the gospel. He has the ability that God has
given him. He's a pastor after God's own
heart, possessing the qualifications of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. Any true preacher has those qualifications
or God never called him to preach. Let's go over 1 Timothy 3 for
just a moment. And every believer has the right
to expect this out of their pastor. Verse 1, this is a true saying.
1 Timothy 3, verse 1, this is a true saying. This is truth.
If a man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be. No exceptions to this rule. He
must be blameless. The husband of one wife, vigilant,
sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach,
not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre, but
patient, not a brawler, not covetous, one that rules as well as his
own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity.
For if a man knows not how to rule his own house, how shall
he take care of the Church of God? Not a novice. Lest being
lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the
devil. Moreover, he must have a good report of him which are
without unbelievers. Lest he fall into reproach and the snare
of the devil. A man must be able, or God never
called him to preach. Secondly, he must fear God. He must fear God. You see, it's
only the fear of God that will keep somebody from caving into
the fear of man. That's why he must fear God. It's not so much
that he's courageous. It's that he's more afraid of
God than he is of men. He's more afraid of God's face
than he is of men's faces. And so he must fear God. Turn with me to Matthew chapter
10. Matthew chapter 10. Beginning in verse 16. And this is the 70 the Lord sent
out to preach. And he says to them in Matthew
chapter 10, beginning verse 16, Behold, I send you forth a sheep
in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore as wise as serpents
and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they'll
deliver you up to the councils and they'll scourge you in their
synagogues. And you shall be brought before governors and kings for
my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when
they deliver you up, Take no thought how or what you shall
speak, for it shall be given you in the same hour what you
shall speak. For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of
your Father which speaketh in you. And brothers shall deliver
up brother to death, and the father of the child, and the
children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them
to be put to death. And you shall be hated of all men for my name's
sake. But he that endureth to the end
shall be saved. But when they persecute you in
this city, flee ye to another. For verily I say unto you, you
shall not gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of Man
be come. Now the disciple is not above his master nor the
servant above his Lord. It's enough for the disciple
that he be as his master and the servant as his Lord. If they
call the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more should
they call they of his household? Fear them not therefore. But there's nothing covered that
shall not be revealed, and hid that shall not be known. What
I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in the light. And what
you hear in the ear, that preach upon the housetops. And fear
not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the
soul, but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul
and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for
a farthing, and one of them shall not fall on the ground without
your Father? But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear ye not therefore? You are of more value than many
sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men,
him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before
my Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send
peace on the earth. I came not to send peace but a sword. For
I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter
against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And
a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth
father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And he that
loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he
that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy
of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it. And he that loses
his life for my sake shall find it." Now, can you see how it's
absolutely necessary to fear God more than you fear men. He must fear God. He must be
a man of truth. First, he must be a truthful,
honest man. He can't be a liar. I can't be
his character. He can't be a phony. He's got
to be a truthful, honest man. If he's not, God never called
him to preach. I'm sure that he's a truthful, honest man.
He's somebody who preaches the truth. He preaches the truth. The whole truth and nothing but
the truth. And if he doesn't, I'll assure
you God never called him to preach. Now let me show you another scripture
that backs this up. Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter
4. 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Verse one, therefore, seeing
we have this ministry, the ministry of the New Testament, of the
New Covenant, as we've received mercy, we faint not, we don't
give up, we don't lose heart, but we have renounced the hidden
things of dishonesty. Not walking in practice, nor
handling the Word of God deceitfully, using the Scripture in a wrong
way, pulling a passage of Scripture out of context to maintain a
position. But here's what we do. But by manifestation of the
truth, we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the
sight of God. What's the commendation of a man? The manifestation of
the truth. He simply tells the truth. They must be men of truth. And fourthly, a true preacher
must be somebody who hates covetousness. He hates it. He's someone who
cannot be bought. He's not like Esau who for one
morsel of meat sold his birthright. Now do you remember there in
Acts chapter 20 when Paul is given to the Ephesian elders
a summary of his ministry? Do you remember what he said
last? When he was summing up his ministry,
that's where he said, I've not shunned to declare unto you all
the counsel of God. I've not held back anything.
I've preached repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord
Jesus Christ. And he gave that big summary
of his ministry. He ended it up with this in Acts chapter
20, verse 33. He said, I've coveted no man's
silver or gold or apparel. Now, understand this about covetousness.
If a man compromises the gospel, covetousness is behind it. He
may be coveting human praise. He may be ambitious. He may be
coveting human power. He may be coveting somebody's
possessions. He's coveting something, and
that's what causes him to compromise the gospel. There's always a
wicked motive behind any error, and there's always covetousness
behind it. A true pastor Must be someone
who hates covetousness. One scripture on this, turn to
First Timothy, Chapter six. Verse three, if any man teach
otherwise. He'd been talking about what he was supposed to
teach and preach. And he says in verse three, if
any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words, even
the words of our Lord Jesus Christ into the doctrine which is according
to godliness, he's proud, knowing nothing but doting about questions
and strife of words, where have cometh Indians, strife, railings,
evils from Isings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute
of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness, from such
withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment
is great gain. For we brought nothing into this
world, and certain we can carry nothing out. And having food
and raiment, let us be there with content. But they that will
be rich, that's their goal. Rich in human praise, rich in
human possessions, rich in human power, whatever. They that will
be rich fall into temptation. and a snare, and into many foolish
and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
But the love of money is the root of all evil, which while
some coveted after, they have what? Ered from the faith, and
pierced themselves through with many sorrows. So if a man is
a Preacher of the gospel, he must certainly be an able man,
fearing God, a man of truth, and hating covetousness. And
if he does not possess all four of these qualifications, he certainly
does not have any business preaching the gospel. But this can also
be said to be the four traits of all true believers. This is not just talking about
preachers. As a matter of fact, this is
what every true believer is. Every believer possesses these
four traits. This is what the grace of God
has made them to be. I don't know one believer of
whom all four of these things could not be said. Now, there
are some believers where it's more obvious in them than it
is in others. There's such a thing as growth in grace, isn't there?
You know, John speaks of fathers in Christ, he talks about young
men in Christ, and he talks about children in Christ. And a father
is going to manifest this much more clearly than a young man
or even a babe. There is such a thing as growth
in grace, and you can see this more obviously in some believers
than others because some are more mature, but this is true
nonetheless of every single believer. Every single believer is an able
person, made able by the grace of God, Every single believer
fears God. Every single believer is a man
or woman of truth. And every single believer is
someone who hates covetousness. They despise covetousness. They hate it. First, every believer
is able. Now, we believe in the inability
of man, don't we? John chapter 6, verse 44 says, No man can
come to me. except the Father which is sitting
me drawing. No man is able to believe. No man is able to repent. No man is able to love. No man
is able to come to Christ unless God's pleased to cause him to
do it. Now we believe that thoroughly. We believe in the absolute inability
of all men by nature, choice, and practice. But you know what
else we believe? We believe in the ability of God. Paul said,
I can do. all things through Christ which
strengthened me. Now if God has saved me, he's
given me the ability to believe the gospel. There was a time
when I couldn't believe. There was a time when I didn't
even know what it meant to believe. I couldn't figure it out. What does it mean? But I understand now. I know
it is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. There was a time
when I couldn't repent. I couldn't even figure out what
it meant. But I repent now. There's a time when I could not
love God. As a matter of fact, all I can
do is hate Him. But no longer. I love Him. I love His Son. I love His people. I'm able by
the grace of God. Greater is He that's in you. than he that's in the world.
You now have some ability, don't you? Now, there was a time when
you didn't. But you do now. Do you believe? That's the mighty
working of God's grace in you, causing you to do it. And now
you're able. You're able to say, I can do
all things through Christ which strengthens me. I'm able to persevere. I'm able to hear the gospel.
Listen to this. I'm able to stand before God in judgment. I surely
am. Through Christ, I am able. Every believer is an able man
and woman. Yes, without Him, I can do nothing.
That's true. You know that, don't you? Without
Him, our Lord said, without me, you can do what? Nothing. But it's equally true that I
can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. Every
believer is an able man. And secondly, every believer
is somebody who fears God. What is the fear of God? Well,
the scripture says it's the beginning of wisdom. It's the chief part
of wisdom. Wise men fear God. We just read
in Proverbs 1-7 where it's the beginning of knowledge. You don't
know anything if you don't fear God. You may have all kinds of
knowledge that you think is knowledge, but it's not real knowledge.
It's vain and useless knowledge. The fear of God. is the beginning
of knowledge. Now, what is the fear of God?
Well, it's that reverence. It's that awe. It's that respect
of his person that makes you afraid of sin. It makes you afraid
of disobedience. It makes you afraid to look anywhere
but Christ alone. It's the fear of God that causes
you to confess Him before men. I've already said this. It's
not so much because we're so courageous, it's because we're afraid not
to. I'm afraid of the Lord, aren't
you? I'm scared of Him. I fear God. I've got a reverence
and an awe for His person. dread the thought of his disfavor
or his frown or his displeasure, we fear God. It's the fear of
God that will prevent you from glorying in anything but the
cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. You're scared to death to look
anywhere but Christ, aren't you? You know why you're scared to
death to look anywhere? You're afraid of God. You fear
God. You know it's evil to do anything
else. You fear God. Every believer
is someone who fears God. It's the fear of God that keeps
them on the straight and the narrow. And God's people, thirdly,
are men and women of truth. They're men and women of truth.
And that can be seen in several respects. First of all, they're
honest with the word of God. They don't use the Scriptures. They bow to the Scriptures. They
don't take the Scriptures and try to find something that matches
up with their belief, pull a passage of Scripture out of context,
and then say, I hear this is what Scripture teaches. They
don't do that. God's people bow to whatever God says. Thy word have I hid in my heart,
that I might not sin against thee. Every one of God's people
bow to the Holy Bible. They really believe the Bible
is God's Word. And they bow to whatever it says. If it destroys everything I believed
previously, that's okay. By the grace of God, I bow to
what He says. Now, if I don't do that, I'm
not a believer. There's a fear of the Word of
God. And they're honest about themselves. I love that. description of a
believer in Psalm 32, blessed is he whose transgression is
forgiven, whose sin is covered, blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there's no
guile, there's no deceit, there's no fraud. What that means is
they're honest before God about themselves. It's honesty before
God that makes you see yourself to be nothing but sin in God's
sight. Now, if you're honest before
God, What you see in yourself is the same thing Paul saw. You'll
say, I know that in me, that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good
thing. Is that so regarding you? If
you're honest, you know it is. And the only thing that would
prevent somebody from seeing that is they're liars. They're
dishonest. They're honest regarding themselves. They're honest regarding the
gospel. They believe the gospel. They're
men and women of truth. They believe the gospel. They
know what this means. I love that verse of Scripture in John
1.18 where it says, The law was given by Moses. But grace and
truth came by Jesus Christ. The law is true, but the law
is not the truth. The law is true. There's no error
in the law, but it's not the truth because it doesn't give
the whole story. You see, the truth is the whole
truth. and nothing but the truth. Now
the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth, the truth of
how God saves by His grace. You see, truth has something
to do with grace, doesn't it? The law was given by Moses, but
grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. And all of God's people
bow to the truth. They tell the truth of the gospel. They really believe the truth
regarding the character of God. They believe the truth regarding
their own character. And they really believe that
Christ is the truth, that He is all in salvation. Every one
of them believe that. Every single one of them. They're
men and women of the truth. And they are people who hate
covetousness. In Psalm 119, verse 36, David
said, incline my heart to that testimonies. And not to covetousness. You see, we recognize in the
flesh a continual tendency to covetousness. And we ask the
Lord that our heart might be inclined to his word, to his
testimonies and not to covetousness. Now, what is Covetousness, I
need to have some understanding of this, if I'm going to understand
what it means to hate covetousness. What's the 10th commandment?
Anybody know? Thou shalt not covet. Covetousness is the summary of
all sin. You remember how Paul said in
Romans 7, he said, I've not known sin except the law had said thou
shalt not what? Covet. You know, he felt like
he could keep these other ones outwardly, but this thing of
covetousness, he couldn't stop it. It just came out and it taught
him that he was, in fact, a breaker of God's law. He thought he was
a keeper of God's law until the sin of covetousness came home
with power to him and he saw that all he was was a covetous
man and he was coveting human praise, he was coveting human
power, he was coveting. He was coveting money. He was
coveting all these things. Well, what is covetousness? It's
desiring what God hadn't given you. That's what it is. It's desiring. It's lusting after what God hadn't
given you. Now, can you stop coveting? Think
about it. Well, I'm just going to quit
coveting. I'm going to be perfectly content. I'm never going to murmur again.
I'm never going to complain. I'm never going to desire anything
again. How long will that last? The only way you can not covet,
there's only one way you can not covet. The only way you can
not covet is if you already got everything. Nothing to covet. And you know the scripture I'm
going through now in Hebrews chapter 13. Let your conversation
That's your lifestyle. That's your conduct. That's your
walk through this world. Let your conversation be without
covetousness. And be content with such things
as you have. And let me give you a little
clue about that. That's not talking about material stuff. Now, you
ought to be content with what you have materially. Good grief.
Everybody in here lives like kings. We ought to be content
with that. But that's not what that's talking
about. Be content with such things as you have. Well, what do you
have? Well, I'm chosen of God. I'm justified before God. I have
perfect righteousness before God. I have sanctification. I have redemption. Everything
that God requires, I've got it. I'm perfect in Christ Jesus.
In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead in a body and
you are complete. You're full. There's nothing
else you need. You've got everything. It's not
like, well, I'm trying to be content. It's easy to be content
when you've got everything. In Christ I have all. And I'm saying this truthfully. I'm not coveting anything else.
I'm satisfied to be saved by Christ, aren't you? I'm satisfied
with what I am in Christ. I'm not satisfied with myself,
but I'm satisfied with Him. I hate covetousness. I hate anything that would draw
my mind and heart away from the Lord Jesus Christ. I hate covetousness. And this would describe every
single believer. Turn with me to Luke chapter
12. This is what we're going to end up with. Verse 13, And one of the company
said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide
the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who
made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them,
Take heed and beware of covetousness. For man's life consisteth not
in the abundance of things which he possesseth. And he spake a
parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man
brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself,
saying, What shall I do? Because I have no room where to bestow
my fruits. And he said, this will I do. I'll pull down my
barns and build greater. And there will I bestow all my
fruits of my goods. And I'll say to my soul, soul,
thou hast much good laid up for many years. Take thine ease,
eat and drink and be merry. Then I guarantee the world praises
God for this. I mean, it makes good sense.
It's the prudent thing to do. But what does God say? Verse
20. But God said unto him, Thou fool. This night thy soul shall be
required of thee. Then who shall those things be
which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure
for himself, and is not rich toward God. Here's a believer, somebody who's
been made able by grace. He's a man of the truth. He believes
the truth. He stands for the truth. He fears
God, truly, and he hates godlessness. Let's pray.