Right In Your Eyes

0:02 Looking at our world from a theological perspective. This is the Theology Central podcast, making Theology Central. Good afternoon, everyone. It is Thursday, August the first, twenty twenty four. It is currently three forty three pm Central Time, and I am coming to you live from the Theology Central studio located right here in Abilene, Texas. Do you ever find yourself maybe spiritually and just kind of a I don't know what you would call it, kind of like you're you're in some kind of a fog, You're kind of in I don't know, like you're maybe you feel like you're in a rut. Maybe you just I don't know, you're just there's just something that doesn't feel exactly right. I don't really know how to describe it.

0:57 I won't say depressed. I won't maybe discouraged, depressed, disillusioned, frustrated, cynical, irritated, bothered. I feel like I feel like that ever since now, if you've been, if you listen to everything we do, we all know that this really this was supposed to be in some ways kind of the Summer of Proverbs. We were going to kind of focus on proverbs throughout, you know, the Summer of twenty twenty four, and that took a radical turn and it really turned into the summer of Psalm eighty three, right, it really, it really did.

1:38 I mean Psal eighty three became really I mean we've been focusing on that most of the summer, and not only did the the well, we're doing the Sermon's two point zero app sermon Challenge, So obviously we've been doing a lot of that, but I'm just saying that there was kind of a focus in my mind. We're going to do a lot of proverbs. I had kind of some things mapped out, but because we were doing the Sermon's two point oh app sermon Challenge. Remember I heard that message on SSAW eighty three, the coming Middle East War, and then the next thing, you know, that turned in that Well, the series is still I'm still working on Psaw eighty three. And the more I listened to that series, the more I listened to it, I'm just gonna be honest with you, the more frustrated I became, the more discouraged I got, the more irritated. And I'm not trying to say that to be mean or derogatory towards the ministry that started the series. I mean, in some ways, I'm grateful they've They've given me an entire summer of, you know, something to focus on. But the only problem is one the more I listened to them, I mean, I was starting to lose my mind by the time that thing ended. I'm so glad they moved on to some I think they moved on to some one nineteen.

2:56 I'm so glad because it was just maddening. And I guess, I guess what happened. Look, I'm just I'm gonna be full transparency. I think what happened is, how can I say this is gonna be This is gonna be very fleshly, all right, This is not gonna be godly in any way, shape or form. This is going to be very worldly, all right, This is going to be very fleshly. But I think maybe, well, I know all Christians, I think all Christians in your spiritual life, you have your ups and downs, right, you find times where you just find yourself discouraged, depress, maybe kind of in a fog like I don't know how to describe it, but I think you could probably understand what I'm trying to say. But here's I think here's what happened to me at least, I'm just kind of processing this in real time. This is like my counseling session, right, So we'll get to where we're going. But I think this is important subject to have, a topic to have, right, So here's what happened to me. And I know this is gonna sound so ungodly. Absolutely, this is gonna sound so ungodly. That's gonna sound like a pity party and whoa whoae is me?

4:00 And there's gonna be a little bit of that. So but I'm not I'm not telling you this to excuse it. I'm telling you this to be transparent. What do I always say that this podcast is a podcast simply of a center with a microphone. That's it. And I'm trying to figure out the Christian life just like you are, right, So I don't come across it. Hopefully hopefully that comes across. I try to be that way. But the Psalm eighty three series, especially the original sermon series that you know we were reviewing, I became so irritated the more I listened to it. And the reason I became so frustrated is on, wait a minute, okay, so let me get this right. Here's a ministry that is you know, they have a radio station, they have a large church, they have a lot of people listening, they have decent, very good numbers of the number of downloads and streams. From a human perspective, they would be seen as successful. And I listened to that series, and this is one of those times where I'm like, why what is it about?

5:03 This is insane. They're talking about things that have nothing to do with Psaumity three. This is not an exegetical look. They're saying things that are just completely wrong, fraudulent, things that are just not true. I mean just I mean everything that could be wrong in the series was wrong in the series. Yet they are successful. That's what people want. And then I turn around and look at my situation. And I told you the end of twenty twenty three, the twenty twenty four was going to be a difficult year for me. I told everyone that. And so I look at my situation. Well, the church is basically, for all practical purposes over or waiting for the building to sell. Once that's done, that's done. Well, then I have to figure out what do I do with the podcast once the building is gone. This is no longer connected to a church? Then how do I do this? How do I work this? It's not like I'm going to be making any money from the podcast. So if I'm not going to make any money from the podcast, then do I try to continue to raise money to pay for this? Okay?

6:01 How do I work all of this? Okay? Yeah? And then do I even want to do this? Because at that point you kind of feel like a failure, right or the church ended your podcasts. I mean, you do pretty good numbers, but I mean you know you're not what are you really accomplishing? But then then you go listen to these other messages and you're like, that's what people want, and you're like, well, I can't be that. They're saying things that are like no, I don't want to be that, and you're like, well, if that's what people want, then I have no place. I have no place at the table like you, just like you you can. Maybe we should not compare in contrast, but you do. When you're listening to other ministries, you're like, look at the numbers. Look at how many numbers they have, Look at how many people listen to them, Look at all the comments they get, look at the money they bring in.

6:47 Look at this, look at that. You know, I get emails from ministries all the time asking for you know, hundreds of thousands of dollars, and they they raise the money. And then you go listen, going, what are they providing? If that's what people want? I could never bring myself to do that. So then do I even have any is there even any even a place for me? Like, what's the point? Just just give up? So then you just kind of get discouraged. So and so then, uh so I think the Saw eighty three series really started messing with me. Then as we got further into Saw Maity three, well then I had to start, you know, considering and questioning how most Christians and most churches teach about prayer. And I had to really confront that so much of what people teach about prayer has nothing to do with theology, is being driven by emotion, It's almost being driven by a religious superstition. It's not really philologically.

7:45 And so then I'm I'm questioning how most churches teach about prayer. Well, then, well then I don't even belong in that conversation, right, I don't even belong. And then yesterday we're talking about absolute surrender, and I'm like, well, I don't even and I'm questioned, challenged that understanding, and put forth an idea that ninety nine percent of Christianity rejected. I'm like, well, I don't even fit in there. And then don't even get me started in all the political stuff that's been going on in churches, I don't fit in there. And I'm like, well, I don't fit in anywhere. Now, on one hand, I'm glad I don't fit in anywhere. I don't. I like the fact that I'm like, I'm offering something different, but if there's no real audience for it, no one really cares. And all these other ministries that are doing things, in some cases putting out messages filled with factual error, historical error, just absolute lies about the meaning of a Greek word or Hebrew or trying to say the word means this, or that the word is synonymous with this word. Remember the subject the messages we did on repentance, where they're saying these words are synonymous. No, they're completely different Hebrew words with completely different meanings. That's utterly factually wrong. And so you didn't you just like, why I don't want to be have to spend my life being like I have no It's like almost like I'm the outsider, and it's like, what's the point. That's what everyone wants. I can't give everyone what they want?

9:13 But is there room for someone offering a contrary voice? I hope so? And so then you just kind of get well, obviously, and I will admit this from a human perspective, my way is a failure. My way is the wrong way. Like I can write a book on how to not be successful in ministry from a human perspective. So then yesterday we talked a little bit about this, right, what does it actually mean to be used by God? Because Jeremiah Isaiah? But see then is that not self serving? Well? See, I'm like Jeremiah, I'm like Isaiah. So I'm really doing it the godly way. I'm doing it the godly way because nobody likes me, everyone disagrees with me, everyone ignores me. I'm in the right. And I'm like, well, that's self serving, and that can venient that I happen to choose the biblical people who fit my situation and then find that I'm right. I mean, isn't that what we have a tendency to do don't don't When it comes to Christianity, don't we all think that we are right?

10:20 Isn't that really the essence of Christianity? We all think we are right, and we can point out how other people are wrong. Now, in some cases it's really a matter of facts, and so when someone get facts wrong, that's not a matter about me thinking I'm right in my own eyes. Now we're dealing with facts. But outside of that, so much of Christianity is everyone believes that they are right. Everyone believes they are right. Everyone does. Lutherans think that they're right, Presbyterians think that they're right. Church of Christ think that they're right, Charismatics think that they're right. One is, Pentecostals think that they're right, Baptists think that they're right, Reform Baptists think that they're right, Millennialists think they're right. Pre millennialists think that they're right.

11:09 Postmillennialists think that they're right. We can go on and on and on. Everyone thinks they are right, and they would They will never say, well, it's not that I think that I'm right in my own eyes, but I'm right according to the Bible. But then I'm like, but that other person is holding up the same Bible you're holding up, and they think that the Bible says something opposite of what you're saying. So is it that the Bible proves that you're right? Or is it that you think you're right in your own eyes and you simply go to the Bible to prove that you're right and the Bible simply becomes proof text for what you already believe. Well, then is it really the Bible the authority? Is that you the authority, But we all think we're right in our own eyes. There's no way to get around that.

11:51 Everyone thinks that they're right everyone, which then only becomes more discouraging and more depressing. Remember, one of the things I constantly struggle with in the world of Christianity is how can everyone think they're right and we can't agree on anything. Doesn't that just bring you to the point of just saying you want to throw up your hands and say forget it, be gone, just be gone. I'm done with it all. I don't care about doctrine, I don't care about theology, I don't care about any of it. Because it's a never ending battle of everyone thinking they're right. No one ever admits that they're wrong. Everyone thinks they're experts, everyone thinks that they're theologians. Doesn't matter if you go to school, don't go to school, it doesn't matter. It's just a waste of time. It's vanity of vanities, meaningless, meaningless, meaningless.

12:38 Maybe that's where I reach at some point. And sometimes the more I know you sit here behind the microphone, the more you can reach that point of just total frustration and despair. And I guess that's kind of where I've been a little bit now. Circumstances here not all has interfered greatly with being able to do live broadcast, But then there's also been a part of me that's like what do I do? What do I do? So I'm kinda that's where I kind of am. I'm kind of in this fog trying to figure it out because sometimes I look around, I'm like, I don't think I fit in in Christianity anymore. I just don't think. I don't know where Christianity is going. I'm not a part of it. It's it's it's this weird world of I don't know what it is anymore. It's like it feels odd being outside of the very thing you've dedicated your life too, because my entire life has been pursuing a religious education, philological education, degrees in biblical study, all the things that I've done, and sometimes you're like, well, it doesn't matter. So it kind of all of that kind of fits what we're going to be talking about. So a little while ago, I was like, Okay, I've got a few minutes here. What should I do? What should I do? And I was debating do I record do I not record? I'm like, well, I don't know, I don't know. I don't know. And on one of my podcast apps, Overcast, because Overcast they finally fixed it. They

14:10 did a massive update to over the Overcast podcast app and it was a mess. They finally fixed it, so I was happy. So I've been trying to use it throughout the day, and I have the podcast broken down into different categories. I have all the podcasts that I have news podcasts, and I have breaking news podcasts, which that's a lot of the news podcasts that updates multiple times a day. Then I have one that's like sermonaudio, so all the sermon audio things that are in my feed I have. I subscribe in the overcast so that I can get it there as well. And then I have one I think called Christian Podcast. I think I have one called Sermons. I have all these different categories. So I'm like, well, let me go to the Christian podcast because I have a lot of like devotional ones in there. So I was going through and I clicked one and I'm like, I don't like this one. I'm gonna I'm not gonna. I'm gonna remove this one because I subscribe to it. And then I'm like, I don't like this one. They just grab like six seven verses and they just read them and they just connect them and there's no real explanation to w I'm like, I delete this one. Well, then I moved. I moved to another one, and I'm like, oh, this is interesting. It's Proverbs, okay, Proverbs Summer, the Summer of Proverbs. Okay, we can at least go back and do some work on that since we've been trying to do that. And then I noticed that it was based off Proverbs fourteen fifteen. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but

15:44 he who heeds counsel is wise. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes. Now I can remember as a young Christian this is a verse you sometimes would use an evangelism right where you would try to explain to someone, Hey, you may think you're right, you may think, you may think, but the fool thinks he is right in his own eyes. Your way is because you're blinded to the truth and you think you're right in your own eyes. We always applied it to other people. We always apply it to the world, to the ungodly. See, they're foolish and they think they're right in their own eyes. And so when whenever Christians hear the world makes some kind of argument, it could be anybody making an ary, we'll see the fool thinks he's right in his own eyes. We always point to everyone else and go, they're the fool and they think they're right in their own eyes, but I know they're wrong.

16:47 But the minute you say you know they're wrong, and that they think they're right in their own eyes and they are full, aren't you then inevitably saying well, you were right in your own eyes. Now I know what Christians will say, No, no, no, no, no, no, no, I am saying I'm right based off the word of God. But yeah, look, in Christianity, nobody can agree on what the word of God says. So isn't it reality? Christians are walking around doing the exact same thing, and we're all saying that we're right in our own eyes? Are we not just as foolish? Amen? Or oh me? I don't know. So I was like, well, that may lead me to more discouragement and more depression, but let me at least listen to what they had to say. It's short, It's only like about five minutes long. I'm like, well, says, I'm kind of struggling, not knowing what to do. I know what I'll do. Let's just grab the audio and we'll do a quick review. Now, five to seven minutes can be an hour long in review. But let's just see where they Let's see which direction they go. Let's see which direction they go. But I think you've kind of already see how I'm going to challenge this the way of the fool right in his own eyes. Whoever thinks they're wrong in their own eyes. Now, Christians may admit at the beginning, when they become a Christian that they're wrong in their own eyes, but then immediately they go from the wrong team to the right team, and now they're right always in their own eyes. I think

18:17 we always think we're right. Now. Obviously, did I say Psalms Proverbs? If I said Psalms, I apologize Proverbs twelve fifteen. It is a contrasting proverb. It is a contrast. So we will look at that contrast. But for me, I'm like, you know, the fool is right in his own eyes. All right, Okay, what do we do here? How do we approach this? So let's see where they go, and then we'll just see where I go. Most likely I'll end up in a radically different place then they go. Hopefully that'll be beneficial to someone.

18:59 Here we go, Hey, my friends, it is time for the morning mindset, and I hope you are preparing yourself that you're ready to get your mind aligned with the truth of God's word. You know, there's this silly, little funny little thing that people say sometimes about teenagers. They'll say things like this. They'll say, man, you can't tell my son anything because he already knows everything. And it's a little cutting to say something like that. But what they're expressing when they say that is that there is a tendency for those who are youthful, those who are not as experienced, to think, as they're learning things in the world that they really know a lot, and to assess the things that the older people are saying with some skepticism and.

19:53 With all right, well, immediately this is off to an interesting start. It is true that sometimes parents will say that to teenagers, you can't tell them anything because they think they know everything. But I don't think that applies to teenagers. That to me sounds like Christians. You can't tell them anything because they think they know everything. You can't challenge them on anything because they know everything. In the minute you challenge them on anything, they're the ones who will tell you everything about you that is wrong. Okay, So I think there's a little bit of that. I mean, don't you think that? I mean? I mean again, the essence of Christianity is we are right and everyone else is wrong. And not only is everyone who's not a Christian wrong, well, most of the people who are Christians are wrong because all of their denominations are wrong, and their theology is wrong, and their confessions of faith is wrong and their interpretations are wrong. So ultimately I am right, Which then does that not sound like the full is right in his own eyes? How do how do we navigate them? Let's see where they go with this.

21:04 Some criticism, because they just feel as a young person they really see a lot more clearly than all these old folks around them. Well, today we're going to be looking at Proverbs twelve fifteen. And the reason we're looking there is because we're in this series called Wise among Fools, and we're wanting to learn the way of wisdom. And today it has to do with that dynamic that I described at the first and it's sadly not only teenagers that it applies to. We're going to get into that in just a moment. Before we do, I'm going to remind you coming up on Friday is our Prey Together episode. This is an episode where you submit your prayer requests and I pray for them. It really is that simple.

21:47 But it's not just me praying for them. It's a lot of other people who are listening in, hearing the needs and praying along with me. Thousands of people that join. Would you like to have your consideration or your situation prayed for by. Now that brings up our entire discussion about prayer. Hey, send me your prayer, right, I mean you could just give it to God, but send me your request to me, and then I'll have me pray for you, and then we'll have thousands of other people pray for you. Now, does your prayer requests have a greater chance of being answered because it's prayed by a podcast or prayed for by a podcaster, or prayed for by a thousand people?

22:29 Is God like, Hey, I was gonna intervene, but you know Oh wait wait wait wait, wait, wait, wait wait a podcaster is praying for it. I'm gonna do something. Oh wait wait wait a thousand people are praying for it. Well, now I have to do something. Now, this again goes to do you believe whatever your request is, you're probably asking prayer for something God either allowed, did nothing to change or actually decrete it, and then has worked it to work out exactly that way according to his providence. So now are we going to pray against what God is? Tone? Are you? Now? He gets all confusing, But let's not get into that. I think that already makes me more frustrated. And depressed as it is, because I know that's so contrary, but I well, I guess what frustrates me is the questions I'm asking about prayer is really the question every Christian and every church should be asking about prayer. But it appears you're not really supposed to ask those questions about prayer or you will offend a whole lot of people.

23:28 But let's let's see where he goes here. Thousands of people, please go to Morningmindsetmedia dot com slash prayer and submit your request. You will be able to find that link in the description for this episode as well, so swipe on over there, tap the link, and go to that page. Okay, friends, time for us to pray as we look toward learning God's wisdom. Lord, God, we want you to help us learn how to not be the one who thinks we are always right, but rather to be one who's in learning mode. Show us how to be that person today in Jesus' name.

24:10 Amen. Now I do love at least the spirit of that prayer. Hey, God, help me not think that I'm always right and be in learning mode. I don't want to always think I'm right. I want to be in learning mode. Now, which describes you more? Do you always think you're right? Are you in learning mode? Come on, which one? Which one? Do you always think you're right? Are you? Are you someone who is humble and teachable and always in learning mode? I really want you to consider that today. What do you think now? If you've got people in your home right now, right, if you're a woman and your husband is in the house, please go ask your husband right now, Hey, honey, do you think I am I think I'm always right? Or do you think I'm always in a learning mode? And see what the answer? Then go ask your kids. And then if you're at work, you can Hey, you can ask your coworkers. Hey, hey, guys, everyone in the office, come here for a second. I need to ask you a question.

25:14 Do you think I think I'm always right? Or do you think I'm always in the learning mode? And then when you go to church on Sunday you can ask everyone to church, Hey, guys, do you think that I think I'm always right? Or do you think I'm in learning mode? Now? I would argue that ninety nine point nine percent of people who know me, well, I'm gonna, okay, I'm gonna this is maybe self serving ninety nine percent of the people who think they know me, because I don't think anyone does. But I think most people, a lot of people think they do. I think they would all accuse me. You always think you are right, You're never in learning mode. I think that's how I would be perceived. I think that that's how people would would classify me. And because I think because I am very quick too, I'm very quick to confront. I am not afraid of confrontation. I will definitely engage, I will definitely challenge.

26:10 I will definitely argue back. And I got no problem calling something out. If it's fraudulent, half truth, conspiratorial, based on nothing, I got no problem calling it. So I think I have the reputation of always thinking I'm right. I would argue that if you look at my Christian life clearly, even when I think I'm right, when I am presented a counter argument, I will immediately, even though I may argue against it, will at the same time walk away and consider the counter argument, and if need be, come back and say, well I was I wrong? Do I think I was wrong? Well? What about this? What about that? What I will? And I got no problem changing my doctrinal beliefs and my beliefs about how to interpret a text. So in one hand, I would argue, I think I'm teachable, but I think I would be perceived as always thinking I'm right. Now that the argument could be, well, why who? If everyone perceives you to be that way, maybe they're right. Maybe you can't see it.

27:09 Maybe this is an example where you think you're right in your own eyes because you want to see yourself as being teachable, But maybe the reality is you aren't very teachable. Can you even trust how you perceive yourself? I don't know, but I do like at least the spirit of it, because I would hope, deep down I want to be teachable. I always want to be in learning mode. I do, I truly, truly do. But I think our default is we always think we're right, don't we. I mean put it this way in some ways, if you think about this, logically, you always think you're right, because if you thought you were wrong, you would immediately change your view and then think you're right. So are we always, in a sense, in a perpetual state of thinking we're right. If you thought you were wrong about everything, you would change your view and as soon as you change your view, then you would think you were right.

28:06 So in some ways, don't we always think we're right? Maybe? Okay, friends? Proverbs Chapter twelve, verse fifteen is where we are today. Here's how it reads. It says, the way of the fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. Okay, Now here we have a contrast. Again, one person does it this way, another person does it this way. All right, so we do have a contrast, and I think sometimes the contrast has left out a lot of the quotes of this verse. Right, the full the way of the fool is right in his own eyes. The fool thinks he's right in his own eyes, but the wise man is the one who he eats, counsel or he listens to advice. Now, I don't know. I think maybe really the main contrast here is own his own eyes, like he thinks he's right within himself, where the wise person seeks information and advice and counsel outside of himself. Right.

29:22 I think we see this a lot of times on social media. There'll be some hey, this is going on, and then you and you'll look at all the comments and everybody's like this this, and you'll and sometimes you're like whoa woa, everyone stop, stop stop, Here are the facts you didn't read the actual here, and nobody will listen. Nobody will listen, and they just keep arguing, you don't know what you're talking about. No, I literally have the facts. You did not read the article. It's right there in the third paragraph. Go read the article. No, you're and and so I think that to me, the contrast is thinking you're right in your own eyes, meaning you think you're right with in yourself, versus the person who doesn't assume I think they're right within themselves. They always seek external information. They seek external sources other than themselves. In other words, they're not going to think they're right just immediately by reading a headline. They're going to read the entire article. Then they may look up five to six seven reports on the same thing before they draw a conclusion.

30:30 How quick do you form an opinion or not even opinion, How quick do you form a conclusion then argue for that conclusion? But you did very very very very very very very little actual research or study. Now, at one point in my ministry, because of the way I teach, the way I teach encourages this, but it encourages people to speak up in the middle of my teaching. It encourage just people to ask a question. Now, because I like to be I like people to be engaged, So I like that teaching. But it's kind of a double edged sword because for most part, many people will be like, Okay, they will participate, they will answer, they will engage, and they know they have enough self control to go well if they disagree, They're not going to just interrupt a sermon to start fighting. You know, they'll wait till after to discuss it. But inevitably, well, at least in the past, not currently, but in the past, there would be times.

31:32 These are rare occurrences. But at one point it got bad enough that I had to address it with the church. It started getting so bad that that there were people who would start arguing with me almost in every sermon. It would be like, argue, argue, argue, argue, argue, And I'm like, I'm trying to preach a sermon and they're arguing with me in the middle of the sermon, and so I started getting really frustrated. So I finally had to basically say, look, here's the thing you may be right, you obviously think you're right, but you stop interrupting the sermon to argue with me. And here's the thing, I'm not even going to engage your argument. I'm not even going to listen to your argument until you demonstrate that you've actually studied the thing you're arguing about. Right, And so in almost every case you hear me, I still do this today. A lot of times you'll hear me in a sermon. I'll say, Okay, look, you need to look this up and do this, and do this, and do this, and do this and do that, and I'm not even going to listen to your argument until you do this. Now, some people think that that's very like, wow, that's very authoritarian, and that's almost being a tyrant. No, the argument is my My perspective is, look, if you want to if like, if you want to argue over you want to argue with me over the identity of Israel and who Israel? Is is it spiritual Israel, is it national Israel? Is it the Church? Well, then when you can demonstrate that you have looked up every use of the word Israel in the Bible and you have written down how to understand it. Then then when you

33:04 have done that, we can sit down and you can take give me the verses that you think then proves Israel is an Israel, and I will then look at how many you came up with versus how many times it's used, and then we can have an argument. If you're going to tell me that in the Old Testament when it's giving prophecies, well that's not actually Israel, that's not actual land. That's the Well, then then we're gonna have to are there some things you're gonna have to look up and you're gonna have to actually study. I think that's because look, if you if you're not doing the study, then you just think you're right in your own eyes based off what you've heard or based off something you've read, you're not actually engaged in study. Well that's a full the foolst thinks is right in his own eyes without doing any actual study. The wise one is the one who seeks advice or seeks counsel, meaning looking to external things outside of themselves, checking this fact checking, checking multiple sources, doing the work. So I had to kind of put an end to it. And so and a lot of the people who would argue with me.

34:13 Guess what, I would give them the assignment. They would never come back with the assignment. They wouldn't do the assignment and still tell me that I'm wrong, and then ultimately would leave the church. And they would leave the church, never approaching me with their notebook. I'm going to reach over here and grab a notebook. They would never show up and say, here's my notebook, here's all the work I did. This work proves that you're an idiot. You don't know what you're talking about. I'm still leaving the church, but here's my notebook because I did the work. No no one, No one ever came back with the work book. No one ever came back with their notes because they weren't going to actually engage in the study. They would just tell me that I'm wrong, leave the church, and talk trash about me behind my back. Well, congratulations, that's that's wonderful. And if they didn't talk trash behind my back, the point is they without actually engaging the state, they walked away thinking they're right. But they're right in their own eyes, because how can you think you're right if you're not even going to engage in the actual study and I talked at the beginning some of my frustration, especially with that series on Psalm eighty three. Some of the things said was just like factually, no, that's not that country today. That's just not true. No, that's not true.

35:28 Even the thing about repentance. No, you said these words are synonymous. They're not synonymous. They're different Hebrew words. What are you doing? Like? Some of it was just utterly like just literally factual error. And you're kind of like I, but they think they're right based off what I don't know, not based off actually engaging any meaningful sources. How quick are you to think you're right? And how quick are you to go, well, wait a minut, wait a mint, Wait a minute, wait a mint, wait a minute, wait a minut, wait a minute, wait a minute. Okay, let me let me check this and let me check this, Let me verify this, let me verify this, let me verify this, let me verify this. Now.

36:12 We're always going to be wrong to some level. So we just to me from you. If you think about the who we are as human beings from a thilological perspective, we as human beings. I know many Christians don't believe this, but we still have a sinful nature, and that sinful nature is deceitful above all things. If I've got a deceit factory working twenty four hours a day, seven days a week inside of me, you have a deceit factory producing deceit inside of you. And guess what that deceit factory deceives. It deceives you. So if you've got something inside of you that is deceitful, that is leading you to deceive yourself, then how can you ever trust yourself that you're ever truly right? But we don't ever seem that paranoid, that maybe when I think I'm right, I'm just being deceived by the deceit factory working inside of me. Right, Let's see where he goes.

37:17 Proverbs are often written in that format, and he's saying, the fool is one who thinks he is right, He thinks he has the way to do something. He thinks he is the one who sees clearly. He says, that person, if that is a pattern in their lives and they always come across that way, they are a fool. Say it with me, fool, fool, fool. That person really has no hope for themselves because They're never going to learn from someone else. They're never going to learn from circumstances. They're just going to be convinced that they are the ones who have insight.

37:58 Now the contrast, and see, to me, that sounds like Christianity, that sounds like all of us. We think we're right. We think we're right all the time. And not only do we think we're right, we think we're right because we would say, God says that I'm right, God agrees with me. I have God on my side, so clearly I'm right. But is it that I have God on my side? Or is that I'm right in my own eyes? And because I'm right in my own eyes, then I convince myself, because I'm right in my own eyes, that the Bible agrees with me. Therefore God agrees with me. Is God just? And you know, a means to an end. I think i'm right. I look to the Bible. The Bible says that I'm right, Therefore I'm right. But is it the Bible really saying you're right? Or is that you reading that you're right into the Bible?

38:53 Is that? A wise man listens to advice? Now? What is advice? Well, it's when someone else looking at your situation says to you, you know, I really think you should do blank, and then they give you some action or some suggestion that. But how do you know the advice you're getting is you're not getting advice from someone who thinks that they're right in their own eyes. I know I'm playing devil's advocate here, but I mean, hey, hey, the wise one will seek advice, but you're seeking advice from someone who thinks that they're right. But maybe they think they're right in their own eyes, so that they their perspective is no better than your perspective. It's just different than your perspective.

39:49 Can we trust that anyone is right? My friends? Is advice, and of course advice is not always right. But the point the writer of Proverbs is making here is that a foolish person never listens to advice. They don't even consider that the other person or other people around might have wisdom that they don't have. You see, what the writer is actually telling us here is that there are two vantage points from which we can view the world. One is a vantage point of pride and arrogance that thinks we are smart, we have all the insight that we need, and the other is a vantage point of humility that recognizes I don't have all the answers.

40:41 In fact, other people probably know a lot more than I do, and they can bless me and benefit me by sharing what they know. Friends, The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man listens to advice. Which are you going to be? Which do you want to be? You really have that decision. You can make that change by the power of God's spirit as he leads you and convicts you of being the one who perhaps thinks too highly of yourself. Oh boy, I'm not gonna you already know where I'm gonna go with this. Oh so, now we've got the power of God. If God is leading me, then how would I ever think that I'm right in my own eyes?

41:27 If God is the one leading me? Oh man, uh, okay, that stuff drives me absolutely crazy. Okay, here's the way I'm going to approach this. The way of the fool is right in his own eyes. He is self contained, self sufficient unit in and of himself. He perceives himself to be self contained, almost like an echo chamber within a little bubble of self self self, self, self, I think this, I think that, I think this. I think this, and I'm not looking anywhere else. And they don't really consider. They don't study, they don't verify, they don't look at various sources. They will not check. They think they are right.

42:11 I've told I've told a story a thousand times. I'll tell it one more time because to me, it's one of the best examples of this. All right, So I had purchased a commentary on First John by James Montgomery Boys. And in that commentary, in First John, James Montgomery Boys points out that there's a passage that in First John where there's like there's two or three witnesses, and and and it kind of mentions these things that sounds like maybe an argument for the trinity, like a Trinitarian formula. Right, I think it's I think it's First John five. If I remember correctly, I could probably look here. I could. It's not that it's super important. And I don't even I think it's only in the King James. I don't even think it's in the New King James, which I have right here in front of me. Let me see here if I can find it. Because most of the manuscripts don't have it. There most I think most don't have it. I think it's first John five. See here, I think it is. Yeah, it goes something like this.

43:13 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ. Not only by water, but water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. And these three are one all right now. Immediately when you look down, it says that that certain text omit the words you see from heaven. That's verse four. Only four or five very late manuscripts contains these words and verse seven. So there's a bunch of textual issues here. So I think it was James Montgomery Voice's commentary who called into question whether this should be in the Bible or not in the Bible, or this should be removed? Should it not be there?

43:59 Should it not be? And it was. Presenting an argument. Well I'd never heard the argument before, right, And I was like, whoa wait a minute, so are you saying these verses may not belong in the Bible. Suck the idea with the woman caught in adultery many people believe it's the most famous story that doesn't belong in the Bible, because there's a manuscript, there's textual issues, textual variants. So I was like, I was kind of like, WHOA. So I had read it and I marked it and I highlighted it, and I took it to church, and I said, and so it was after church, or maybe in before church. I'm like, hey, Pastor, could you read this? Like, well, what is this? I'm like, it's a commentary on First John with James Montgomery boys. And he calls into question the presence of verse whichever verse that is that's found in the King James. He makes an argument that it doesn't belong there. The King James manuscript is in error.

44:47 And he's like, and he took it, and he tossed it back at me, like I don't read garbage. Well, thank you so very much, pastor for being such a great help to me. Now, of course he didn't want to read it, he didn't want to engage in it. But I went home and read it and continue to work on it and continue to look at and continue to struggle. And I, since you could say, I was being tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine because my pastor wouldn't do so, because in his mind, there was only one way to look at it, and he was not going to listen to anybody else. He was right in his own eyes, and everybody else was wrong. No matter how much a study had been done on the manuscripts, no matter what manuscripts had been found or not found, no matter how much work had been done on the textual variance. He didn't want to hear about any of it. He didn't care about any of it because he thought he was right and everyone else was wrong.

45:37 That is literally the epitome of so much of Christianity. So I think and Proverbs, I'm going to approach this a little differently than the way he approached it. He didn't, and I don't God leading me? And all. If God is leading me, then this wouldn't even be an issue. Okay, all right? That whole concept drives me crazy. Okay, because once you say God again, this is one of the major problems I have with Christians will say well God led me or God showed me, or God or God taught me. Well, then you think, now your conclusion is infallible. So then you're always going to think you're right. That's even more dangerous. But here's the way I perceive it.

46:20 As an individual, you constantly think things, believe things, and have very strong opinions, and you obviously think your thinking is right. You think your opinions are right, You think your conclusions are right, you think your beliefs are right, you think your doctrines are right. You think you are right. We all do. Now the issue is on all of those conclusions and all of those things that you think you are right. How many of those very held on conclusions and opinions have you ever considered in light of other sources, one outside of yourself and from varying different perspectives to challenge you and to help you struggle to try to determine if your view is right or if it is flawed. Are you quick to consider multiple outside sources, to consider advice, to seek counsel from multiple sources, or do you only seek that which already agrees with your conclusion When it comes to an argument with someone? Can you really hear the other side? Can you really hear the other side? Do you really listen to it? Do you really consider the other side? Look the next time you get in a fight with your husband or with your kids, can you really hear them? Are you just wanting them to stop talking? So now you can then

47:52 just throw out everything you think, everything you feel, and you just run over until basically you beat them into submission. So they just say, I'm so sorry, you're right because I don't want this to end. Are you that kind of person or you like who wha wha wha wait wait wait, okay, let me hear you. Okay, now what are you trying to say? Let me understand? Okay, let me I want to hear you before I want Do you want to hear them or do you want them to hear you? See? The way of the Full is right in his own eyes that I think that is all of us. We all think we're right now. I do think that you know my doctrinal beliefs, that I obviously hold them to them strongly. I am definitely willing to consider other perspectives. Not at the same time their perspectives I'm not willing to consider anymore after all of this time, I'll just be honest. A charismatic walks up to me. I don't really care what they think. I don't care what they say. I'm just gonna be on You may sound this may sound completely contradictory from everything we've spent forty nine minutes looking at, but I'm just gonna be honest. I think they're crazy, ridiculous lunatics. They got mental issues, they need help. Their doctrine is poison, their theology is a cancer, and they should not be listened to. They should not even be considered Christian. Their entire theological system should be wiped off the face of the ever living earth. Okay, Like I know, I sound

49:25 really not very nice, but that's how much I hate charismatic theology, not talking about people talking about theology. So yeah, and there I'm gonna sound like a fool because I think I'm right, and you may say you think you're right in your own eyes. I feel like I have considered their perspective countless times throughout my Christian life. I've listened to them, I've watched them, I've considered them even at one point. You know, I've definitely tried to pursue an understanding of charismatic theology. But at some point it's just hard to reconcile their ridiculous claims with reality all around you. It's just like, at some point, I don't have to be I don't have I don't need a seminary education to go. You make this claim, reality clearly demonstrates that your claim is utterly fraudulent. Okay, but all right, But that's a whole different thing. But the point is, I think I'm right? Now? Do I think I'm right?

50:25 In my own eyes? I think? I think the issue is thinking you're right within yourself. As a self sufficient, self contained echo chamber, a bubble within yourself, you only you only listen to that which you already agree with you, so you think you're right. You only listen to that which gives confirmation biased because you're only hearing what you already agree with or are you wise enough to go hmm, I could be wrong. I have to consider other voices. This is why I am and that's why this is one of the reas I am. Absolutely. This is kind of the basis for my philosophy about whenever we study a passage of scripture, we completely forget everything we have ever learned about that scripture in the past. We don't use past notes, we don't look at past commentary, we look at the passage brand new. All of our past conclusions are of no value in today's study. Because if you don't do that, you think you're right and you're never going to see anything else. You have to throw away all of your past conclusions because you're acknowledging you could be wrong. So I'm going to study the passage new today. I don't care what I know, what I think.

51:41 I'm going to forget what I thought it meant, because today I may come to a different conclusion about what it means. And if I do, that's wonderful, and then the next time I study it, I forget everything that I'll learn that time. I have so tried to drive that point home. Your past understanding of any thilological issue, really, you're past understanding of any issue philological, non philological. Any conclusion you've come to about anything culturally, societal and society even personal in your conclusions and fights with family members. Whatever conclusion you held yesterday, it means nothing today because it's a new day and you have the opportunity to first you always acknowledge, Hey, I could be wrong, Because we're very fallible human beings with a deception factory inside of us, and so I'm going to start today. I'll reconsider your arguments today, I will. I will consider it anew.

52:39 It's hard to maintain that mindset. But with the Bible, we have to whatever I thought I knew about any verse. You know, if I'm looking at First just flip my Bible to First Kings. Whatever I think I know about First Kings chapter one, if I was to study it today, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if I've written papers on First Kings chapter one, and doesn't matter if I've studied First Kings and Bible College seminary. None of that matters today because I could have been wrong. Because if I only rely on my past understanding, then now I think I'm right in the present based on my own and my own eyes, based off my previous understanding. New day requires new study with the with the throwing out of all past conclusions. So how the way of the fool is rut in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise. Are you do you? How how much do you go look and study and verify and confirm and double check and triple check. Remember that was some of my issues with a lot of the way pastors were responding to the Trump to the assassination on the former president Donald Trump. A lot of the claims that were making were just not even verifiable, some of them that were already being contradicted, and I was like, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop.

54:15 Now some of the claims turned out to be more accurate than they appeared at the at the first. But that's why I always say, wait, slow down, stop, consider, think, stop looking only at one source. I can't stand when someone starts arguing about something like, well, it appears the only channel you watch is Fox News or Newsmax, because there's an entire world of information out there that calls that into question. This is what was getting me so irritated when Christians were running around the election was stolen. The election was stolen, and they were putting forth all of these lies that were being put out there by Sidney Powell, Rudy Giuliani and then about the dominion voting system. And guess what, Fox News lost that lawsuit right that had to pay seven hundred and something million dollars because of the lies that they told. Others are being sued.

55:07 Others had to apologize that they were spreading false information and they're still Christians running around them in the cases, spreading the same false information because they won't go verify, they won't check, They just are. They think they're right in their own eyes. We cannot be this self contained living in an echo chamber. We have to heed and listen to other counsel that's outside of ourself, outside of our little echo chamber, so that we can be challenged. The way of the fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise. Stop looking in yourself, to yourself and everything that agrees with yourself, and look at that which is outside of yourself that may even actually challenge you and disagree with you, so that you have a greater chance of finding truth more than just trying to find a way to win an argument. Thanks to listening, God bless