 So continuing in the book of Acts, we're looking at Acts chapter 12 for the second week in a row. So we're looking at Acts chapter 12. We only got through a couple of verses. We kind of took a detour last week and we looked at the life of James. James, the apostle who was the disciple, who was killed in verse number two. He was the first of the twelve disciples to be killed. We looked at him last week. His brother, of course, was John. But we're going to continue through Acts chapter 12 and get through the rest of the chapter. Look at this story and look at kind of the players and what's going on here. We're going to focus heavily on Herod in this chapter since he's kind of the main character here along with Peter. But if you look at just this idea of Herod, you know, who is Herod? We think about that. Turn to Matthew chapter 2. We've heard of Herod. We've heard his name come up again and again throughout the New Testament, especially in the Gospels. In Matthew chapter 2, of course, the birth of Christ, there was a Herod who also, you know, who killed all the children in Bethlehem to try to get rid of the Messiah, this king of the Jews that was born. He was afraid of this situation. Then, of course, Joseph took his family, was told by the angel to get out to Egypt until, you know, Herod died. Look at Matthew chapter 2 in verse number 19. The Bible says, But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the word appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother and go into the land of Israel, for they are dead, which sought the child's life. So this obviously isn't the same Herod as we're dealing with in Acts chapter 12. As a matter of fact, you kind of have to do a little bit of study in the historical kings that ruled over underneath this Roman Empire. But basically, the Bible talks about, there was more than just four, but the Bible talks about four Herods. Now Herod, it was a family, it was a dynasty, I guess you could call it, that ruled for the Romans, they were given rule over Judea, they were allowed to rule Judea for the Romans. It was kind of, you know, I want to talk about like contracting it out. Maybe it's kind of a good way that we could compare that. But this family of Herods, so the first Herod, you know, if you read historical books, he would be called Herod the Great. He was kind of the king over all of Judea is what we read about in Matthew chapter 2. He was the one that was after Jesus when he was born. Then Joseph fled and then Herod died and he came back. And then you remember there was another Herod that persecuted John the Baptist, actually killed John the Baptist, turned to Matthew chapter 14, turned to Matthew chapter 14. This is the son of Herod, the Great, as they would call him, if you would look up the dynasty of the Herod dynasty. But this is the son that persecuted John the Baptist. And again, this son actually met Jesus as well. Look at Matthew chapter 14, look at verse number one. It said, at that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus. Now this is when it goes into, you know, the story of John the Baptist, where he beheads John the Baptist. And then in Luke chapter 23, this same Herod, he also meets Jesus. He was in Jerusalem at the time. Pontius Pilate was very happy that this Herod was in Jerusalem. He was hoping that Herod could deal with Jesus and he wouldn't have to deal with this situation. So this was the same Herod, but Herod the Tetrarch, the reason he's called Herod the Tetrarch was because Herod the Great, the Matthew chapter 2 Herod, after he died his kingdom was broken into four pieces. So Tetrarch means, you know, part of four, maybe one of four. So he's basically, he kind of broke the family farm up into four pieces, if you want to think about it that way. And then his four sons, you know, presumably, the Bible doesn't say his four sons, but we know at least one of his sons ruled one of those, one of those four parts. That is who persecuted, killed John the Baptist. That is who met Jesus, met Pontius Pilate, because he was actually the Tetrarch of Galilee where Jesus was from. That's why Pontius Pilate was all like, yes, it just so happens that, you know, the contracted ruler of this land is in town. He can deal with this mess because if you read the story of Jesus and Pontius Pilate, you know that Pontius Pilate, he was an ambitious man. He didn't care about, he didn't care one way or another about these Jews. He didn't care one way or another about Jesus. He just wanted this problem off of his hands. So there we see there's two Herods right there. We have Herod the Great that was over all of Judea. Then it was broken into four pieces. We have Herod, the second Herod, his son, was the one that met Jesus, the one that killed John the Baptist. Then we see the third Herod in Acts chapter 12, which would be the grandson of the first Herod. So this way is what we're dealing with in Acts chapter 12 and verse number three. And you're like, why is there four? Because actually Herod Agrippa, the Bible doesn't call him Herod Agrippa, but you would think Herod Agrippa one is who we're dealing with in Acts chapter 12. And if you look at Acts, we're going to look at Acts chapter 24, 25 and 26. When Paul actually meets a king named Agrippa, that is actually Herod Agrippa two. Because obviously it can't be this Herod, because this Herod only makes it through one chapter in the Bible. And that's what we're going to look at this evening. We call that to say this. Whenever you see the word Herod in the Bible, it's not talking about just one single guy. Otherwise you'd have to believe he's immortal or something, because he just keeps dying. But we're talking about kind of a family dynasty, and we're talking about a king and his sons that were ruling over Judea at this time. So we're looking at the grandson of the first Herod, of Herod the Great in Acts chapter 12. We're going to continue through our story here, just to give you some context on who we're talking about. So look at verse number three. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, and I'm going to go over that for now, and we'll come back to that statement. He proceeded further to take Peter also. So he's just killed James, and now he's like, ooh, they like this. So he's kind of continuing to do this. And I'll get into why that is towards the end of the sermon. But then he arrests Peter. And there were the days of the unleavened bread. So the festival was coming. Look at verse four. And when he apprehended him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him. So that's four sets of four. So this is 16 soldiers that are guarding Peter. And then he said, intending after Easter. It's only time, by the way. Easter's a pagan holiday. No, Easter just means the Passover. That's all it means. It means the season of the Passover. And the only time the word Easter is in the King James Bible is actually right here. But there's nothing magical about it. There's nothing sinister about it. It just means the time of the Passover is coming. So intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. So he's got 16 soldiers that are guarding Peter. And then he's going to bring him forth to the people. And we'll see why in a little bit. We've already kind of seen that. But look at verse number five. So now we see this miraculous event that happens with Peter. Peter's been arrested. He's under heavy guard. He's literally not only under heavy guard, but he's in the prison here. And look at verse five. He says, Peter, therefore, is kept in prison. But look what's happening. Prayer was made without seizing of the church under God for him. So these people were praying consistently. So the church is praying for Peter. They're praying for Peter's release. They're worried about Peter. And they're just beseeching the Lord. Now how do they pray, by the way? How do they pray? Did the church, you know, had a five-minute prayer? No, they're just like, they're in the house and they're just praying for Peter. It says without seizing. They're praying. They're very serious about this. Look at verse six. And when Herod would have brought him forth the same night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers bound with two chains and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison and he smote Peter on the side and raised him up saying, I'll rise up quickly and his chains fell off from his hands. So this angel just walks up to Peter and basically just kicks him or whatever. You know, he hits him in some way, you know, smokes him on the side and says, get up, let's go. And the angel said unto him, put yourself. He's like, put your clothing on and bind thy sandals. And so he did. And he said, cast thy garment about thee and follow me. It's interesting. I don't even know that this is even relevant. I just thought about this when I was reading this, that in Joshua chapter five, remember, so we know that the person in Joshua chapter five verse 15, that Joshua comes across the river and seas. We know that that was the Lord Jesus Christ because what did that messenger say? What did that guy say? The captain of the Lord's host? He said, take your shoes off. He's like, take your shoes off for where you stand as holy ground. This guy's just an angel. We know this isn't the Lord Jesus Christ. He's just an angel. He's just like, get your shoes on, let's go. He's just there to do a job. He's just sitting there to give a message to quickly get Peter out of the prison and tells them to put his shoes on. Anyway, just not that there's any deep doctrine there. Just something that is interesting. Verse number nine. And he went out and followed him. And it's not that it was true that what was done by the angel but thought he saw a vision. He's still sleeping. He doesn't even know what's happening. He's just kind of like going along. This is how quick this is happening. And they were passed the first and second ward. He's walking them through the prison. They came under the iron gate that leadeth under the city which opened to them of his own accord. So it was just unlocked. It just opened. And they went out and passed on through one street where the angel departed from him. So this angel comes there and miraculously knocks the chains off. Miraculously gets him up. Miraculously takes him out of the prison through the locked gates. Through all the, you know, no guards woke up. Nobody knew what was happening. Just a complete and absolute total miraculous event here. And look at verse number eleven. And it must have happened so quickly. Peter didn't even know really what was happening. When Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his angel. And it delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people, of the Jews. And we need to consider the thing. He came to the house of Mary the mother of John whose surname is Mark, where many were gathered together doing what? Here they were in this house and they were praying for Peter. Now this is, I mean, if this isn't irony, I don't know what is. So here these people are praying for Peter. This miraculous event happens. Peter literally comes to the house where they are still praying for him that he would, you know, get out of prison. And here's Peter. Now look what happens. Now this is so, I hate to say it, but this is so us. This is so people right here. And look what it says. It says, And Peter knocked at the door of the gate and a damsel came to Harkin named Rhoda in which she knew Peter's voice. So she obviously knew who, but she didn't even know. It's not that she just knew who Peter looked like. She knew him well enough to, when he spoke, she knew who he was. So this is someone that knew Peter. She opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in and told how Peter stood before the gate. She's so shocked, she didn't even open the door for him. She just runs in and tells everybody and they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then they said it is his angel. So, I mean, you know, we kind of, I want to kind of reflect this upon us this evening. And I mean, we're going to talk about Herod further, but you look at this story and sometimes you read stories in the Bible and especially with the kingdom of Israel, especially with the nation of Israel. You read the stories in the Bible and you're like, boy, these people are idiots. You're like, what in the world? It's like that they get right in the very next chapter. They're wrong again. And you're just like, how could this be? But if you really think about it, we are exactly the same way when you think about it. When you look at these things in the Bible, look at these people. It seems crazy. They're sitting there and they're praying. They're just beseeching the Lord without seizing the Bible says. For Peter to be released from prison and then guess what happens? Peter is released from prison. He's released from prison and he shows up at the door. And the lady says, they're all in there and they're praying for God to release Peter. Peter's at the door and they're like, you're crazy. Like you're nuts. They tell this woman. Look, we need to make sure in our lives that but this is exactly what we do is what I'm trying to get you to understand. We need to make sure and I'm glad that we go through a prayer list at the church because this has really opened my eyes as well because we have the prayer list. Think about my computer at home. We have the prayer list from this week and we have the prayer list every week for three years we have the prayer list. I can go back and I can see the things that we were praying about as a church a year ago. Maybe you don't remember but I can go and I can pull up these documents and I can see all the things that we prayed about. That's why I'm constantly and as the ministry went on as the satellite ministry went on I started to notice this more and more as we can see these old... I have an advantage over you. I can see these older prayer lists and the things that we prayed about the things that were on the prayer list the things that came off the prayer list and let me tell you something most of the time that things come off the prayer list is because those prayers have been answered in this church. I just want to make sure and that's why I always constantly bring up a broken record even when we're praying as a church during the week I constantly bring up like let's not forget the things that used to be on the prayer list we need to be thankful because the reason that they're not there anymore is because God said yes and he answered those prayers. So think about these people here think about these people they literally just had their prayer answered and they were having a hard time believing that it even happened. I'm not saying that they were unthankful but it's like why wouldn't they expect it to happen or why would they be surprised that it happens. We just need to keep that in mind is all I'm saying. Don't be surprised when your prayers are answered. Don't be surprised. And when you're not surprised then make sure that you're thankful because I think that sometimes we think in our minds I do, you do these people did sometimes we think sometimes in our mind that our prayers can't be answered or God doesn't move like he did in the Bible no he does. He does move just like he did in the Bible. We had the great privilege of going and seeing baby John yesterday we got to go like they opened up the rules or whatever they opened up the rules and my wife and I actually got to go into the hospital and actually like see the baby like right there like he's right there we're not just seeing pictures and all this and well I mean I'll just give you a little report first of all he was bigger than I thought he was going to be for some reason in my mind he thought I thought he was going to be really small bigger than I thought he looks like a newborn baby that's what he looked like to me and you know he's small and all newborn babies look small to me but one thing and brother Trevor and I were talking about this too I'm just sitting there and I'm watching I'm watching the nurses and I'm watching all the things that they can do and the monitors and the mask and all these things and brother Trevor said it and I said it many times and there was just like it's amazing what they can do and like it's amazing like all the monitors and the things that you know I'm a technology guy and I'm amazed at the things that they can do there you know they're monitoring his foot and all these different things and there's a screen that I'm glad I don't look at it as for as many hours as they do because it would drive me crazy watching the numbers like that but it's amazing what they can do and then there was there's all these ladies there the nurses and this one lady that was working I mean you could tell she cared she was I mean you could tell this woman cared about what she was doing she wasn't phoned at it in to work and I'm just like I'm sitting there I'm looking at this I'm like it's amazing what they can do and I'm like it's amazing I even said I was like you have a great job I said to this lady and I don't know if she really understood what I meant by that really but like she's just doing all these things I didn't even really know what she's doing and she really cared about you know the baby you could tell so there's just all these amazing things happening but turn to Genesis chapter 2 that I just like we always have to remember and I know brother Trevor and his wife and family and we all remember this but it kind of relates to this story and what I'm getting at one thing that I was thinking about especially when there's this mask where was the mask it was right over his nose and I just kept thinking about you know the breath of life and God and what he said about the breath of life and it's really interesting if you look at Genesis chapter 2 in verse number 7 I said the Lord God formed man of the dust and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul in Job chapter 27 he talks about the spirit of God being in his nostrils and what we always have to remember is whoever has surgery or whoever has a medical thing going on and all these things there's I'm so happy that we're blessed with all these things and all this but look it's God that gives the breath of life to us and it's God that allows all these things to happen so just like these people just like they couldn't you know they couldn't fathom you know that Peter was there we just need to make sure that we always remember you know that because I think like I do that you know you can you can see something you know get fixed or you're praying about something you get fixed and just think like okay I got fixed because I know it's like no that was an answered prayer we need to make sure we acknowledge these things in our life it's God that is giving the breath of life to John and thank God for that so happy for that and he does it through these this technology and he's allowed us he's allowed us to have these discoveries of machines and these people that care and all these things in our lives it's just a great example of just acknowledging you know an answered prayer in our lives so these people couldn't believe it at first okay they couldn't believe that Peter was even there which seems ironic because that's exactly what they were praying for so when God answers your prayers don't be surprised be thankful is I guess the conclusion of my point there just recognize it acknowledge that God has answered your prayers you know why is keep a running prayer list in your own mind and just if you're not praying about something anymore you're not worried about something anymore why aren't you worried about it it's probably because God answered your prayer just make sure you're acknowledging those answered prayers as they go through your life don't be a person not acknowledging when God answers your prayer so let's always keep that running list in our mind look at verse number 17 Peter continued knocking he's like hey they're in there arguing arguing like who is that who is that out there and they opened the door and saw him they were astonished but he beckoned under them with the hand to hold their peace declared under them how the Lord had brought them out of the prison and he said go show these things under James and to the brethren to the place so they finally acknowledged it it was a great miracle now look at verse number 18 now Herod comes back into the story we see there's some people in trouble here look at verse 18 the Bible says now as soon as it was day there was no small stir among the soldiers I bet not what had become of Peter and when Herod had sought for him and found him not he examined the keepers now when you see that word examine the keepers typically throughout history if you know what he didn't go and ask them questions he was like beating and torturing them to find out you know what had happened to Peter and they're saying we don't know and he's you know examining you know when people are examined it means they're being you know they're being put under pressure to tell the truth alright and commanded then he just like he can't find out he can't find out they're like we don't know what happened and so he just found from Judea to Caesarea and they're abode and Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon but they came with one accord and having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend desired peace because their country was nourished by the king's country so here we got we just got this political dispute going on in verse number 20 he goes there he's got some political issues with Tyre and Sidon but they kind of come together and figured it out they're getting this guy Chamberlain had brought the situation to a halt but look at verse number 21 it said upon a set day Herod a raid and royal apparel sat upon his throne and made an oration onto them so here Herod goes and he solves this political situation and you know makes peace or whatever and then he goes out and he gives a speech okay he gives a speech to these people he made an oration under them so look at verse number 22 let me turn back there myself look at verse number Acts chapter 12 lost my place here one second and verse number 22 so he goes and he gives this great speech and it must have been a really good speech because basically people thought that he was God himself look at verse number 22 and it says the people gave a shout saying it is the voice of a God and not of a man so you know the guy is a good speaker I mean if you can get up and you can give a speech and people literally think you're a God afterwards he must have been good at it alright so he gave this great speech and people thought he was a God turn to second Peter chapter 2 the Bible actually warns us about this though the Bible talks about you know people that would use great words that would use words that would get people riled up and get people to follow them and do what they want basically look at second Peter chapter 2 second Peter chapter 2 and look at verse number 17 so this guy gets up and he gives this great speech and everybody thinks he's a God alright these are the the Bible says this it says these are the wells without water clouds that are carried with a tempest we're talking about false prophets here to whom the midst of darkness is reserved forever some pretty strong words talking about false prophets look at verse number 18 it says for when they speak great swelling words of vanity they what they allure through the lusts of the flesh through much wantonness those that were clean escaped from them who live in error look at verse 19 it says while they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption so it's saying there's going to be people out there in this case false prophets in 2 Peter chapter 2 it says that use great swelling words of vanity what that means is they come out and they are able to speak these I mean they're able to speak what people think are great words that you know basically are not true and are trying to raise them lift themselves up and they're making promises that aren't true they're promising freedom it says in verse 19 but they're servants of corruption alright so the bible's warning us about that in Jude chapter 1 I'll just read for you in verse 16 it talks about people like this again it says these are murmurers complainers walking after their own lusts so again it's pointing out that people that use great swelling words are trying to get people to come after them they're trying to get people to follow whatever agenda it is that they have and their mouth look at this speak of great words having men's persons in admiration because of advantage so here in jude chapter 1 in jude 16 it's saying that these people come out and they speak great swelling words to get advantage over people to get people to follow them to get people that are walking in their own desires and their own lusts notice that are we supposed to walk in our lusts are we supposed to be these people that hey whatever feels good let's do it but what these people have great great swelling words do is they're targeting people like that they're targeting people that want to satisfy their own desires lusts covetousness and they're getting those people to follow them by these great words these great speeches alright now look this is a major problem today this is a major problem today this has been a major problem throughout history I mean it mostly when they think about great wicked people with great speeches they think of Hitler Hitler was very good at Hitler would rehearse his speeches there's nothing wrong with being a good speaker and I'm going to tell you how to get past and how you can tell if is this guy a good speaker that's actually saying something good or is he rehearse his speeches he would rehearse his hand movements he would rehearse how he raised his voice he would use like certain emotive words in his speeches and if you've ever seen like you know they're in German but I mean if you've ever seen like a Hitler speech by the end of the speech the people are literally in a frenzy they're literally in a frenzy he's got the crowd so whipped up in a frenzy playing to the lusts of the crowd and this is exactly what Hera did people literally thought that he was a god after he got done speaking he must have been very good at this so how do we avoid this how do we avoid this this method that evil people could use to attract people with you know lustful desires to get them to follow him turn to Proverbs chapter 28 the Bible like gives us the answer for this look at Proverbs chapter 28 the Bible tells us how to be immune from this alright look at Proverbs chapter 28 and look at verse number 26 so he gets up he gets up and if you look back if you look back you go to Proverbs chapter 28 and I'll just read for you but if you look back at verse number 3 of Acts chapter 12 you can tell what his motives are you can tell his motives are to get these people to follow him to get these people because he just he didn't even care about James what did he do he saw that it pleased the Jews so he saw that it was pleasing to the people that he was ruling over that's the only reason he was persecuting the church just to to appease the Jews just to make them happy and then he goes and he gives this great swelling speech we don't know what he said but we know that he was trying to get the people to know that he was a God we know it wasn't good we know whatever he said wasn't good you know if I ever get up here and give a sermon and you walk away thinking I think pastor is a God then I have said something horribly wrong I may have said it like really powerfully but I've said something horribly horribly false so we know that what he said wasn't good all right but he said it very well look at Proverbs 28 verse 26 this is the problem and this is how we avoid this problem and this is what he says he that trusted in his own heart is a fool but who so walketh wisely he shall be delivered so we see that we need to have wisdom and it says don't follow your own heart what that's saying by not following your own heart is it saying don't follow your emotions it's saying how you feel is not how you should react to things you shouldn't just go after however something you can play a certain there doesn't even need to be words in it you can play a certain tune and it will make you feel it will make you feel angry it will make you feel aggressive or you know hymns will make you feel joyful they'll make you feel you know spirit-filled the Bible says that look there's things that can play with your emotions and Proverbs 28 26 your emotions look at Proverbs 14 and I'll just read it for you Proverbs 14 12 says there's a way which seems right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death so the Bible is saying here somebody speaks great swelling words and you're you're you're lustful you go towards that because it seems right to you and you don't check that against anything else it's like you're going to be trapped in trouble they're going to lead you into a snare go back to Acts chapter 12 I mean look I mean this is why you have to be careful today with I mean this is like slogans right I mean this is you know people that come up with slogans anybody you know who else was a great speaker you know I'll freely admit it Barack Obama was a great speaker Barack Obama was a great speaker Barack Obama would get up and he would say great slogans we are going to protect women we are going to protect reproductive rights and you're like people are hearing this and they're like yeah and he would say it in such a way that was just great swelling words and people were like yay and you know people's emotions are all whipped up and maybe people that aren't even bad they're all emotions are all whipped up because it just sounds great but here's the thing you're not to be led by your emotions look it's good I mean I hope that I can deliver a good sermon in a way that is tolerable to hear but you have to always be listening to what I'm saying because what I'm saying matters you need to be look you need to be studying to show yourself approved you need to be listening to what I'm saying in the Bible hey is that in the Bible like I hope you trust me but I mean the point is is that you need to be you need to be filtering that through what the word of God says because it doesn't take too much filtering to realize that I'm for protecting women to realize that what he's really talking about is actually murdering people you know I mean it's just it's great swelling words that are lies there's slogans that are lies I mean you think about all the just all the things out there you think about minimum wage laws what do they do we have to provide people they're playing on your heart your emotions we must provide people with a living wage and you're like I'm for that I'm for people living they don't tell you you know all the bad things that happen that people are going to lose their jobs and that jobs are going to go away and you know that you know people are going to get fired and you're like I'm not for that but here's the thing you can't be led by your emotions these kids in this country they're being crushed by debt they're being crippled you're like I don't want kids to be crippled I don't want this they can't live their lives you know what these are great swelling words trying to play on people's emotions look it works it works because people are like oh man these these poor kids I'm exaggerating but these these poor kids they're being crippled they can't start families they can't live their lives because they're being crushed by debt you know what what does the bible say forget your emotions what does the bible say look at psalm chapter 37 look at psalm chapter 37 you have to be like wait a minute I know how that makes me feel but what's the bible say I know how that makes me feel but what's the bible say look at psalm chapter 37 verse number 21 the bible says it says the wicked borrow with and payeth not again but the righteous show of mercy and giveeth you're like okay whoa well they borrowed and it's wicked for them not to repay so we're actually we're actually encouraging wickedness oh but it sounded good at first you know it sounded good at first psalm 227 says the rich ruleeth over the poor and the borrowers serve to the lender so the bible not only told the person not to get into debt in the first place but then it tells them hey but if you don't repay it it's wicked you're like but you know shouldn't we just shouldn't we just pay everyone's bills like people have these bills and I think we should just get rid of people's bills and you're like that sounds pretty good I don't like bills I don't like bills why can't you know the government pay my bills the problem is is because where do they get the money they put some guy on the ground they put a gun to his head and they steal all his money and then they give it to somebody else and the bible says Exodus 2015 thou shalt not steal you're like oh the bible there it is again so you got to be careful with your emotions because this is exactly what people are doing if people don't know the bible they have no chance they just go with what sounds good you know and you don't have to think about this stuff too much if you know just even a little bit I mean we literally just went over thou shalt not kill and thou shalt not steal these are not complicated doctrines in the bible but these great swelling words try to get these things past everybody alright it's just we can't be ruled by our emotions we must be ruled by the bible in what it says love is love that sounds pretty good I mean I'm not I mean love love's a good thing you know love's a good thing until you realize that you know what they mean is abomination is good I mean it's it doesn't take too much bible knowledge to figure out you must just you can't go with what these things how they make you feel you have to look at what the bible actually says turn to Ephesians chapter 4 we ran into one today my wife had a good example of this today so let's look it's not just politics it's not just tax policy it's not just abortion it's not just perversion it's everything it's false doctrine too it's false doctrine look at Ephesians chapter 4 in verse number 14 look we must filter everything through a biblical lens you can't just let your emotions rule you or you will be deceived look at Ephesians 4 14 the bible says that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie and wait to deceive so these great swelling words they're there to fool you to trick you into thinking that you want something they're trying to you know the abortion you know people or industry or whatever you know or the wicked evil devils that are trying to abort more people in this country they're trying to trick you and deceive you they know most people aren't for this wicked evil you know murder so they're trying to trick and deceive you know we're here to protect women and you know reproductive rights and they they don't say like hey we want to kill babies we think you should be able to kill your own child that's they'll never say that even though they know that's exactly what it is so the point is we must give everything a biblical filter and the bible is even saying that if we don't think it's a biblical filter in verse number 14 and 15 of Ephesians chapter 4 we'll fall into false doctrine too because there's going to be a teacher teaching all kinds of false doctrine just going to be tossed to tossed from one day you'll believe one doctrine there's a lot of weird doctrine out there I mean my wife I mean the more I the more I learn and actually meet Jehovah's witnesses the more like evil this look look I'm all for like getting as many Jehovah's witnesses saved as we can my wife said I kind of got in an argument with a Jehovah's Witness today I said good like we're not for arguing but like good argue with a cult leader any day of the week don't believe they don't believe in a literal hell I mean that's convenient that's convenient if you're starting a cult that's going to send everybody to hell the first thing you need to do is teach people that that hell doesn't exist right but she said I just do my wife is just showing her bible verse about talking about eternal damnation like how like you know torment is eternal like hell is forever and then it's real I mean Luke hello Luke 16 it's real and it's forever and this this woman she's just like well she doesn't care what the bible says so the bible means nothing she's like I just I mean she looks at my wife she's like do you believe in a god that would I just don't believe that's just I mean do you believe in a god that would send people to hell to an eternal place of suffering but you know what that sounds pretty good that sounds you know that there is no place of eternal suffering on its face you're like that to most people that sounds pretty good that's why a lot of people they're not even Jehovah's Witnesses they just don't believe in hell because they're just like they've invented their own god that nobody really goes to hell that's why you got so many doors and most people or not most people but a lot of people think that most people are going to go to heaven when the truth is the opposite because it seems more pleasant to them it seems more pleasant to their emotions because look you give the gospel to somebody and you go through hell and how they deserve to go to hell nobody likes hearing that and most people that get saved they're like here's what they do they're like they know it though their conscience tells them it's true but look it's not a pleasant thing people's emotions in their heart wants to lead them astray on this issue but look you know what the truth of it is you filter it through the Bible go listen to the sermon if there was no hell because this would be a terrible wicked place if there was no hell this would be a terrible wicked place there would be no justice there would be no Jesus if there was no hell so to that Jehovah's Witness she wouldn't I say no I I can't imagine a God that wouldn't have a hell because that's the biblical lens that we need to look at things through look the bottom line is that the problem today and the reason that so many great swelling words are leading so many people astray is because it's just like what the Bible says it's like my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge people don't know I mean how can you filter how can you filter something if you don't own a filter how can you filter something through something you don't have people don't know what the Bible says turn to James chapter one turn to James chapter one James chapter one and verse number five here but here's the thing God wants us to know what his word says so much so that he tells us look I'll give it to you I'll give it to you look at James one five the Bible says if any of you lack wisdom so this is for all the people out there that just have no idea what's going on that just gets sucked into everything every slogan works for them if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that give it to all men liberally and upbraid if not and it shall be given him this is one of those prayers that God says he will answer you know there's certain prayers you know seek me you'll find me there's certain prayers that God like literally says like hey if you ask for this I will say yes if people ask for wisdom look the first thing that he wants is for them to be saved but then look if you just keep praying for wisdom this is such a great prayer for a Christian right here this is such a great prayer for a Christian that doesn't understand something that's going through a weird time that he doesn't understand like hey I'm having some I'm having some problems with my marriage I don't know why I'm having some problems with my kids I don't know why and maybe you know you're just like I don't want to ask anybody I don't want to ask anybody look just pray for wisdom pray for wisdom and read the Bible and God's like literally saying right here he's like you give it to all men liberally that means that doesn't mean God's a liberal that means he's like that means he's gonna liberal has gotten to be a bad name but he's like he'll just give it to you in abundance what are you saying he's like you ask for wisdom and then read the Bible read my word he's like I'll give you wisdom and then you won't I mean the great swelling words they just like they'll just bounce right off you you'll hear these great swelling words and you'll just be like that is so dumb why do people believe that because you'll just see exactly what it is you know you'll see it for the truth of the Bible so get Acts chapter go back to Acts chapter 12 God has literally had enough of this guy God has had enough where did we end at verse number they called him a God in verse number 21 they said no verse 22 the people gave a shout saying it is the voice of God and not of a man and immediately the angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not glad the glory and he was eaten of worms and gave up the ghost but the word of God grew and multiplied so God went and God his man he killed this fool who was lifting himself up and then we see the introduction of Barnabas and Saul coming back from Jerusalem they fulfilled their ministry and took with them John whose surname is Mark we see Mark enter the picture here and we'll talk about him in the coming weeks but Herod we see he was just he's a great example of just not being we should not be ruled by our emotions in our life and as long as as long as that doesn't mean you can't have emotions that doesn't mean that that doesn't mean that you can't you know walk away from a sermon or walk away from you know reading the Bible and just and be moved emotionally but that's not what I'm talking about emotions are good but emotions can lead you astray you just need to have emotions coupled with the word of God and if you have emotions coupled with the word of God then you'll be able to check yourself and say yeah I'm feeling right or you know you listen to some music or some song comes on and all of a sudden you're just like aggressive and angry or something and be like hey this isn't right you know this is not correct and you can correct yourself back alright but your emotions folks that's kind of the idea here this evening your emotions will lead you astray your emotions will lead you astray so check everything with the Bible