WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.920 --> 00:00:05.320 Today, we're in part three of the series on Jesus' 2 00:00:05.400 --> 00:00:08.279 eight keys to living a blessed life. 3 00:00:08.759 --> 00:00:10.599 They're often called the Beatitudes. 4 00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:13.400 That the first eight verses of the most important sermon 5 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:16.519 ever preached on planet Earth, the Sermon on the Mount 6 00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:21.039 in Matthew chapter five, Verse five, Jesus says this the 7 00:00:21.079 --> 00:00:27.120 third key to God's blessing on your life. God blesses 8 00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:33.039 those who are gentle. Look at that, God blesses those 9 00:00:33.560 --> 00:00:35.280 who are gentle. 10 00:00:35.560 --> 00:00:40.240 And then here's the promise. The whole earth will belong 11 00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:44.280 to them. Are you kidding me? 12 00:00:45.320 --> 00:00:51.159 That's about the most extravagant statement ever made. The whole 13 00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:54.359 earth will belong to anybody who's gentle. Do I really 14 00:00:54.439 --> 00:00:55.000 believe that? 15 00:00:56.399 --> 00:00:56.560 Well? 16 00:00:56.600 --> 00:01:03.359 I wouldn't except Jesus said it, And Jesus doesn't lie. 17 00:01:03.479 --> 00:01:06.319 Jesus said, I am the truth. Not I have the truth. 18 00:01:06.359 --> 00:01:08.000 I teach the truth to point the truth. I am 19 00:01:08.200 --> 00:01:11.840 the truth. So if Jesus says, God blesses those who 20 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:15.079 are gentle, the whole earth will belong to them, guess 21 00:01:15.159 --> 00:01:19.840 what I believe that he's saying. Somehow locked up in 22 00:01:19.959 --> 00:01:24.480 this third key of blessing is the key that when 23 00:01:24.519 --> 00:01:28.200 you learn what it really means to be gentle. The 24 00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:32.640 world's yours. I mean, it's your apple, it's it's you're 25 00:01:32.920 --> 00:01:34.640 You're in charge, just not driving you. 26 00:01:34.640 --> 00:01:37.120 You're driving it. Now. 27 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:45.799 In our hard driving, ego driven, market driven culture, you 28 00:01:45.799 --> 00:01:50.879 don't hear a whole lot about gentleness. And the reason 29 00:01:50.920 --> 00:01:54.760 why is we don't understand what it really means to 30 00:01:54.799 --> 00:02:01.280 be gentle. We think gentleness means weakness, and God says 31 00:02:01.319 --> 00:02:06.959 absolutely not. The gentle are the strongest people on the planet, 32 00:02:07.480 --> 00:02:10.759 and the earth will be theirs. It's the weak people 33 00:02:10.840 --> 00:02:13.960 who are arrogant. It's the weak people who are prideful. 34 00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:17.159 It's the weak people who are pushy and rude and 35 00:02:17.319 --> 00:02:21.240 mean and gossip. Those are weak people, he said. The 36 00:02:21.400 --> 00:02:26.319 truly strong people in life are the gentle, and the 37 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:30.080 world will be theirs. Now, I want you to write 38 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:32.439 down a definition. This is not the first fill in, 39 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:35.520 so don't put it on that line. He's gonna have 40 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:36.719 to write it somewhere else. 41 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:37.400 On the outline. 42 00:02:37.560 --> 00:02:40.080 But let me give you a true definition of gentleness. 43 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:46.919 It's here on the screen. Gentleness is strength under control. Gentleness, 44 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:51.599 the Bible teaches real gentleness is not weakness, but rather 45 00:02:51.719 --> 00:02:57.520 it's strength under control. A gentle person does not over react. 46 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:01.360 A gentle person is not driven by their own emotions. 47 00:03:01.639 --> 00:03:05.400 A gentle person is not someone who just is so 48 00:03:05.560 --> 00:03:08.719 moody and anything can let them fly off the handle. 49 00:03:09.080 --> 00:03:16.159 Gentleman person is strength under control. The Greek word in 50 00:03:16.240 --> 00:03:20.840 the Bible for gentleness is the word pratase pratase In 51 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:23.719 the old translations of the Bible. In English, it is 52 00:03:23.800 --> 00:03:28.360 translated as the word meek meek. Now nobody uses that 53 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:31.759 word anymore because meek has become a synonym for weak, 54 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:37.560 and gentleness or protease is anything but weak. In fact, 55 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:40.719 the word pratase or gentleness in the Bible was actually 56 00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:42.639 used to refer to a wild. 57 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:43.919 Stallion that had been tamed. 58 00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:46.879 If you go out into the fields or in the 59 00:03:47.000 --> 00:03:52.400 hills and you find a wild stallion who's strong and unbridled, 60 00:03:52.599 --> 00:03:54.719 and they have enormous strength, and they could kick you 61 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:57.360 and kill you pretty quickly. But if you bring that 62 00:03:57.560 --> 00:04:01.319 stallion back and you tame it, then the strength is 63 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:04.879 brought under control. The strength is bottled up for the 64 00:04:04.919 --> 00:04:10.120 master's use, and now it's useful. A tamed horse is 65 00:04:10.280 --> 00:04:13.840 no less strong than a wild horse. It has just 66 00:04:13.879 --> 00:04:16.879 as much strength. It can go just as fast. But 67 00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:20.240 a tamed horse, a proud taste horse, a meek horse, 68 00:04:20.279 --> 00:04:25.279 a gentle horse, is one that it is strength under control. 69 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:28.279 It is bottled up for the master's use. 70 00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:33.000 And when you learn true gentleness as a man of God, 71 00:04:33.319 --> 00:04:36.319 when you learn true gentleness as a woman of God, 72 00:04:36.519 --> 00:04:39.199 it doesn't mean you're weak. It doesn't mean you're a doormat, 73 00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:42.240 It doesn't mean you're any of those things that you 74 00:04:42.360 --> 00:04:47.680 might think meekness or gentleness means. It means you're not overreacting, 75 00:04:48.360 --> 00:04:52.279 you're in control of your emotions, and you have strength 76 00:04:52.680 --> 00:04:53.639 under control. 77 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:55.199 Now to day. 78 00:04:55.399 --> 00:04:58.480 I want us to look at the strength of gentleness, 79 00:04:58.519 --> 00:05:01.439 this third key to being blessed by God in your life, 80 00:05:01.480 --> 00:05:04.600 and specifically, I want to give you eight benefits what 81 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:08.360 the Bible says eight benefits of learning gentleness, so that 82 00:05:08.439 --> 00:05:11.199 this week you'll actually begin to work on this quality 83 00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:15.519 in your life. Because once you understand what this quality 84 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:17.360 will do in your life, you're gonna go I want 85 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:19.720 to be a gentle man, or I want to be 86 00:05:19.839 --> 00:05:24.519 a gentle woman because it brings so many blessings in 87 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:25.040 your life. 88 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:27.000 I'm gonna give you eight so we're. 89 00:05:26.839 --> 00:05:28.759 Gonna have to write quick take notes, real quick. 90 00:05:28.839 --> 00:05:29.279 Number one. 91 00:05:29.399 --> 00:05:31.759 Let's get right into it. How learning to be gentle 92 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:35.399 will bless your life? Number one. The Bible teaches gentleness 93 00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:43.839 diffuses conflict. Gentleness diffuses conflict, It de escalates anger, It 94 00:05:44.120 --> 00:05:50.160 curbs anger, It difuses the time bomb in any relationship 95 00:05:50.199 --> 00:05:55.240 that's about to explode. Gentleness is an antidote to anger, 96 00:05:56.480 --> 00:06:00.600 the Bible says in Proverbs fifteen, verse one, A gentle 97 00:06:00.759 --> 00:06:03.759 answer turns away wrath, but. 98 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:06.560 A harsh word stirs up anger. 99 00:06:07.160 --> 00:06:08.959 I don't know if you've noticed this or not, but 100 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:12.319 it is tendency of human beings. You and I tend 101 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:15.959 to mimic the emotions of people across from us. And 102 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:18.839 the reason we do this is because there's created in 103 00:06:18.920 --> 00:06:20.839 your brains. What are now we now know about this. 104 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:23.160 We didn't even know about this years ago. We're in 105 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:26.319 your brain. Are things called mirror neurons in your brain, 106 00:06:26.680 --> 00:06:30.040 and mirror neurons allows you to sympathize and also allow 107 00:06:30.120 --> 00:06:34.160 you to mirror back what other people feel. So, for instance, 108 00:06:34.199 --> 00:06:37.279 if somebody gets angry at you, you get angry back. 109 00:06:37.480 --> 00:06:41.160 If somebody gets upset, you get upset back. If somebody 110 00:06:41.199 --> 00:06:43.480 is really depressed, you hang around them long enough, you 111 00:06:43.519 --> 00:06:47.079 get depressed. On the other side, hand, if somebody's energetic, 112 00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:52.399 you get energetic. That's part of the system. Now, the 113 00:06:52.439 --> 00:06:56.639 Bible says, a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a 114 00:06:56.680 --> 00:06:59.399 harsh word stirs up anger. Let me give you a 115 00:06:59.399 --> 00:07:02.519 little tip that will save you a lot of problems 116 00:07:02.519 --> 00:07:04.600 and a lot of heartache and a lot of conflicts 117 00:07:04.600 --> 00:07:07.959 in your life. When other people raise their voice, you 118 00:07:08.079 --> 00:07:13.199 lower yours. That simple tip will save you from an 119 00:07:13.399 --> 00:07:17.480 enormous amount of conflict in your marriage and your parenting, 120 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:20.879 and your friendships and at work. When other people raise 121 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:24.279 your voice, you need to learn to automatically lower yours. 122 00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:28.800 That's called strength under control. See what happens is usually 123 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:31.360 when somebody raises their voice against you, you raise your 124 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:33.600 voice back, and then they raise their voice higher, and 125 00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:37.199 you raise your voice higher, and pretty soon it's way escalated, 126 00:07:37.240 --> 00:07:41.240 way up here. That means you're out of control of 127 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:44.920 your emotions. Strength under control gentleness means that when they 128 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:49.600 raise their emotions, you lower yours, and you're not going 129 00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:52.439 to mimic and mock them. Here's a good verse. You're 130 00:07:52.439 --> 00:07:54.480 gonna need someday. Maybe some of you need it this week. 131 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:58.879 Ecclesiastes ten to four. If your boss is angry with you, 132 00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:04.399 don't quit. If your boss is angry with you, don't quit. 133 00:08:04.759 --> 00:08:10.399 A gentle a quiet, gentle spirit can overcome even great mistakes. 134 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:11.879 You see, when your. 135 00:08:11.720 --> 00:08:16.199 Boss rips one on you and just let her let it, 136 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:19.199 let's it rip and just kind of vomits on you 137 00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:22.519 bad and really gets mad at you, you need to 138 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:25.879 first realize it may not be anything have anything to 139 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:28.800 do with you. They may have just got a bad 140 00:08:28.839 --> 00:08:32.399 phone call. They may receiving pressure from their boss. They 141 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:35.399 may have a bad situation at home, They may eate 142 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:36.279 a bad pizza. 143 00:08:36.600 --> 00:08:38.320 It could be any number of things. 144 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:41.279 And now they're turning to the person's closest to them, 145 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:43.559 which is somebody who works for them, and they just 146 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:45.960 kind of vent on you. And a lot of times 147 00:08:45.960 --> 00:08:49.519 that has nothing to do with you. And he says, 148 00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:53.480 when your boss gets angry at you, he don't get 149 00:08:53.519 --> 00:08:54.159 angry back. 150 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:55.840 But be don't walk away either. 151 00:08:57.039 --> 00:09:01.039 Just hang in there, because it says a quiet spirit 152 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:06.399 can overcome even great mistakes. Number two, Gentleness not only 153 00:09:06.440 --> 00:09:10.279 difuses anger. Gentleness this is a big one disarms critics. 154 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:16.919 It disarms critics. Now, the more successful you are in life, 155 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:18.320 the more critics. 156 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:18.480 You're going to have. 157 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:21.399 If you don't do anything with your life, nobody's going 158 00:09:21.480 --> 00:09:25.840 to criticize you. The only way to not be criticized 159 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:29.639 do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. But if you actually 160 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:33.039 stand for something instead of falling for anything, you're going 161 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:43.720 to be criticized. Friends, if you're having trouble staying consistent 162 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:46.879 in your Bible study and quiet time, one thing you 163 00:09:46.919 --> 00:09:50.799 can do is have the Daily Hope devotional and podcast 164 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:54.000 emailed to you every single day. Did you know that? 165 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:58.120 Now each devotional, each daily devotional gives you a Bible 166 00:09:58.200 --> 00:10:02.279 verse and both a written and an audio teaching about 167 00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:05.360 that verse. Now I mention this because that's exactly what 168 00:10:05.480 --> 00:10:09.120 one of my listeners has done. Marla wrote me, and 169 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:12.879 she says that getting Daily Hope devotionals have helped deepen 170 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:16.159 her relationship with the Lord and helped her be more consistent. 171 00:10:16.519 --> 00:10:20.039 Marla writes this, Hello Pastor Rick, I've been a Christian 172 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:21.799 all my life, but I felt lost for the past 173 00:10:21.879 --> 00:10:25.440 few years. But a friend of mine told me about 174 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:28.759 your Daily Hope emails, and I've been getting them for 175 00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:32.279 about a month now. I read them every morning, and 176 00:10:32.360 --> 00:10:35.919 my meditation and prayer practices have become more regular and 177 00:10:36.039 --> 00:10:40.159 definitely more meaningful. My relationship to God has grown because 178 00:10:40.200 --> 00:10:44.120 of you and the Daily Hope ministry. I now listen 179 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:47.000 to your podcast every day on my way to or 180 00:10:47.080 --> 00:10:51.399 from work, and I love it. They have really helped 181 00:10:51.399 --> 00:10:53.480 me as a mother, as a wife, as a boss, 182 00:10:53.879 --> 00:10:56.600 and as a friend. So I'm going to share them 183 00:10:56.799 --> 00:11:00.519 with my oldest daughter, who's nineteen. She's trying to find 184 00:11:00.519 --> 00:11:03.200 friends and find her way in college. So thank you, 185 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:07.679 thank you, thank you well, thank you, Marla, thank you 186 00:11:07.720 --> 00:11:11.399 for writing. I'm so encouraged to hear how God uses 187 00:11:11.480 --> 00:11:14.799 Daily Hope to change lives and help people just like 188 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:17.799 you grow closer to Him. You know, I think it's 189 00:11:17.799 --> 00:11:21.399 great that you are sharing your Daily Hope podcast with 190 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:24.039 your daughter, and I would invite all of our listeners 191 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:26.159 to do this. I have no doubt that she is 192 00:11:26.200 --> 00:11:28.919 going to learn to lean on the Lord, and as 193 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:32.840 she does that, she'll develop biblical discernment that means knowing 194 00:11:33.159 --> 00:11:36.360 which way to go and who to relate to, and 195 00:11:36.399 --> 00:11:39.279 it's going to help her find her way in college. 196 00:11:40.279 --> 00:11:43.759 All of these podcasts are free. And the reason we're 197 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:46.679 able to do that is because the generous gifts from 198 00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:49.840 listeners like you. So those of you who are supporting 199 00:11:49.960 --> 00:11:51.879 us financially a million. 200 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:52.360 Thanks. 201 00:11:52.600 --> 00:11:57.000 You're making a difference, You're changing lives. Your gifts are 202 00:11:57.080 --> 00:12:00.919 causing people to come into the Kingdom, grow in Christ 203 00:12:01.320 --> 00:12:03.080 and become all God intended for them to be. 204 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:07.440 Hey, would you like to help support the ministry of 205 00:12:07.559 --> 00:12:11.320 Daily Hope. Well, it's easy, just scan the QR code 206 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:16.519 or go to dailyhopetv dot com. 207 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:19.159 Now, how do you handle the critics in your life? 208 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:23.159 People who gossip against you at school, at work, in 209 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:26.159 your neighborhood, the people who malign you, who say bad 210 00:12:26.200 --> 00:12:30.159 things against against you. Here's the point. When you respond 211 00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:36.080 in gentleness, it disarms your critics. Why, it actually disappoints them. 212 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:44.039 Because when somebody criticizes you on social media, they're trolling friends, 213 00:12:44.919 --> 00:12:47.879 They're they're trolling. They want to hook you, and they 214 00:12:47.879 --> 00:12:51.360 want you and they they're expecting you to get mad back. 215 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:55.279 They're expecting you and and they want you to be 216 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:58.320 defensive and they want you to get angry. Now, let 217 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:02.279 me explain the psychology behind this. There is actually an 218 00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:05.440 anger addiction that is as real as any other addiction. 219 00:13:05.960 --> 00:13:09.759 Some people are addicted to the feeling of anger. It's 220 00:13:09.799 --> 00:13:14.679 the only way they feel alive. And they live in 221 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:18.120 such a depressed state. They're living in so much depression 222 00:13:18.120 --> 00:13:21.639 in their life. The only way they can actually feel good, 223 00:13:21.799 --> 00:13:24.600 or feel alive, or feel energetic is to get mad 224 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:28.519 at somebody. Those people are always looking for a fight. 225 00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:32.720 You know who I'm talking about. Don't look at them, 226 00:13:34.440 --> 00:13:36.320 but you know who they are. Maybe you had a 227 00:13:36.360 --> 00:13:39.360 parent like that, you know, maybe you married somebody like that. 228 00:13:39.399 --> 00:13:41.440 Maybe I had a boyfriend like that, And it's just like, 229 00:13:41.559 --> 00:13:44.320 why are you looking for a fight? Because some people 230 00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:48.720 actually don't feel very good until they get angry. And 231 00:13:48.759 --> 00:13:52.600 when they get angry, then what happens is it energizes 232 00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:53.480 them and they. 233 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:55.639 Feel a whole lot better. Does that make sense? 234 00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:59.919 So you cannot let that let them pull you in, 235 00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:04.639 because somebody's going to say something to you on Instagram 236 00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:07.639 or Google Plus or Facebook or something, Twitter or something, 237 00:14:07.879 --> 00:14:10.759 and if you respond, they go up hook them. 238 00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:12.960 Now, I'm just gonna reel them in, and. 239 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:16.200 They feel so good because they love getting in a fight. 240 00:14:16.759 --> 00:14:19.799 What do you do in those situations? One Corinthians four thirteen. 241 00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:25.200 Paul says, here's what he does. We respond gently when 242 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:28.120 evil things are said about us. In other words, we 243 00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:32.440 don't retaliate, We don't get back. You see, if somebody 244 00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:35.159 hurts you, that puts them below you. If you get even, 245 00:14:35.240 --> 00:14:37.639 it puts you even. But if you respond gently, it 246 00:14:37.639 --> 00:14:41.200 actually puts you morally superior to them. And Paul says, 247 00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:45.679 we respond gently even when evil things are said about us. 248 00:14:46.840 --> 00:14:51.279 Titus two eight says this, your conversation should be so sensible, 249 00:14:51.320 --> 00:14:55.600 in other words, it's gentle, it's kind, it's sensitive and 250 00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:58.919 sensible that anyone who wants to argue, in other words, 251 00:14:58.919 --> 00:15:02.720 with you will be ashamed because there won't be anything 252 00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:04.519 to criticize in. 253 00:15:04.600 --> 00:15:08.159 Anything you say. 254 00:15:08.200 --> 00:15:12.639 Did you know that, as your pastor, I am forbidden 255 00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:16.720 by God to get into arguments. There are multiple passages 256 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:20.879 in a scripture that says a pastor must never argue. Now, 257 00:15:20.919 --> 00:15:23.120 I know a lot of pastors who do, and they 258 00:15:23.159 --> 00:15:26.360 just violate that scripture. But the Bible says a pastor 259 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:31.559 should never get caught brought into a heated argument or debate, 260 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:35.320 and says it says, I am commanded by God to 261 00:15:35.399 --> 00:15:38.840 be gentle in every situation. So this is equality I've 262 00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:41.639 had to learn in ministry. Let me show you verse. 263 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:45.159 It's up there on the screen two Timothy, two twenty five. 264 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:48.120 This is one of many, it says, and the Lord's servant. 265 00:15:48.200 --> 00:15:51.120 It's talking about pastors. It gives the qualifications for being 266 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:53.600 a pastor, and it says one of them is the 267 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:56.159 Lord's servant must never quarrel. 268 00:15:56.919 --> 00:15:59.799 Look at that. I am not allowed to quarrel according 269 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:00.440 to the Bible. 270 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:05.799 Instead, he must be kind and gentle with everyone he 271 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:11.320 agrees with. No, he must be kind and gentle with 272 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:15.039 everyone in his political party. Now then say that he 273 00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:18.399 must be kind and gentle with everyone who is a Christian. 274 00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:23.080 And then say that it says with everyone. Does that 275 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:27.639 include other religions? Yes, includes atheists, Yes, people with the 276 00:16:27.679 --> 00:16:31.039 lifestyle I disagree with. Yes, I am to be kind 277 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:32.679 and gentle with everybody. 278 00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:36.039 I am forbidden to quarrel with anybody. 279 00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:40.759 It says they must be able to teach effectively a pastor, 280 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:44.000 and they must be patient with difficult people. 281 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:47.480 That means you. Then it says. 282 00:16:49.159 --> 00:16:55.759 It is those who oppose him. He must gently instruct gently. 283 00:16:55.799 --> 00:16:59.039 There's that word gentle. He must gently instruct in the 284 00:16:59.080 --> 00:17:02.480 hope that God will grant them repentance, leading them to. 285 00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:03.480 Know the truth. 286 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:05.599 I don't know if you've noticed this or not, but 287 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:09.440 I get criticized every once in a while, in fact 288 00:17:09.480 --> 00:17:13.240 all the time, and most of it's just total nonsense. 289 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:15.200 It makes no sense at all. And when I read it, 290 00:17:15.240 --> 00:17:17.319 I go, why would they criticize me for that? That's 291 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:19.480 not true. I know the stuff they should criticize me. 292 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:21.960 They should ask me, and then they could criticize the 293 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:26.119 real things that I'm worthy of criticism about. But I 294 00:17:26.160 --> 00:17:30.119 am not allowed to retaliate in any way. It's why 295 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:33.599 I never ever ever fight back with critics. 296 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:35.519 Never. I just don't do it. 297 00:17:36.119 --> 00:17:40.640 Why the Bible says gentleness disarms critics, and so I 298 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:44.279 constantly ask God for a tough skin and a tender heart. 299 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:47.559 And that's what you need to do. You need to say, God, 300 00:17:47.720 --> 00:17:49.839 give me a tough skin. So when people say stuff 301 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:51.559 about me, it just rolls off my back. I don't 302 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:54.599 let it bother me. But I have a tender heart. 303 00:17:54.599 --> 00:17:56.559 You don't want a tough heart. You want a tender 304 00:17:56.599 --> 00:18:01.200 heart and a tough skin. What's really funny is because 305 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:04.880 God says blesses God blesses those who are gentle. The 306 00:18:04.920 --> 00:18:08.400 whole earth belongs to them. Some of my biggest critics 307 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:12.240 have actually become some of my best friends because I 308 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:16.160 would not retaliate. I only responded in gentleness. Here's a 309 00:18:16.279 --> 00:18:22.039 real important one. Gentleness is persuasive. The Bible says gentleness 310 00:18:22.480 --> 00:18:27.039 is persuasive. Now, this is extremely important if you happen 311 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:28.759 to make a career in sales. 312 00:18:29.319 --> 00:18:29.799 If you're a. 313 00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:32.720 Salesman, a saleswoman you have to sell a product or 314 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:37.880 a service, you definitely need to learn gentleness. Why because 315 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:41.839 the hard sell no longer works. It used to be 316 00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:45.079 the way you got people's attention in the world was 317 00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:49.680 to be the loudest advertisement. And all you had to 318 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:52.640 do was be loud and fast and hard and strong, 319 00:18:52.839 --> 00:18:56.000 and people go, Okay, I'll buy I'll buy a vacuum cleaner. 320 00:18:56.799 --> 00:19:00.440 You know, okay, i'll buy your computer, I'll buy your car. 321 00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:06.160 None of that works anymore. I mean, you know, there 322 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:08.519 were these guys used to be on TV to sell cars, 323 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:11.440 and they talked real loud and real fast. Hi, my 324 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:14.160 name's Kyl Worthington, and my dogs spot and they start 325 00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:16.319 to go see cow go see cow go see cown. 326 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:18.079 You need to buy this right now, only ninety nine 327 00:19:18.119 --> 00:19:18.519 ninety five. 328 00:19:18.519 --> 00:19:20.559 And but wait, we'll throw on the gunzo knife. But wait, 329 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:24.039 and then you know and you're going not a chance. 330 00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:26.720 I'm not going to go see that guy. In fact, 331 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:30.359 when somebody comes on really hard and really forceful, what's 332 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:31.400 your automatic reaction? 333 00:19:31.799 --> 00:19:32.480 Back off? 334 00:19:33.960 --> 00:19:37.279 No way am I buying anything from that person today? 335 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:40.559 The heart selt no longer works. In fact, advertising doesn't 336 00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:44.880 work anymore. What works is gentleness. Let me show you 337 00:19:44.920 --> 00:19:50.200 some verses. Priverers twenty five, verse fifteen says gentle speech 338 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:55.000 can break down rigid defenses. So you want to convince 339 00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:58.720 your girlfriend, your boyfriend, your husband, your wife, your parents 340 00:19:58.759 --> 00:20:01.160 to do something, not the hard cell. 341 00:20:01.240 --> 00:20:02.000 That's not gonna work. 342 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:07.480 Gentle speech breaks down rigid defenses. The New Century version 343 00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:11.880 says a gentle word can get through to the hard headed. 344 00:20:12.759 --> 00:20:16.559 And so if you're a parent, screaming at your child 345 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:22.000 never works, never works. You never discipline in anger, and 346 00:20:22.039 --> 00:20:25.519 you never discipline in frustration. You always discipline in love, 347 00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:30.759 and you do it gently. Because screaming never works. All 348 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:33.680 it does is create fear and resentment in the person 349 00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:36.759 you're screaming at and they get defensive and they put 350 00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:37.039 it up. 351 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:38.039 You know, if I want. 352 00:20:37.880 --> 00:20:41.799 To persuade you to live more for Jesus Christ, I 353 00:20:41.880 --> 00:20:44.839 must do it in a gentle way. So I could 354 00:20:44.839 --> 00:20:48.440 stand up here every Sunday evening and say, let me 355 00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:50.160 tell you all the things you're doing wrong. 356 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:52.319 And what would you do? 357 00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:56.559 You just build emotional bears and forget rip and you 358 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:59.200 probably stop coming you go. You wouldn't say, hey, let's 359 00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:01.359 go to Saddleback Sunday night and have Rick tell us 360 00:21:01.400 --> 00:21:02.359 what bad people we are. 361 00:21:04.279 --> 00:21:05.359 That doesn't work. 362 00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:08.559 It doesn't work in the pulpit, it doesn't work in 363 00:21:08.599 --> 00:21:12.440 the house, it doesn't work in as a teacher. Nagging 364 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:18.240 never works. But gentleness is persuasions. A gentle word can 365 00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:21.200 get through to the hard headed. You say it gently. 366 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:22.200 Look at this verse. 367 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:22.839 I love it. 368 00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:29.640 In the contemporary English version says patience and gentle talk 369 00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:36.480 can convince a ruler and overcome any problem. That's what 370 00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:37.960 the Bible says. Now leave that verse up there for 371 00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:40.319 a minute. See that word ruler. Let me give you 372 00:21:40.359 --> 00:21:43.279 a little tip on Bible study. Anytime you see the 373 00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:48.400 word ruler in the Bible, you translate it boss. Because 374 00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:50.839 we don't have rulers. Today we're in a democracy. We 375 00:21:50.880 --> 00:21:53.119 don't have kings. We don't have queens, we don't have 376 00:21:53.160 --> 00:21:56.119 lords and ladies and counts and vassals. We don't have 377 00:21:56.279 --> 00:22:00.200 kings and rulers. Nobody rules over you. But everybody has 378 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.720 a boss, and we all have to work under supervision 379 00:22:03.880 --> 00:22:05.880 at different times in our life. So anytime you see 380 00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:11.400 the word ruler or king in the Bible, just translated CEO, boss, manager, 381 00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:16.039 the supervisor over me. Patience and gentle talk can convince 382 00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:23.920 your supervisor and overcome any problem. Why, because gentleness is persuasive. 383 00:22:24.039 --> 00:22:26.440 Look at the next verse. The Bible says in Proverbs 384 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:33.079 sixteen twenty one, a wise mature person is known for understanding. 385 00:22:33.559 --> 00:22:39.559 The more pleasant his words, the more persuasive he is. Now, 386 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:43.200 circle the word pleasant, and circle the word persuasive, and 387 00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:45.839 draw a line between them. Because if you want to 388 00:22:45.880 --> 00:22:49.119 be persuasive, if you want to persuade people of your idea, 389 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:54.119 your product, your service, your faith, or anything else, you 390 00:22:54.279 --> 00:23:00.119 must be pleasant pleasant. The more pleasant is words, more 391 00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:03.240 persuasive is now. This is the mark of maturity. Wise 392 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:09.880 mature people are pleasant. Fools and idiots are rude. Fools 393 00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:14.480 and idiots are rude. They're crass, they're crude, they're not pleasant, 394 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:19.200 they're unpleasant, and they speak in rude, crude ways. The 395 00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:22.440 more mature, the more wise you are, the more pleasant, 396 00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:24.839 the more positive your speech is going to be. 397 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:26.200 If your speech is. 398 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:30.079 Negative, negative, negative, negative, negative, guess what, you're not that smart, 399 00:23:31.480 --> 00:23:34.440 you're not wise, and you certainly aren't mature. Because the 400 00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:37.480 more wise and mature you are, the more pleasant your 401 00:23:37.480 --> 00:23:37.960