The Way - Wholesome Words

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Reverend Dr. David Entry. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:13] Be blessed. Today I want to talk about wholesome ways, wholesome ways, wholesome. When we talk about something being wholesome, we mean something that gives health.

[0:23] Something that gives health, something that is healthy. Anything that is healthy, it gives health. It promotes health. It's wholesome.

[0:35] Now, if we talk about health, then we are talking about health is always a matter of life. There cannot be health when there is no life in that sense. So when we talk about healthy ways, we are talking about wholesome ways.

[0:49] When we talk about wholesome ways, we are talking about healthy ways. And healthy ways, we are talking about health that help living. Sorry. Where's the help living? That bring life back into something.

[1:02] So I pray that as we hear about wholesome ways or healthy ways, may health come into your spiritual life. As I said the other time, there are quite a few people or a lot of people who are spiritually diseased.

[1:17] Disased. Diseased. Spiritually diseased. And spiritual disease is more dangerous than physical disease. Because spiritually, if you are diseased, physically, all kinds of things can hit you and manifest physically.

[1:31] But if you are spiritually sound and strong, you'll be able to take charge. By faith, we understand Hebrews chapter 11 that the wells were framed by the word of God. So that things that do appear were not made of things that are seen or that were visible.

[1:48] So the spiritual is responsible for physical. The natural came out of the supernatural. They came from the spiritual. According to John chapter 4 verse 24, God is a spirit.

[2:04] Genesis 1.1. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. So all we see came out of the spirit. So if you can be strong in the spirit, then things around you, physical things, natural things, become subject.

[2:19] That's why when God created man, Bible says that God gave him dominion and said, Have dominion and replenish the earth. I see you having dominion in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

[2:30] So healthy ways. And now, it's part of the teaching on the way. The way. In the previous session, I spoke about the way.

[2:41] The various aspects of the way as has been depicted in the word of God. I said it's also called the way of God. It's also called the way of the Lord.

[2:52] According to Romans chapter, sorry, Acts chapter 18, 25 and 26. It's called the way of the Lord. It's also called the way of God. It's also called the way of peace.

[3:04] It's also called the straight way. According to 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 15. It's also called the way of peace. Right?

[3:14] In John, in Luke chapter 1, verse 79. It's also called the way of peace. Romans 3, 17. So it's the way of peace. It's the way of God. It's the straight way.

[3:26] It's the way of righteousness. In 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 21, it's the way of righteousness, which God willing, I'll say a little bit more about that.

[3:36] Maybe not today in the next session. The way of righteousness. And then, above all, as I said, it is actually the way of truth. It's the way of truth.

[3:46] It's truth that determines and defines our exposure to the truth of God and our assimilation and receiving of the truth of God that determines how we do well in the way.

[3:58] How we do well in the way. So I spoke about how receiving the word of God, it is necessary to receive the word of God to do well in the way.

[4:09] And the word of God must be taught in its purity. Well, the word of God taught in its purity is what we called sound doctrine or healthy doctrine or healthy words.

[4:21] Doctrine means teachings. So healthy teachings, sound teachings, wholesome teachings, wholesome words. So the teachings come through the words.

[4:33] So words bring teachings. So as I'm teaching, I'm speaking words or I can write words to teach.

[4:43] All right. So the teaching, much of the word of God or much of what happens amongst the believers when we gather must be the issuing of God's word. That brings nourishment because even though I said some time ago, a few weeks ago in our teaching that even though it is teaching, it's not just teaching for the sake of mental exercise, but it is teaching for the sake of nourishment and feeding.

[5:08] So the word of God is primarily, fundamentally for feeding, to nourish the spirit of man and to nourish our work in God.

[5:22] So God's word comes for our nourishment, for our nourishment. That is why I said, feed on me. Jesus said, if you don't feed on me, you don't have life.

[5:34] John chapter 6, verse 58 or so. You have to feed on me. And so he said, Paul said to the elders of the church, feed the flock of God.

[5:45] In Acts chapter 20, 28. And in 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 3, verse 3, I shepherd the flock of God. Jesus told Peter, Simon, do you love me more than these things?

[5:56] John chapter 21, verse 15. That was, do you love me more than these things? John chapter 20. He said, feed my lamb. Feed my sheep. All right. So it is about feeding.

[6:07] The word of God is meant for feeding, not just teaching for the sake of communication of facts. It's not just dissemination of information, but it is transference or communication or release of revelation.

[6:29] So the word of God is more about releasing of revelation. It's very important. And it must be that, you see, when we talk about revelation, we have two types of revelation. We have the immediate revelation of God, or which is the general revelation of God, according to Romans chapter 1.

[6:46] Verse 18 and 19 and 20. It says that the invisible attributes of God are clearly seen by the things that are created. As I quoted earlier on, potentially, I think, in Psalm 19.

[6:59] I didn't quote it. In Psalm 19, verse 1, it says, all heavens declare the glory of the Lord. The firmament speak or show forth your glory. So when you look at the skies, you look around you, it is telling something.

[7:13] There's always a statement. Everything that has been created is making a statement about the creator. So you do not have to be schooled to know there's a creator. It doesn't take schooling to teach you there's a creator.

[7:24] Actually, it takes a certain type of education to take away that common sense from you. He takes a certain type of education because, naturally speaking, it is obvious that there is a God behind the world.

[7:42] So we have the general or immediate. It's not mediated. It's an immediate. You don't need someone to tell you. It's an immediate revelation. Without media, the social media, there's a medium through which some information is gone or is disseminated.

[7:59] This one is without media. So immediate, where information is not disseminated through a medium. It is just obvious. So without media, that's the general revelation of God or immediate revelation of God.

[8:15] And we also have the special revelation of God. Now, the difference between the general revelation and special, the general revelation, people can know about God.

[8:28] It is good enough to condemn you, but general revelation can never save anybody. It actually can help condemn a person. All right?

[8:38] So when you look around you, when you look at the skies and everything, the creation, it tells you there's a God who will judge you. You will give account for everything you are doing.

[8:50] That's why the shortcut is to say I'm an atheist, even though it's telling you I don't want to believe it. I choose not to believe it. Most people will say I'm an atheist. If you are able to explain all their questions about God, explain it clearly to them, they will say I still don't want to believe.

[9:05] So it's not about intelligence, as I keep saying. It's not an intellectual argument. It's a moral argument. All right? So it's not intelligence. It's morality.

[9:16] I just don't want to be accountable to anybody. So the immediate revelation is good enough to condemn you, to damn you. It can't save you. It takes the special revelation to save you.

[9:28] That's why Jesus Christ came to help us or to teach us the way, to show us the way. So the Word of God. Without the Word of God, you cannot be saved. You cannot be saved without the Word of God.

[9:41] That's why it's always good to get the Bible opened and teach from the Bible, because we are saved by the Word, and we are sustained by the Word. We are fed by the Word. We are nourished by the Word, and that's what keeps us doing well in the faith.

[9:56] Now, as I said the other time, and I said now, wholesome ways. There need to be wholesome ways. In 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 3, it says that if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome, healthy ways.

[10:12] So if anyone teach otherwise and consent not to healthy ways or wholesome ways, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[10:23] These are the wholesome ways. They are words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Anyone who does not consent to that and the doctrine which accords to godliness. These are the, what, wholesome ways is always in line with the teachings and the dictates of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[10:39] And then 2, it's also in accordance with godliness. When it comes to you, it engenders godliness. It provokes godliness. It produces godliness.

[10:50] Anything that falls short of this is not wholesome. So it can be singing. It can be songs. If the lyrics of the songs fall short of this, it's not wholesome, and it's not actually fundamentally Christian.

[11:05] It may not be evil. It may not be bad, but it's not Christian. Let's get this right. The fact that something is not Christian doesn't mean it's bad.

[11:16] When I say Christian, I'm talking about it produces godliness. It produces God. It's in accordance with the teachings of Christ, and it produces godliness. And anything that produces godliness is the truth.

[11:31] So wholesome ways, watch this, thank you, Holy Spirit, wholesome ways are supposed to communicate the truth, the truth that brings salvation, the truth that brings revelation, not information, as I said earlier on, or not just mental facts.

[11:49] So when I talk about teaching, I'm not talking about communication of mental facts. Even though your mental faculties must be engaged and involved to be able to do well in the way.

[12:03] How can you worship a god you do not know? Jesus said in John chapter 4 verse 21. You can worship a god you do not know. And so, as I quoted earlier, as soon as we went into lockdown, that's one of the strict scriptures that the Lord lays strongly on my heart.

[12:19] They that know their god shall be strong. So if you don't know your god, you can be strong. And when we talk about knowing, we are not talking about, oh, awareness.

[12:30] I'm aware God is there. I'm aware he's the god of Daniel. He's the god of the Bible. No, I'm not talking about awareness. I'm talking about progressive insights into who God is.

[12:42] That can only happen through that communication or teaching of God's word. Sound teaching, sound words based on the word of God and the word alone.

[12:56] I'm not talking about when somebody says that God is telling me, God is, please, please, please, that's not what I'm talking about. That's not what I'm talking about. Oh, the Lord said to me, please, that's not what I'm talking about. God, that's not the wholesome words.

[13:07] I don't, that's not wholesome words. It may not be bad. It might be true. It might be good. But it only gets, become wholesome if it's in accordance with what is written. If it is direct reference in accordance to what is written.

[13:21] And it feeds the spirit. And guess what? Watch this. Feeds the spirit and brings understanding. Brings understanding. It might bring good feeling. It might bring exciting feeling.

[13:33] It might bring some great feelings. But it must bring enlightenment. Until it brings enlightenment, truth has not dawned.

[13:45] So, this is how Paul puts it. In, I reread this the other time, 1 Timothy chapter 2 verse 4. It says that, who will, talking about verse 3, for God, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.

[14:00] Who, talking about God, who will have all men to be saved. That's not all. Being saved is not the end. Who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

[14:14] So, we come to the knowledge and now the truth is not static. It's dynamic. The truth of God is dynamic. In fact, Romans chapter 11 verse 33 talks about all the depths of the riches of the knowledge of God.

[14:28] All the depths of the riches and the knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his ways and his understanding. Something like that.

[14:39] I think so. I don't want to open it. How unsearchable. So, it's deep. God is deep. No one can ever fully comprehend and understand everything about God.

[14:50] We grow from grace to grace. From understanding to understanding. That is why it talks. So, even though your mind is involved, it's not purely a mental exercise.

[15:01] It's the spirit of your mind. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 23 said, Be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind. That is where prayer comes in handy.

[15:12] Because if you are not prayerful and just reading Bible, reading Bible, reading Bible, you will be reading dry. And you will see it. You will see things. Because you need to engage your spirit.

[15:23] Whatever is born of the spirit is spirit. And whatever is born of the flesh is flesh. So, you need to engage your spirit. But the way to be able to effectively engage your spirit is prayer.

[15:33] So, that is what, that is why the apostles in Acts chapter 6, when there was, there was an issue in the church. There was memory in the church, early church.

[15:45] He said, you know what? Let's appoint some people. Verse 4. Get some people who will take care of these things so that we can continually. I like that. That we can, we will give ourselves. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the word.

[16:00] Please watch this. There is no way you can minister with the word if you don't feed the word. If you don't feed on the word yourself, you can't give. The Bible says that what do we have we did not receive.

[16:13] And whatever a man can give is based on what you have received. You see, whatever you have received. We are out of the overflow of what we have received. Sometimes I come here and I'm teaching.

[16:23] And I am all over the place. I'm so excited. I can't see anybody. And I'm, how do I get excited? My excitement is not coming from people around me. People sitting down listening.

[16:34] No. My excitement. I'm getting, this is coming. My, my, I draw strength. I draw joy. The word itself is so loaded in my spirit.

[16:46] It keeps me very excited. It keeps me. That's why sometimes I, that's my style. It doesn't mean everybody must. You know, I, I, I, I feel like screaming. I feel like jumping. The thing is burning in my heart.

[16:58] And the truth is that there's more loaded than I can ever articulate. When, anytime you go deeper into God, you feel so fed. And then out of the overflow of your feeding, you can pour into others.

[17:12] So if you don't feed, that's, that's, that's what keeps, that's what makes pastures dry. Lack of feeding. And when I say feeding, not just reading books. Books are important.

[17:23] Because books are like preaching. Because Bible says that he committed the word of God to, the word of God, which was committed to me, which was manifested through my preaching. So as you preach, the word is manifested, Titus chapter 1, verse 2, or verse 3.

[17:37] The word is manifested through the preaching. All right. So in the same way, preaching and writing of books, they are kind of in a certain way similar. All right.

[17:47] So some things are written. And that's why it's good to read, read other materials. But do not read other things above your reading of God's word. So you read things that will point you to the word.

[17:59] That is explaining the word to you. And you are feeding in the word yourself. Feeding in the word yourself. Feeding on the word. So Paul said that God, who would like all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

[18:11] Titus chapter 1, verse 1. Look, Paul, a servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ. Watch this. I'm an apostle. He said, I am an apostle according to the faith of God's elect.

[18:26] That's those who God has called. God's people. I'm an apostle according to their faith. So I'm an apostle to build people's faith, to help them grow in the Lord, be strong in the Lord, stay in faith.

[18:39] You see? So he said, apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgement of the truth that, Bacchia, thank you, Jesus.

[18:54] The truth that accords with Godliness. That's talking about the healthy truth, wholesome ways, wholesome truth. He said, I'm an apostle according to the faith of God's elect and not just the faith of the people, but the truth.

[19:10] Because faith grows with truth, exposition of the truth. So when the truth becomes, I'm talking about the truth of God. I'm not talking about true or false.

[19:21] I'm talking about the pure word of God. He said, thy word is truth. John 17, 17. Thy word is truth. It is the word of truth. You can't walk in the way of truth without the word of truth.

[19:35] It takes the word of truth to walk in the way of truth. And the way of truth is the fundamental principle or fundamental structure which undergates us walking in the way.

[19:50] So without the word of truth, you actually will not do well in the way. That is why listening to teachings is important. I know people who say, oh, how do these things just get up teaching, teaching, teaching, teaching, teaching, teaching.

[20:04] What again? What again? Oh, wait, there must be prayer. There must be prophecy. There's no prophecy that is as strong as the word. As strong as the word. A lot of people, what they call prophecy is actually something else.

[20:19] It is no New Testament. Some people, what some people call prophecy is no New Testament. It's no New Testament. Because how come we go so far and talking, staying on things that people love to hear, that excite people.

[20:33] And listen, it's dangerous for a congregation to be raised based on excitement on things other than the word of God. It's very easy in a morning days to raise a congregation who get excited through music.

[20:48] Get excited. The excitement and the strength of the congregation is in music. The excitement and the strength of the congregation is in style. It's in ambience.

[20:59] It's in a certain type of relationship. It's in bourgeoisness, poshness. The excitement of the congregation is in location. It's in the grandeur of the auditorium.

[21:12] All those things are so good. Every bit, everything I've said, I've mentioned right now. It's good. It's necessary. But that cannot be the fundamental reason or basis for excitement and joy in the congregation.

[21:25] The joy, true joy, is hinged on God's word. So, if it's not God's word generated, it is a very dry joy and it doesn't last. It's always short-lived.

[21:36] In the time of crisis, the Bible says that with joy they receive the word. Luke chapter 8 verse, when we're talking about the seed, the parable of the sower. I think in the verse 14, it's that there are those who fall, I think, by the wayside are those who when the word comes, sit down still.

[21:52] And then talk about those who fall on the rocks. Yeah. We receive the word with joy. But when the challenges and the troubles of life come, they wither. They wither.

[22:03] Because it is not, it is not, it doesn't have roots in their heart. It's just superficial excitement. You know, so the point I'm making here is that the truth of God's word is cardinal.

[22:18] Even, you see, that's, in the last, in the previous session, I was talking about we have to sing our theology. What does that mean? The songs we are singing, the songs that makes us, the songs that make us happy or that make us tick must be, the ticking mustn't be because the music is so good.

[22:39] It does, it's, good music is good, okay? We have to get some good music. The Bible said, play skillfully. All right? Some, something, some 33 or something. They said, play skillfully on the history.

[22:49] So, we must have good music. But can you imagine? You have good theology back with good music. Old man does, or good instrumentation, or good music.

[23:04] Music. That is what we talk, we talk, we say the songs of Zion. It's good. In fact, just before this session, I was listening to a song. I like that song very much.

[23:15] It says, for God so loved the world that he gave his only son whosoever. When I hear that song, I feel my heart burning. Something is burning.

[23:26] And it's not because of saying I'm blessed, I'm receiving money, I'm receiving. No, no, no. It's just that statement. That statement keeps my heart burning. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever should believe in him.

[23:42] This is, this is, this is the foundation of our faith. I love it. I love it. I love it. It blesses me. So, it's not just the music, but the lyrics keep my heart skipping, skipping.

[23:56] Did our hearts not burn when he spoke to us the word? That is when illumination begins to dawn. So, the word teaching of the truth is so important. The truth must, must always be pushed.

[24:10] And we must always open our hearts and be willing to embrace the truth of God's word. Let me show you in the book of Titus, 1 Timothy chapter 6. I read it, 1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 3.

[24:23] I read it earlier, but let me go back to it again. It's so, this, this scripture is so strong. It says that, If any man teach otherwise and concern not to wholesome words or healthy words, as I taught you, wholesome words, wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, not knowing nothing, but dotting about questions and strifes of words, whereof comes envy, strife, railings, evil surmissings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, destitute of the truth.

[25:03] Did you see that? The truth. When people are bankrupt, as I mentioned earlier, bankrupt of the truth, impoverished of the truth, poor paralyzed of the truth.

[25:14] You see, they don't have the truth. So, the Bible says that there are men, these are men, when they use the word impoverished, or they use the word, the Bible uses the word destitute, means that, bankruptcy means you had something, but you've lost it, you don't have it again, you have to depend on others to sustain you.

[25:33] Bankrupt of the truth. My brothers and sisters, what you can't afford to do, is to be bankrupt of the truth of God's word. And that means, if you don't want to be bankrupt, oh, thank you, Holy Spirit, if you don't want to be bankrupt of the truth of God's word, that means you always have to keep it coming in.

[25:49] The word of God is just like breathing. You always have to, else your body will run out of oxygen. You have to keep breathing, keep breathing. As you keep breathing, you don't say, I've breathed enough, so I'm stopping.

[26:01] That means you are dying. In the same way, the word of God must constantly, it comes into us regularly. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing, by hearing and hearing.

[26:12] They just agree by faith as well. So the word must keep coming in. The word constantly. Every, watch this, every opportunity we get, we get as Christians and believers, once we gather, where two or three are gathered, there must be some way, something about God's word injected into every gathering.

[26:29] The word of God must come. Every gathering of believers, the word of God. You don't have to be a pastor to be able to share what you have seen in scriptures. No, it's not a pastor. The job of pastors is actually to shepherd the flock of God, feed the flock with the word of God and care for them.

[26:46] And usually it helps to oversee a local assembly, making sure that everything is running in the church very well. People are taking care of, people are growing, and there is balance, there is discipline.

[26:58] It goes more than that to be in an office of a pastor. But fundamentally it has to do with teaching or feeding. All right? So, but all of us must, when I meet you and we are talking, we are talking, or when we, two or three of us come together in just casual fellowship, or we are going to have a meeting about something, it's good for believers I've met, there must be a, something, somebody must drop a word from God.

[27:21] When I say a word from God, please don't get me wrong. I'm not saying, somebody will say that, oh, the Lord showed me, the Lord showed me. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, please. I'm not talking about that. I'm not talking about, I'm talking about, let the word, it's bare word, just the word that will nourish somebody.

[27:33] Drop it in. Drop it. It's nice. We have gathered, we are about to have a meeting about ashes. We are about to have a meeting about maybe counselors, a meeting of counselors, or about something about the auditorium.

[27:46] Maybe three of us have met, four of us have met, five of us have met. It's nice, besides prayer, that a word, even if it's two minutes of somebody quoting John 3, 16, for God so loved the world that he gave his own, not in a dry fashion, but in a meaningful fashion from the spirit.

[28:01] Every time we meet, the word of God must have precedence. That gives God the opportunity to operate freely in our life. So it's the word of truth. Now watch this. It said, they are destitute of the truth, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness.

[28:17] I said that the other time. Because they are destitute of the truth, they suppose that, I've got this, I've got this, that means God is with me. But it said, they suppose that God is, from such withdraw yourself.

[28:29] Withdraw yourself from people who are destitute from the truth of God's word. And when I talk about the truth of God's word, I'm talking about the wholesome words that are called godliness. It's very important.

[28:40] 1 Timothy 4, 3 says that, Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from myths, which God has created to be received with thanksgiving of them that believe and know the truth.

[28:54] You see that? It said, Some things are meant to be our benefit, but we can really benefit from it once we are in faith and knowledge of the truth. That believe and know the truth.

[29:07] Them that believe and know the truth. Them that believe and know the truth. Them that believe, and not only them that believe, but them that believe and know the truth. Knowing the truth is what keeps you grounded.

[29:19] It gives you solidity. It gives you stability, solidity, maturity in the things of God. It's not how long a person has been in church that makes them strong in Christ.

[29:31] It's how well a person has fed on God's word and has received the truth of God's word, has been nourished with wholesome ways. This is how the Bible puts it in, I think, Malachi.

[29:44] Malachi 2, verse 7. It says that the mouth of the priest, I think it's here. Malachi 2, verse 7. Yeah, it's here. Malachi 2, verse 7 says that, For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

[30:06] The priest's lips. The pastor's lips. The lips must keep knowledge. People must seek the word of God. Not tell me what God is saying, but as you speak, teach me God's word. Teach me God's word.

[30:17] And then we also continue to teach others. You receive God's word and you pass it on, and you pass it on, and you pass it on. The truth, wholesome ways. And Paul kept warning Timothy. Let's look at wholesome ways.

[30:28] Very important. 2 Timothy 4, verse 3. 2 Timothy 4, verse 3 says that, It says, For the time will come when they will not endure what?

[30:43] Do you see that? Sound doctrine. Yeah, that's wholesome ways. Wholesome doctrine. They won't endure it. Paul said, the scripture said, a time is coming when people are not interested.

[30:54] Just teaching, teaching, teaching, teaching. I'm not interested. Teaching, teaching, teaching, teaching. They are not interested. The Bible said, they are Christians, but they are not interested in it. The teaching of God's word. They won't.

[31:05] That's why sometimes, pastors are forced to do things that keep people excited. People want this. Oh, and some pastors have to say things just to make people enjoy and keep coming.

[31:18] Because the people do not. There are people, we are in a generation where many people are not interested. The Bible says that they will not endure sound doctrine.

[31:28] They will not. They don't like it. They don't like it. In fact, some people will say, I don't like the way that pastor preaches. It's too strong. I just, I just, I just, I just, I just, I just need to go to church and come.

[31:40] I don't want any heavy thing. Uh-huh. You don't want to endure sound doctrine. Wholesome words. That is what makes you do well in God. Wholesome words. Good words.

[31:51] Words that strip you of self and generate godliness, godliness in you. Bible says that it increases.

[32:02] The words that are caught with godliness. It brings more. It makes you want to see more of God. So, um, it says that time will come, but you know what? They will, they will, they will not endure sound truth.

[32:13] But look at verse four. Verse four says that, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall turn unto fables. They turn away. It's like, I don't want to hear that one.

[32:26] I don't want to hear that one. They turn, the truth is coming. The truth. See, because wholesome words is what brings the truth. Wholesome words bring, communicate the truth. I don't want to hear it.

[32:36] I don't want to hear it. I'm not interested. Oh, I can't bother. I'm not interested. Some people can, in certain places, when you say we are going to meet and pray and bind the devil and make sure people will gather.

[32:51] They'll come and pray. They want that demon from their mother's background, that demon from their father's background. See, when you are, you lack the word and the truth of God's way, you'll see demons in everything.

[33:07] Does that mean they don't exist? Oh boy. The Bible speaks about them. Jesus dealt with them always. So they are always existing. In fact, Satan comes to the church to come and work. I will show you that. Satan working in the church.

[33:19] He has been working in the church. And I will show you how he's been working in the church. And so, we can say Satan is not at large and at work. He is. But, as long as the truth of God's word or wholesome words are being spoken and are being heard, it keeps Satan at bay.

[33:35] And the only way the word can nourish your spirit is when it's spoken wholesomely. But watch this. You can come to the place where you are hearing wholesome words, but because of the condition of your heart, the state of your heart, the state of your hands, your hands are sold and you can't be bothered and you are, your hands are in muddy waters, messy waters, and you don't care.

[33:59] You just don't want to stop. It blocks the wholesome words from bringing forth fruits in your life. In 2 Timothy, no, 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 7, look at this.

[34:10] He said, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Mm-hmm. You can't come to the knowledge of the truth. Why? Now, as Janice and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth.

[34:29] Men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith. They resist the truth. Corrupt mind. Certain practices and certain lifestyle will make you, you can learn and learn and learn and learn and never come to the knowledge of the truth.

[34:44] I'm talking about the truth of God's word. It's given by revelation. It comes through wholesome words. You can be hearing wholesome words, but if you are still, you are in sin and you don't, you are not ready, you don't care about, dealing, letting the word of God deal with your sins, letting the word of God help you break out of your sin, but I can't be bothered, I want to.

[35:08] Then, eventually, you block the word of, the wholesome words, healthy words from working your life. And, but the truth is, anyone who keeps, keeps, and if I keep speaking healthy words, strong healthy words, you either run away or that word will produce godliness in you.

[35:25] If I keep preaching, I keep preaching, I keep preaching, I keep preaching, it's like drinking water from water hose, some water you lose. And it's coming, gushing, it will come.

[35:35] We need to release the barrage of healthy words on, to help people who have fallen into a state of coma, spiritual coma. You need the word, you need the word to heat your spirit, to revive you and resuscitate you because there is too much at stake in your life if you continue sleeping.

[35:53] Bible says that, I think Psalm 13 or so, verse 3, I believe, it talks about helping that I do not sleep the sleep of death. Jesus said in Revelation chapter 3, verse 17, about the church of Laodicea.

[36:09] He said you have a name that you are alive but you are dead. That's Revelation chapter 3 from verse 2, 3, that you are dead. And he says that you say you are rich but you are poor.

[36:20] You don't know you are poor. You know, so sometimes we can judge our condition thinking we are fine but really when the truth of God's word comes, it comes to describe and help you to discover where we are or help us to discover where we are.

[36:33] So, back to the point I'm making that Bible says that in fact, in Titus chapter 1, verse 9, holding fast the faithful words as he has been taught.

[36:44] See, the faithful words here is talking about healthy words as he has been taught. Titus chapter 2, verse 1, but speak thou the things which become sound doctrine, sound doctrine, sound doctrine.

[36:55] It's interesting this is so strong in the Bible but if we are not careful we will go silent on these things. Sound doctrine, healthy ways, healthy ways. Speaking, but speaking, sorry, Titus chapter 2, verse 1, but speak thou the things which become sound doctrine, verse 8, look at verse 8, Titus chapter 2, verse 8, sound speech that cannot be condemned, healthy speech.

[37:22] So, see, the Bible kept encouraging sound speech and this is talking to actually a church leader, healthy speech. When you read Titus chapter, 1 Timothy chapter 3, from verse 1, talking about the qualification of a bishop, this is something that might interest you.

[37:38] The qualification of a bishop or a teacher, a leader of church, okay, a leader, church leader, qualification of a church leader, the one who leads a congregation, like in the position of a pastor, an elder, or a bishop.

[37:52] Listen to what the scriptures say. The scriptures say that this is a true saying, if any man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good thing. There are two desires. Desire the office, you are desiring. The second desire is a heart cry, that person, the first desire is attempt to get something.

[38:07] So, who ever desires the office of the bishop, he desires a good thing. A bishop must be blameless, a husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, giving to hospitality, apt to teach.

[38:20] Apt to teach, able to teach. That's apt to teach. It's very important. Why did I bring this? Because, when you look at the qualification of, it goes on, the list goes on.

[38:30] But when you look at the qualification of a deacon, whose job is to serve, he never added teaching. The main difference between the deacon and the bishop is the ability to teach.

[38:42] And now, that teaching is not, when you see, that is the only, out of all the criteria, the ability to teach is the only thing that is not necessarily a gift, or is not necessarily, it's a discipline that a man of God must give himself to.

[39:00] Some people say, but not everybody is called to be a teacher. What are you doing behind the puppet? The puppet is for feeding. Oh, but no, my area, I'm an apostle. So, so you won't read your Bible.

[39:13] Apostle of what? Didn't you see that? Sorry. But at least, didn't you see it says that apostle of Christ for the faith of God is led, and according to the acknowledgement, acknowledgement, title chapter one, verse one, acknowledgement of the truth that are caused with godliness.

[39:29] It's my job to make people acknowledge the truth. If you are evangelist, it's your job to make people acknowledge the truth. If you are a teacher, a pastor, in fact, right text, Ephesians chapter four, verse 12, some will give apostles, some will give evangelists, prophets, some will give evangelists, and the last one said, teaching pastors or pastor teachers usually is two because you can't pastor a church if you can't teach.

[39:54] It said, a bishop must be able, apt to teach. You must be able to teach. In fact, basic Christians are expected to teach because it says that by this time, by the time you ought to be teachers, you need that someone teach you again.

[40:08] the elementary principle. So, at any level, once you are walking in Christ and you are beginning to expose yourself to healthy ways, you should also be able to communicate healthy ways, wholesome ways, wholesome ways.

[40:20] You should be able to communicate. It's not like deep teaching and knowing so much, but the little you know must be healthy enough to be able to also pass it to someone who it will be a blessing.

[40:30] So, the teachings must always go on, but which is different from a congregational teaching by a leader. Okay? You might not be a leader. Don't wait to be a leader before you start.

[40:42] When I got born again, from the very early days I got born again, I started teaching. And I have, I started teaching or sharing God's word as you might call it, alright, with others who have found something and I want to share with them.

[40:54] And others who are younger in the Lord who are growing and I'm helping them grow through the scriptures. I have a lot of people I know who are pastors and bishops who I help them. I taught them how to study the Bible.

[41:05] I taught them the ways of God. I taught them. I showed them. And today, it's a great asset. They are teaching others. So, we pass it on. You are supposed to. Don't we only say, oh, the word was good. The word was good.

[41:15] Pass it on. Talk to others. It's not about argument. Don't engage yourself in unnecessary arguments. You just have to pass the message on. Pass the healthy words.

[41:26] Speak healthy words. When you open your mouth, healthy words must be flowing. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Praise God. So, now, I need, I want to jump straight to, hmm, alright, let's go to 2 Timothy chapter 2.

[41:42] I just want to go to 2 Timothy chapter 2. And, I wanted to show you something, Matthew, but, because of time, let me just take you to 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 14. 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 14 says that, of whom, no, no, sorry, of these things, put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

[42:11] I want to use the English standard version. 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 14. Remind them of these things and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, watch this, which does, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.

[42:34] Where's that ruin people who are hearing? Where's that ruin people? So, now, first of all, we can see the words can ruin the hearers.

[42:44] So, life ruining words. The second one, look at verse 16. Verse 16 says that, but avoid irreverent bubble.

[42:58] So, the second type of words is the irreverent bubble. King James said, profane chatter. Where's that? It doesn't even bring honor to God.

[43:10] It's speaking anyhow. You know, sometimes you are listening to something or maybe on TV or you see a clip somebody shares on Facebook or social media and you watch it, this guy is just blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

[43:22] If you feel like this is nonsense, I'm not interested. That's what we call bubble. Chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter, meaningless, meaningless. Sometimes, you open your ears and you can hear people talking, all kinds of useless wranglings or babblings.

[43:37] It says that, whereas irreverent, and some of it is irreverent, they joke with everything, they undermine everything without proper regard to authority or to things of God speak anyhow.

[43:52] Listen, never get interested in people sitting on social media and constantly picking up and attacking the work of God, attacking some pastors because of this pastor has done this.

[44:05] This pastor, we have to say it, we have to say it, may your skeletons come out. Who has made you another person overseer and judge?

[44:17] But are you trying to say no one should talk about something? I'm not saying no one should talk about, leave those who have been assigned with their responsibility to do this, what you are doing. In what way is it going to increase godliness?

[44:28] In what way is it going to help people? It may end up even subverting and ruining your hearers. It's not everything you need to speak about. So, it says that, but avoid irreverent babble.

[44:42] Watch this, what would they do? So, second type of verse is irreverent babbles. Okay? Profane chatter. It will lead people into more and more ungodliness.

[44:55] So, there are certain words that are called irreverent chatter or irreverent babbles or profane chatter. And you know what it do? It does. It ends up bringing ungodliness among God's people.

[45:09] Worse. Worse. I don't know what you are listening to. It's either increasing ungodliness or it's ruining you. Worse. That's Satan.

[45:21] His job in the church is to make sure he also comes and uses words to ruin. Now, watch this. Look at verse 17. Verse 17 says that, and their talk will spread like gangrene.

[45:34] Their what? Talk. So, there's this words that spread like gangrene. You know what gangrene is? Gangrene is a localized death. So, there is a part of the body that is dead.

[45:47] It's dead. It's just a look up. The body, entire body is not dead, but a part of the body is dead. Localized dead. There's blood circulation is not able to work there and the place is become infectious and sometimes bacterias can infect it because it's dead.

[46:03] and if it is not handled and remedied with seriousness, guess what? It begins to spread to the whole body. Gangrene. It's a localized death. If it's not attended to, it will spread and kill the body.

[46:16] There's the body of Christ has all kinds of pockets of gangrines and there are these words that spread gangrines. Mindful of words that spread gangrene. Gangrene. So, gangrenous words.

[46:27] So, the first ones are words that subvert the hearers. They are, according to verse 14, the first one I spoke about quarrel words, quarrelsome words.

[46:39] They subvert the hearers. Verse 16, irreverent bubble. The, the, um, irreverent bubble, they increase onto ungodliness.

[46:51] And then, the third one is the gangrenous words. They spread like gangrene. And, Bible says that of them are hymenaeus and philetus. What's the impact of gangrenous words? Look at verse 18.

[47:02] Who have sweared, who have sweared from the truth saying that the resurrection has already passed. They are upsetting the faith of many. When you read some other translations it says they have overthrown the faith of many.

[47:15] So, gangrenous words will overthrow the faith. So, it's over, the impact of setting words it can overthrow somebody's faith. It overthrows the faith of people. And then, let's look at the fourth type.

[47:26] I'm talking on five types of words. Four are not, are unwholesome. One is wholesome. The fourth unwholesome word is verse 23. Second Timothy chapter two verse 23.

[47:40] Look at it. Verse 23 says that having, sorry, have nothing to do with foolish and ignorant controversies. Let me read it from the NIV.

[47:52] I like the NIV. In this particular, verse 23 of, it says that do not have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments.

[48:05] Stupid arguments. Foolish and stupid arguments because you know that they produce quarrels. They produce, see the impact?

[48:16] So the arguments, stupid and foolish arguments. We have, I have more money than this and our church is bigger than your church and we are nicer than you and we are better than you.

[48:26] We do more. It are unnecessary to Bible calls stupid and foolish arguments in church among Christians. And you know what it does? Bible said it increases strife, contentions.

[48:39] And then, verse 24, it says that by the man of God, the servant of God must not strife. I think I just spoke to one wife, one husband, one son, one daughter in your house, strifeing.

[48:52] The servant of God, verse 24, I know a lot of people have not seen this. Let me go back to my kid James. Yeah. It says that verse 24 of 2 Timothy chapter 2 said, and the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle to all men apt to teach patience.

[49:11] Did you see that? Able to teach the servant of God. Able to teach. What does he teach? Teaching the words that accord with godliness and build the faith of others. Apt to teach.

[49:22] Watch this. The teaching. Teaching. Teaching has come back again. So, instead of allowing yourself to be involved in stupid arguments and foolish arguments, stupid and foolish, the Bible said it.

[49:34] The Bible, verse 23, let me read it again. It sounds very powerful. But foolish and unlearned questions are void. King James. Foolish and unlearned questions are void.

[49:45] It's not necessary. Certain words don't help. Don't help. Don't get involved. Listen, it's not everything you can get involved in. Now listen to me, brothers and sisters, on social media, please, I'm begging you, if you want to do well in the way, a lot of things you don't have to get involved in on social media.

[50:03] A lot of comments you don't have to join. Don't like some things. Don't like some things. Liking it is a statement. And listening and watching and listening to some things, especially things that are irreverent, attacking the work of God, attacking church, negative stories about churches, negative stories.

[50:23] Some people have taken it upon themselves. They are the major proponents of negative stories about churches. It is not a blessing. It doesn't help the church. It actually subverts. It's different if you have an assignment to be teaching and even that it should be done in the context of God's word and helping people to understand, not because you are attacking a person.

[50:43] That's, that's, that's, that's not, that's not make you another person's judge. I'm talking about where's that bill? Now look at the, where's that bill? And I'll show you, before I go to the, where's that bill, let me show you who is behind all these things.

[50:56] I told you Satan is working in the church. Look at this. In the verse, um, 20, 25. In meekness instructing those who oppose themselves.

[51:07] If God peradventure will give them repentance to the knowledge, to the acknowledging of the truth, you see that they have gone off, but just keep encouraging, speaking to them just in case God will grant them repentance so it results in them acknowledging the truth again and coming back on track.

[51:23] So now they are being brought back on track. That is what good teaching, sound word, bring people back on track. It brings people back on track. And, and if I, this is one of the things I work on myself and believe God, that I should be able to be in prayer and be in tune with God, that when I speak God's word, somebody who feels like backsliding, someone who is sliding on the, on the backsliding slide, he's going down, but hears the word of God and jumps off it and says, no, I'm going back.

[51:54] I'm going to do well. I'm going to, because something is there. Somebody hears the word of God and chooses to do the right thing. Somebody hears the word of God and chooses to walk in righteousness. Somebody hears the word of God and got their strength and receives grace to abandon and turn their back on what is not godly.

[52:10] What is not godly? What does not bring glory to God? What does not build the church? I told you, the fundamental truth is that Christ is the, is God in, in amongst men.

[52:21] Christ is God. That's why other religions struggle, because they can't know this truth. They can't know, how can you say God has a son? How can you say God is a man? Yes, that is the truth.

[52:32] That's the fundamental truth that we are talking about. And every truth of Christianity must be in alignment with that, must align with that. I will show you something in a minute, must align with that. In fact, let me show you once, I've already, 1 Timothy chapter 1, verse 10 and 11 says that, watch this, he said, talking about the law is for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men slayers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.

[53:02] Did you see that? Sound, healthy words. Anything that is contrary to healthy words, the law is to deal with that. Watch this. According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to me.

[53:13] So he's talking about that sound gospel, or sorry, sound doctrine must be in accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God. Anything that is sound must be in accordance.

[53:25] What's the gospel? The gospel is the message about Christ, his person, and his work. That's the gospel. So his person, who he is, son of God, God amongst men, died to his works, died to save us to produce the church, and he's now building the church, and the church is his body.

[53:43] So we are his expression. If you want to do well in Christ, receive sound words that make you do more in church, that make you, not just in church, but for the building of the church, sacrificing there.

[53:55] There are people in Christ who are in Christ because of lack of understanding of Christianity. They find it difficult to sacrifice anything for the building of God's work, for the promotion of God's work.

[54:07] They like what they will do with people who say, well done, you have done very well. But what are you doing in building the church which potentially, the world may not even clap for you, but heaven is clapping for you.

[54:17] It takes sound doctrine, sound understanding, wholesome words to get a proper picture, a proper perspective about Christ and the church. Wholesome words.

[54:28] So as we receive, we are growing in Christ, wholesome words come to us and help us to see, to have a proper perception or perspective about Christ and the church.

[54:40] Christ and the church. And your entire life and Christian life is built on understanding, progressive understanding of who Christ is and what the church is.

[54:52] Hallelujah. The revelation of God. Let me just finish this. Oh boy. I told you I have more. I have more. I have more. I didn't even go on the yeast. I'll continue the next time I end on it. Now watch this.

[55:04] First Timothy, second Timothy chapter two verse, verse, from verse 14, I'm talking about four type of words first one I spoke about, the words, contentious words that subvert the hearers.

[55:19] The second one is verse 16, which are the bubbling, the vein bubbling, profane and vein bubbling, which increase more on godliness. The third one is gangrenous words or words that spread like gangrene, words that spread like cancer or gangrene and what do they do?

[55:38] They subvert or overthrow the faith, verse 18. They overthrow the faith of some. And then the last type of words, the fourth one is foolish and unlearned questions or arguments.

[55:48] What do they do? Their gender strife. Now watch this. I'm showing who was behind it. And it says, speak to, in meekness, instructing those, instructing those that oppose themselves.

[56:01] If God, peradventure, will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth. Oh my God. Thank you, Jesus. Watch this. Verse 26 is very serious. And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil.

[56:15] Ah, so the devil does snare and snare them. Yeah, he's working. Snare of the devil who has taken them captive by him, who are taken captive by him at his will.

[56:27] So he has hijacked them and now he's using these people to produce gangrenous words, to produce divisive words, to produce. So people who, who produce anything outside of wholesome words, they create the platform for Satan to get the results he's wanting.

[56:44] What are his results? Bible says, it increase, it subverts the hearers. Number two, it's, it's increased ungodliness. Number three, it's the gangrenous words, they overthrow the faith of many.

[56:58] Number four, foolish arguments bring strife. That's what Satan is doing. Satan is the one behind it. How do you deal with this? How do you deal with the wholesome words? Let's look at the wholesome words here in chapter, verse 15.

[57:10] So I read 14, 16, but I didn't read verse 15. Now look at verse 15. It says that, but, verse 15 says that, study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed.

[57:22] Watch this, rightly dividing the word of truth. The word is the word of truth. You rightly unfold it. As you rightly unfold it, that is the only way you can be able to counterattack Satan's work that is trying to degrade the church.

[57:37] Satan is working so hard to downgrade the church, to degrade the church, to divert the church from its focus. Working so hard through words, through words. That's why I said, one time that they teach no other thing but wholesome words.

[57:50] Because anything that falls short of wholesome words creates the room for Satan. Creates the room for Satan to invade the church and produce this kind of results we have just seen. It's so important that we give ourselves to wholesome words.

[58:03] Instead, a time is coming when they will not endure wholesome, healthy ways. A time is coming. They will enjoy it, but they will turn their ears away. I read it earlier on 2 Timothy 4.4. They will turn their ears away.

[58:15] They will turn their ears away and unto fables and unto fables. They will turn, because they are not interested. But thou, O man of God, endure, watch thou in distance and endure hardship.

[58:31] Pastor, be strong in God's word. Give yourself. It says that we will give ourselves to the ministry of the word. We will give ourselves to the ministry. When you look at the qualification of a bishop, there is a place where it says praying for people, but it's part of it.

[58:45] Praying for people is not fundamental. You pray yourself and be strong and teach people. When you teach people, you don't have to always call them and pray for them unless on special occasions where the Lord may lead.

[58:56] Or may the equation may demand. But when people always say, oh, pastor, pray for me, depending on pastor, depending on pastor, it's like the pastor is everything for them. So long as spirituality. What kind of spirituality is this?

[59:07] It's not New Testament. It is not New Testament spirituality. Let's cut to the chase. It's not a New Testament Christianity. The New Testament Christianity is when we are all being fed with wholesome ways, healthy ways, growing in the Lord and everyone fulfilling their assignment in God and still within order and getting progressively knowing more of God.

[59:30] They that know their God shall be strong and do exploit. Knowing God from grace to grace, from grace to grace, from grace to grace. I pray that God will help us to know Him progressively, to know Him more and more, to know Him more and more.

[59:43] The next time we come, I'm going to talk about the little leaven, little yeast, leaven, little leaven. I'll talk about little leaven. How little leaven can spoil the whole thing.

[59:56] Leaven, what is the leaven? Leaven, I'll talk about that, little leaven. Don't forget it. I pray that God will help us all. God will help us repent from a heart that turns away from healthy ways.

[60:09] Repent from a heart that will not endure healthy ways and to come back to on track, to receive healthy ways, nourishment that will be strong in serving God and building the church.

[60:21] Serving God and building the church is the same thing. We are called to do what He is doing. We are the body of Christ and His assignment to us is to build His work. It's to build His work. It's to build His work.

[60:32] It's to build, win the souls and build the church. I pray that may God give us grace. May God remember you and give you grace. Anyone whose spiritual life has plummeted and has nose-dived and you're struggling, may you receive grace to be revived through the delivery of God's Word for you to come back alive and on track in Jesus' name.

[60:55] We thank God for using His servant, Reverend Dr. David Entry, to share this awesome word. If this message has blessed you in any way, please spread the word by sharing it and send us an email to amen at karis.org.

[61:08] Remember to stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter for regular updates on what God is doing here at Karis Ministries. Stay blessed. Stay blessed.