Believeth

Turn your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chap 13. 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and:es 4-8. Again, 1 Corinthians 13:es 4-8. We've been going through this whole series looking at each of the characteristics of love in this series. And I hope it's been helpful to you and that you're applying in your life. And as we look there again in verse number four, it says that charity or love suffereth long and is kind. Charity envth not. Charity vaunted not itself is not puffed up. Sorry about that. Does not behave itself unseemly. Seketh not her own. Is not easily provoked. Thinkketh no evil. Rejoices not iniquity but rejoices in the truth.

Believe beareth all things. Believeth all things. Hopeeth all things. Endureth all things. Charity or love never fails. Now today we're going to look at that second one in verse number seven. We talked about last week how that love beareth all things. And the idea of to bear things is to to hold up in as you deal with things with in your relationships with other people. So often in your marriage and other relationships, there's things that the other person does that just frustrate you and irritate you and bother you. And sometimes they're just little things like maybe your husband leaving the socks on the floor or sometimes they're big things.

And and in our relationship, we have to learn that I need to be willing to bear these things. Uh to hold up under these things. And the the word beareth also means to cover. Uh the Bible says that love coverth the multitude of sins. And when you look at that person, not to focus on what's wrong, but to focus on what's good and and to realize that I I need to cover over those things. Doesn't mean ignoring them. It doesn't mean that it's okay for them to do that, but it means not making that the focus of your relationship and and realizing that there's some things that we just have to bear with one another in our relationships.

And then it says that love believeth all things. And that's what I want to look at tonight today is uh the idea of believing all things. And and when the Bible says to believe, what it's saying here is to believe the best in the other person. So often what we do is we believe the worst. They did that because they wanted to hurt me. They did that because of this reason or that reason. And we we believe the worst in them instead of believing the best. And so often the things that other people do, it's because of their personality, maybe because of the way they were raised. Uh it's because of other things.

It's not they're doing it intentionally and on purpose, but to believe the best in that person. And and so when you look at the word believe, it starts with the word be. And in order to believe, you've got to be. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 17, the Bible says, "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new." And you need to be in Christ. You need to be the person that God wants you to be. You've heard me say this statement. I'll say it again. And that is, I can do all the right things and not be the right person.

But I cannot be the right person and not do the right things. You see, if I'm going to believe the best in the other person, it starts by being a new creature in Christ. And it's realizing that it's not just what I do, but it comes from what I am. And that means I need to be living right. Go over to Matthew 7, if you would, please. Matthew chapter 7 and look at verses number 3-5. Matthew chapter 7 and beginning with verse number three. And why beholdest thou the moat that is in thy brother's eye? But considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, let me pull out the moat out of thine eye, and behold, a beam is in thine eye.

And then thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then thou shalt clearly see to cast out the boat out of thy brother's eye. And so in order to deal with my relationships with others, I've got to be living right. I I've got to consider myself. Go over to Galatians chapter 6. Galatians chapter 6 and look at verses 1-5. Galatians chapter 6 and beginning with verse number one. Galatians 6:1 says, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken and eval, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear one his burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

For if man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoice in himself alone and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden." And so in this passage says in verse number one at the end of the verse says considering thyself lest thou also be tempted. And so as I'm looking at the problems in my relationship and with this other person I have to start by making sure I look at the beam in my own own eye. I I've got to consider myself. Uh are there things in my life that I need to get right with God and that person?

Before you get mad at that person, before you get upset with them, before you start looking at their problems, you've got to start by saying, "Is there something in my life that's not right with God? Is there something in my life that's not right with that person?" And then I also have to ask myself this question. Have I contributed to the problem? So often what we're mad at the other person about is partly because of what we're doing. Either our response or uh the way we're acting is causing them to do what they're doing. Am I contributing to the problem? We talked about this a little bit last week and that I've always got to look at any situation.

I always have a percentage that I need to take ownership of. No matter what it is, there's always a percentage. It might be only 10% that I'm responsible for. It might be 50% my responsibility or it might be more or less. But I've got to look at what am I doing in this relationship? What am I doing that's contributing to this problem? And sometimes I need to look also at am I making the problem worse by my emotional response in the flesh. So often we have a problem within a person. What happens is we respond in the flesh instead of in the spirit. And because of our response, it causes that situation to be even worse.

So I've got to start by considering myself. I I've got to start by taking care of the beam in my own eye as well. In James 1 20 it says, "For the wrath of man workketh not. the righteousness of God. And so often when somebody's doing something that would that bothers us, doing something that affects us, how do we what do we do? We react in the flesh. And reacting in the flesh does not work the righteousness of God. I I've got to react correctly and to that person's actions as well. Then go over to Psalms chapter 139. Psalms chapter 139 and:es 23 and 24. Psalms chapter 139 and:es 23 and 24. Psalms 139:23 says, "Search me, oh God, and know my heart.

Try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting." And so when I'm having a problem with that person, whether it's my spouse or a family member or a friend or whoever it is, when I'm having a problem with them, the first thing I need to do is say, "God, show me what's wrong in my life. Show me what I'm doing in this situation. Show me where I am wrong and and get take care of that beam in my own eye." And then go over to Romans chapter 2. Romans chapter 2. I'm going to make you work a little bit here, okay? Romans chapter 2 and look at verses 1-5.

Romans chapter 2 and verses 1-5. Therefore, thou art inexcusable, oh man, whosoever thou art that judges. For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself, for thou that judges does the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according truth against them which commit such things. And think thou this, oh man, that judges them which do such things, and does the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God, or despise thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadth thee to repentance, but after the hardness and repentant heart, treasures up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation the righteous judgment of God.

You see when I have a problem with the other person it is also an opportunity in my life before I start judging them before I start reacting towards them what I need to do is stop and say God is there something that I am doing wrong is there's there's is there a beam in my own eye that I need to take care of God is there do what what do I need to consider in myself and what am I doing before I react to this other person's what they're doing as well. And so when you have a problem with somebody, see it as an opportunity because God says, "Listen, you're judging another, but you should start by judging yourself."

And this is an opportunity for you to see. Is there something in my life? It may not be directly related to what's going on in the situation, but God, is there something in my life that I need to get right with you before I can deal with this situation with this other person? And so I've got to be living right and I've also got to be loving right. Go over to Matthew chapter 5. Matthew chapter 5 and look at verses 43- 48. Matthew chapter 5 and beginning with verse number 43. You have heard that is said, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy." But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be the children of your father, which is in heaven.

For he maketh the Son to rise on the evil, and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just, and on the unjust. For if you love them which love you, what reward have you that do not even the publicans do the same? And you and if you salute your brethren only, what do you more than others? Do not even the publicans so but you be therefore perfect even as your father which is in heaven is perfect. You see what he's saying is listen this person and and you know what the problem is? The person that you're having the problem with is not your enemy. So often it's our spouse. It it's our family member. It's a it's a church member.

It's a friend, a fellow Christian. And and it's not our enemy. God says, "Listen, you need to love your enemies. And if I'm supposed to love my enemies, how much more should I love this person, whatever's going on in that relationship?" Now, that isn't easy. Go over to Luke 6. Luke chapter 6 and look at verses number 27 through35. Luke chapter 6 and beginning with verse number verse number 27 down through verse number 35. Luke 6:27 But I say unto you which which hear love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto them that smite unto him that smiteth thee one cheek, offer also the other, and him that take away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also.

Give to every man that askke of thee, and him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again. And as you would that men should do to you, do you also them likewise. For if you love them which love you, what thank have you? For sinners also love those that love them. And if you do good to them which do good to you, what thank have you? For sinners also do even the same. And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thank have you. For sinners also lend to sinners receive as much again. But love your enemies and do good and lend hoping for nothing again. And your reward shall be great.

You should be the children of the highest. For he's kind unto the unthankful to the evil. See, be therefore merciful as your father also is merciful. See, it's not easy to love those that that are hurting you, those that strike you in the cheek, those that ask you take away from you, those that hurt you in some way. It's not easy to love them. But we need to do that. You see, if it were easy to love them, everybody would do that. Everybody can love those who love them. Everybody can be kind to those that are kind to them. Everybody can give to those that are giving to them. But it takes a godly Christian to give when you're not receiving.

It takes a godly Christian to love when you're not being loved. To be kind when they're not being kind. And so we've got to love right. And that's not easy to do. Now understand love is not condoning. Some people say, "Well, yeah, but if I'm nice to them and love them, they're going to think it's okay what they're doing." It's not condoning. The Bible says in Romans chapter 5 and verse number eight, "But God commendeth his love towards us." And now while we're yet sinners, Christ died for us. If you ever read through your Bible, you've read the minor prophets. And one of the minor prophets is Hosea.

And if you know the story of Hosea, he was married to a woman who kept going uh off and and and going into prostitution. And every time she went off with another man, God would tell Hosea, "Go get her and bring her back. Go get her and bring her back." And and over again, God says, "You need to keep loving her despite what she's doing." And loving somebody does not mean it's okay what they're doing, but it's realizing that we need to love them even in that situation. And and so we need to give back love even for evil. See, we need to be like Christ. In John 15 134 and 35, it says, "A new commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another.

By this shall all men know that you're my disciples if you have love one for another. And God says, listen, you need to love them as I have loved you. And how did God love us? While we're yet sinners, Christ died for us. And so, we need to give love back. Now, the problem is, I don't know about you, but I'm not like Christ like I should be. He's Christ and I'm just a human. I'm just made of flesh. James chapter 2 and verse number one it says this my brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect to persons and what he means by that is is you can't judge people because you can't see their heart Jesus could see their heart and he would know what was going on in their heart no matter what they did on the outside but you and I we can't see into that person's heart and God says listen don't judge them based upon what you think is going on the inside.

So often we have a problem with somebody, we assume they're doing it for the wrong reasons. We assume they're doing it just to hurt us or deliberately cause problems. And and we need to be willing to um let God work in us. In 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse number eight, it says, "Above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." And then in verse number 11, it says, "If any man speak, let him speak is the oracles of God. If any man minister, let him do his ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to him be praised and dominion forever and ever.

Amen. You see what God is saying here is that that we cannot love them but we can through Christ love them. So you you you you and that person is whatever they're doing when there's a problem, we got to go and say, "Listen, I am going to love you despite what is going on." And that's not easy to do. In order to love them, you've got to start by loving Christ. You got to love Christ. You see, it's not just being like Christ. The problem is many of us, we like Jesus, but we don't love him. And the Bible says in 1 John 4:1, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." In verse number 20 and 21, it says, "If a man say, I love God and hateth his brother, he is a liar.

For he that loveth not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom have not seen? And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also?" You see, when you're having a problem with somebody, don't just pray. And and it's good to pray for them, but don't just pray, "Lord, help me to love that person more." When you're having a problem loving somebody, here's what you should pray. God, help me to love you more. Because if we're loving God, then we're going to love others. And I think the challenge is for a lot of us, we we pray, "God, help me to love that guy.

Help me to love her." Uh, and and we pray for that, and that's good. But what we really need to pray is, God, I need to love you more. Because if I love God more, then that love for the other person is going to come because of my love for God. And and so we need to we need to really learn that if we have a problem with somebody, we need to love God more. And so believe starts with being. If you're being the right person, you're going to do the right things. And so when there's a problem, we focus, well, I got to I got to change. And we try to we try in our flesh to do the right thing and we fail every time.

But if we if we find that we can in the love of Christ, we can love that person. But we need to be leave. And so with love sometimes it means leaving. Now go to John chapter 6. What do you mean by leaving pastor? Look at John chapter 6 and look at verse number 66. John chapter 6 and verse number 66 through 69 says, "From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the 12, will you also go away?" Then Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ, the son of the living God."

You see, we need to believe that thou art the Christ. We need to believe that he is the one that is going to work in this situation. So often what we do is we let the actions of other people cause us to leave our relationship with Christ. We get mad at somebody in the church. What do we do? I'm leaving. We we get upset with our spouse. What do we do? I'm leaving. And and immediately our first reaction is to leave. But when instead of believe instead of realizing that I need to be faithful in Christ and so do don't just leave see when the unbelieving one you know in 1 Corinthians chapter 7 you you you'll be amazed at how many times in my counseling with couples uh they come up with they they take me to this verse and and a wife or a husband that's upset and mad at her spouse she says well I'm going to leave him and the Bible says I can cuz 1 Corinthians chapter 7 it says that the unbelie if the unbeliever leaves the believer.

Well, you can't leave him. It says the unbeliever leaves first of all. And and and so uh if the unbeliever leaves, we're free. And and our first reaction is say, "Well, I can leave and I'm free." But you see, that's not what God says. God says to stay. God says to work out this situation. Now, as I've mentioned before, I had a lady come one time and says, "Well, my husband left me and so I'm free, right?" And I said, "Well, wait a minute. Why did he leave?" And I said, "Because you pushed him out the door. You You're the one that pushed him out to leave you. And I I don't think you're free in that situation because that's not what God wants you to do.

God wants you to work through this situation. Have you ever rake leaves?" uh we don't have my when we we were traveling one year in the mainland when my kids were little we stopped over a friend's farm and of and he asked the kids well what do you guys want to do and he says we want to go rake leaves and his kids couldn't believe that they wanted to do that you know but we don't have many leaves here in Hawaii to rake and they wanted to rake a big pile and jump in it and everything and so they went out a great time with that but you know the thing with raking leaves is this is you're raking those leaves but you're looking up there's still some left on the tree right and you're waiting for those last few leaves to fall down.

Uh and and listen, when the leaves haven't come off, don't chop down the tree to get the last couple of leaves. Don't chop down the tree to get the last couple leaves. You remember in Luke chapter 13, remember how there was a tree that wasn't producing fruit and it was only producing a bunch of leaves and and he said to chop it down and and the farmer said, "Well, let me dig it and dung it. Let me work on it and see if we can see some fruit producing this tree." And so often when we have a problem with somebody, we say, "Well, I'll just leave that relationship. I I won't be friends with him anymore.

I I'll I'll leave the marriage or whatever else it might be." We have a problem, we just leave the relationship. And God says, "No, you need to dig it and dung it." That means you need to dig down and get to the root of the problem. That that means you need to uh you need to dung it. You know what dung is you? It's it's manure. It's the compost pile. It's all the garbage. and you take all the problems of the relationship, what you need to do is use those to grow your relationship. You see, if you take fertilizer and throw it at the tree, it's not going to do any good. You you put it down at the root of the problem to help you to grow the relationship.

And I have found in my marriage and my relationships with others that some of the hardest times and some of the biggest problems have been some of the things that have helped us to grow the most in our relationship. And then instead of taking and casting these things, you know, I've said this before that nobody wins the manure fight. You know, my my brother-in-laws would go out in the barn to clean it up and one of them would pick up some manure and throw at the other one and they start throwing at each other and uh you know what? Nobody wins the manure fight. And when you start throwing these things at each other and throwing your problems at each other, it's not going to make it better.

And that's what we do. But if we take those same problems and use them to help grow that relationship to make the relationship better and and it's to realize that uh sometimes you just got to leave it with the Lord. In Psalms 27 13- 14 it says, "I had fainted unless I believe to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage and he shall strengthen our heart. Wait, I say on the Lord. And sometimes when there's a problem with another person, sometimes what we need to do is we need to go to the Lord and say, "Lord, I don't know what to do. So I'm going to leave this with you.

I'm going to wait on you to work in this situation." And we have to trust in him. We have to leave the vengeance to God. Go over to Romans chapter 17. Romans chapter 17. I'm sorry. Romans chapter 12 verse 17. Romans chapter 12 beginning with verse number 17 down through verse 21. Romans 12 verse number 17. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible as much as lith in you, live peacefully with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but neither give place unto wrath. For it is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, sayeth the Lord.

Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him. If he thirst, give him drink. For in doing in doing so, thou shalt say heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. See, so often what we do is we respond back to the other person in a negative way. We respond back in in almost like we're trying to get back at them. And God says, "No, you need to you need to realize that vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord. It it's not your job to get back at them." You see, it's your job to leave that with the Lord. It says in verse number 18, if it be possible as much as lith in you, live peacefully with all men.

Now, you know, I I'll have somebody say, "Well, pastor, you can't live peacefully with that man. I I can't live peacefully with that woman." No, it doesn't say about them. It says about you as much as life and you live peacefully. We want to blame the other person instead of saying, you know what, I've got to do some things to change here. Because when you start changing, then God can start working in their lives as well. When I'm the one trying to get the vengeance, when I'm the one trying to change the other person, I have found that that I can't listen to two people at once. And if my wife is arguing with me and God is working on me, I'm going to argue with the one I think I can win, and that's my wife.

And I'm not going to listen to God. But when my wife says, "Listen, I'm going to let the Lord take care of this." Then God is the one that puts the pressure on. God is the And if I'm not going to listen to God, I'll tell you what, I'm not going to listen to you either. And so I've got to realize that I've got to let God work in their heart. See, forgiveness is for you to give. In First Peter chapter 3:es 8 and 9, finally, be of all one mind, having compassion one of another. Love his brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. um not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing but contrary-wise blessing knowing that you are there unto called that you should inherit a blessing.

See God doesn't want us to get the other person back because that's his job. That's his responsibility to work in their heart. I need to let the Lord do that. In Luke 7:47, "Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins which are many are forgiven. For she loved much, but to whom little is forgiven, the same forgiveth little." Well, pastor, I can't forgive them for what they did. Then you need to go back to the Lord because you need more forgiveness. Because when you have more forgiveness to give is because you've been forgiven. And that's what helps me to believe the best in other people and realize that if God can work in my life, God can also work in their life.

And so I need to be willing to forgive them. So I need to make sure I have enough forgiveness to give. In Matthew 6:12, "And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." You see, the more I am forgiven, the more I can forgive. And it starts with God's forgiveness for me. See, the thing is there'll always be more leaves. See, like whenever I rake leaves, there's always more that come down the next week, and I got to rake them again. I got to rake them again. And there's always going to be something else. In Luke 17:es 3-5, it says, "Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him.

And if you repent, forgive him. And if you trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times they turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him." And the apostles said, "Lord, increase our faith." They understood how hard that is to forgive somebody once, twice, three times, but seven times in one day. In other places, he said, "Forgive us seven times 70." Because that's what we need God's help. This is not something I do in the flesh. It's not something I do myself. And realize we can solve this problem, but you know what? There's going to be another problem because we're made of flesh.

but is believing the best in the other person. In Mark 9:es 23 and 24, it says Jesus said unto him, if thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father, the child cried out and said, Lord, and said with tears, Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief. You know, this is easy to preach. It's easy to preach about bearing all things and believing all things and hoping all things. It's easy to preach, you know, you got to you got to work through these situations, but it's not easy to do. And that's where it takes faith. The apostle said, "Lord, if I'm going to forgive that person again and again and again and again, then I need more faith."

Faith is is not an abstract term. It just means I need more strength from God because that's where faith comes from. And I need you to give me faith, God, that you're going to work in this situation. and you're either going to change that person or you're going to change me. You see, faith starts by believing in Christ. The Bible says in Acts 8:es 36 and 37, "And as they went on their way, they came under certain water." And the unic said, "See, here is water. What do hinder me be baptized?" And Philip said, "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayaest." And he answered and said,"I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God."

You got to start by believing in Jesus. It's believing in him as your savior. It's believing in him as the one that can save you from your sin. Because you really need to really because you realize that other person is not the only sinner. I'm a sinner. In Romans 3:23, it says, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." In Romans 6:23 it says, "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." In John 3:18, it says, "He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already because he had not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God.

He that believeth on the son, verse 36, hath everlasting life. And he that believeth not, the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth in him." You need to understand that you are a sinner. So often when we're in a situation, we see the other person, all the things they're doing wrong, but I'm a sinner and my sin is condemning me to hell without Jesus Christ. It's only by believing in him that I can have salvation. Do you believe in Jesus as your savior? You got to believe that you'll never be good enough. In Ephesians 2:8:9 it says, "For by grace are you saved through faith, that not of yourselves.

It's the gift of God, not of works the same man should boast." You know, you got to believe that you'll never be good enough. You know what one of the problems in a lot of relationships is? is that one person doesn't believe they'll ever be good enough for the other person because you know if I fix this problem there's going to be another problem and another problem and another problem because they'll never be good enough but you see you are never going to be good enough to go to heaven on your own it's not your religion it's not your rituals like baptism or catechism or church membership it's not your own righteousness but it's a relationship with Jesus Christ is believing in him.

If you believe in him, he'll forgive you. Now, so often I people say to me, "Pastor, I could never forgive him for what he did. I could never forgive her for what he did, she did." But God said he will forgive you. He will forgive you of your sins. In Romans 10:es 9 and 10, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God has raised from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth under righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:13, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

You see, you need to believe in Jesus as your savior. I'm thankful the Lord forgives. There's some of you that your spouse, your friend, whoever it is you're having problems with can tell you ask you to forgive him a hundred times. And you may say you forgive him, but you don't. But I'm thankful that God forgives me. In 1 John 1:9, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all righteousness. Folks, love believeth all things. The idea is that it it believes the best in the other person instead of the worst. It believes that there's hope in Jesus Christ.

That love believes that that God can work in their situation, either change that other person or change them. It's believing. But that belief starts with knowing Jesus Christ as your savior. believing in him because without him as your savior, you do not have the love of God. And without the love of God, how can you love that other person? And so it starts by believing. You and I as Christians, we need to choose to believe. Go over to Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2 and beginning with verse number one down through verse number four. Philippians 2:1. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill you my joy, that you be like-minded, having the same love being of one accord of one mind.

Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in loneliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves. Look, not every man his own things, but every man also on the things of others. I I'm an optimist by nature. I I'm the kind of person that want to believe the best in other people, but I'm also a pessimist by reality because I understand man's sin nature. And we need to understand that we deal with people with a sin nature and and that weakness of the flesh and the wickedness in in the heart. In Jeremiah 17:9, it says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.

Who can know it?" So, we need to understand that we're dealing with people that are wicked, that are made of flesh, that struggle with the weaknesses of the flesh. But God says to believe all things. It's not being naive. In Proverbs 14:15, it says, "The simple believeth every word, but the prudent man lookth well to his going." And I know some of you in that relationship, you got somebody that's been doing things over and over again. And every time they say they're sorry, and I'll never do it again. And what do they do? They do it again. It's not being naive. is it's not it's not saying it's okay what they're doing, but it's believing in the grace and the power of God to change people.

As I've often said through the series, what you're asking God to do is to change that person or to change you. Because that person, just like you, has to make a free will choice. They have to choose whether to believe in God. They have to choose whether to do what's right or not. And sometimes that person chooses not to change. But you know who can change is you as much as lith in you live peacefully with all men. And so when I can't believe in the other person anymore, when they've told me over and over again how they're going to they're sorry and they're not going to do it again and I I just get the point I don't believe them anymore.

You know who I can believe in? God. And I can believe in the power and grace of God to change people. God's changed me and God can change you. But whether God changes that other person, what I'm believing is that God will change me. It's not being naive and it's not just allowing them to continue doing what they're doing that's wrong, but it's believing the best rather than the worst. And it's a willingness to go that extra mile. As we read earlier, when they take ask you go a mile, go too. When they take your cloak, give them your shirt. Also, when they strike you, one cheek is turning the other cheek.

It's not accepting the situation, but it's willing to go that extra mile. To believe that there's hope, to believe that God can change even the worst of people. to believe that God will be with you and never leave you nor forsake you. And it's believing the best rather than the worst. Yes, we're sinners by nature and we live in a world of sin. But I'm going to believe that this person doesn't want to do that. You say, "Well, what happens when you believe the best and the worst happens?" That's what we'll look at next week when love hope things. Because even when the worst happens, there's still hope in God.