Ravens and Doves

In the Old Testament we read of, I just want to mention three examples from the Old Testament. The Old Testament has got pictures of the Holy Spirit. And one picture is when Noah, you know, the ark, the waters had subsided, and Noah didn't know what the condition of the world was outside and he sent out a raven, a crow.

And that raven never came back. And the raven is a picture of the flesh. Why did the raven never come back? And what was there out on the earth? All those precious dead bodies which ravens loved to feast on.

There were dead animals, there were dead human beings, bodies floating around, and the raven just enjoyed. He says, this is great. And that's how a man of the world is.

You send him out of the world and he says, boy, this is wonderful. The opportunities to sin, dead flesh all around. That's the raven.

And then Noah sent out a dove. It's a picture of the Holy Spirit. He rested on Jesus in his baptism.

And the dove came back immediately. What a difference. The dove said, hey, I don't want that.

He looked around, some more dead flesh, I don't want that. He came right back into the ark. That's the mark of a man led by the Holy Spirit.

You see the difference between the flesh and the Spirit right there. It's our attitude to the world. When you go out in the midst of worldly friends, and you enjoy the dirty jokes and the useless conversation, you know pretty soon whether you're a raven or a dove.

The ravens just love it out there with all that death floating around on the waters. But a dove wouldn't touch one of them. It finally brought, when it went out another time, it brought back an olive leaf.

That's what a dove is interested in, peace. Peace with God. Peace in the heart.

And peace with all men. And you know whether you're like that. Ravens love to quarrel.

Doves look for the olive leaf. And you know pretty soon when there's tension and quarreling around, whether you're a raven or a dove. You'll know it yourself, I don't have to tell you.

You'll know it yourself, I don't have to tell you. When you're on the Internet, and you can do amazing things with that little mouse. Take you all over the world.

Take you all types of pictures. There are pictures that ravens love and there are pictures that doves love. And where you click will tell you whether you're a raven or a dove.

And it doesn't matter which church you go to. We can all act holy here on Sunday morning. And look like the most pious people on earth.

But it's where you click the mouse during the week. But it's where you click the mouse during the week. You'll know it yourself, I don't have to tell you.

You'll know it yourself, I don't have to tell you. Yourself, I don't have to tell you. You'll know it yourself, I don't have to tell you.

I don't know if you can.