Bro Gary Wednesday Evening 11/30/11

Bro Gary Wednesday Evening 11/30/11

God is faithful; we need to be faithful.

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

Christ is the one that is on the white horse.  He is faithful and true.  The white horse represents power and authority.

Rev 17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

There is no question, it is important to get saved, to have a heart change, and become a new creature in Christ Jesus but we must continue to go forward.

Called of God:

Mat 4:16  The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Mat 4:17  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Mat 4:18  And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

Mat 4:19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Mat 4:20  And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

God called them.  Where ever we were when God began to deal with our heart and we realized that we needed a savior, it is a wonderful thing to be called.

Mat 4:21  And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

Mat 4:22  And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Not in a proud way, but in a responsible way: we need to realize that not only are we called, we are chosen.

Dear ones, it is vitally important that we are able to recognize that God has a plan, and we may feel very challenged, but that is because we need God.  We cannot do it on our own.  We cannot save our self, sanctify our self, or make our self the chosen of God.  It is His work to ordain us so that we go forth and bring forth fruit.

God help us to sow good seed, see it produce, and it not be aborted because of misconduct.

Luk 19:17  And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

Throughout the gospel there is the teaching of being entrusted with a place with a position.  This servant was entrusted with a pound.  To some they may feel like there are some positions that are insignificant.  Especially on Sunday Mornings when we are gathering in it is not just the responsibility of one or two to greet people.  It is wonderful to be greeted. 

In West Virginia after one testifies about everyone in the congregation goes over and shakes their hand.  A warm greeting does something for you.  You may have come to church heavy laden but everyone else may have as well. 

Those that work in Bible Story time or Sunday school be faithful.  All good things have small beginnings.  When we go to rest-home it may appear that there is only one person that is glad to see us.  When you visit with them and show that you care, the effort may be small but be faithful in small things. 

Sister Stinson is a lady on her way to being ninety.  Her husband is gone and she is a widow.  She has some grand kids that we wouldn’t care to describe.  When she calls, you can’t talk to her because she cannot hear, but she talks to you.  She says that ‘my family’ is so kind.  “Nobody knows how encouraging it is to get a letter from someone.” 

Most of us here can knock on someone’s door without even driving.  Most people don’t have that opportunity.  God help us to be faithful in the little things.  Whatever you are doing, the natural mind would say, “it is little so it doesn’t matter.  It really does matter.” 

“Because thou hast been faithful in a very little…”  In the Gospel, what God has for us to do there will be times when it seems to be little.  Be faithful. 

Paul emphasized the value in faithfulness:

1Co 4:1  Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

1Co 4:2  Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Be faithful.  Be faithful to the house of God, be faithful in preparing for whatever your responsibility is; be faithful in getting ready; be faithful in getting here.

Mat 24:42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Mat 24:43  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

Mat 24:44  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Mat 24:45  Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

Mat 24:46  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Mat 24:47  Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

Jesus shows us the value of being a good servant, watching, working, and being ready.

Mat 24:48  But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

It requires faith to keep it real that Jesus is coming.  He is coming, the word declares it and we take it a step further, because we know he is coming, we take action and prepare.

The attitude “I’m just taking it for granted” costs much in the family and everywhere else.

Mat 24:49  And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

When we lose the reality of you and I standing before the judgment seat then a cooling off occurs and the shortcomings of our brother and sister begin to agitate us.  Keep it real, “I’m going to be faithful to God.” 

Sometimes people say, “I’m having a difficult time in prayer.”  Labor right on.  There are times at work, or in planting a garden, or in your business when things don’t go easy.  It always requires lots of work to accomplish everything.

It is a terrible thing when someone allows their spiritual condition to deteriorate and they begin to fault-find and talk to others about it.  They eat and drink with the drunken, their senses aren’t very sharp.  They get drunk on whatever it might be.  The enemy doesn’t care what we get drunk on.  Attitudes…

We don’t want to be surprised when Jesus comes.  Be faithful in the very little things.

Mat 24:50  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

God is able to pick up the little we might do.  Sometimes it is just an expression.  “We are praying for you.”

Mat 24:51  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

This would be sad.  We want to stay true and faithful to God.  We don’t want to spend eternity with the 

hypocrites. 

May God help us understand the benefit of faithfulness.  Tomorrow morning when we awaken, God will be faithful.  Sister Karen was awake in the night and God gave her a song.

You say, “The answer hasn’t come yet.”  God will be faithful.  There are times when God allows our patience to be tried.  As the song says, “Keep holding on just one more hour.”  Sometimes it is just one more hour but the answer does come.

Faithfulness is the power tool to overcome the enemy.  It is a power tool of encouragement.  “I’m going to be faithful today.  I don’t feel good but I’m going to have devotions.  I’m going to get ready for church.  It may be as I go I’ll get feeling better.”  Faithfulness is a powerful tool of encouragement. 

Once you break a discipline then it is easier to break it again. 

Be faithful to do what God lays on your heart. 

When we pray that God protect us, we never know what God protects us from.  God is so good. 

Faithfulness to God opens the hand of God to us.  It really does.  May God find us faithful in what we consider small.  It may look small but is of great significance to God, to us, and to others.